Autism Spectrum Disorder Origins and Treatment Considerations by Elijah Levy, Ph.D. www.thelevylaunch.com email: thelevylaunch@yahoo.com (562) 230-3334

Dr. Elijah Levy Director of Founders Outreach: A nonprofit center providing psychosocial rehabilitation to 90 mentally ill residents at Founders House of Hope (18 years) Ph.D . in Clinical Psychology, 25 years experience treating the mentally ill in inpatient and residential care settings implementing psychiatric/psychosocial rehabilitation programs. Adjunct Faculty at University of Redlands teaching in the undergraduate and graduate school (23 years) and adjunct at Southern California University of Health Sciences teaching psychology (2 years). Director of The Levy Launch: A Consulting & Resource Center www.thelevylaunch.com providing corporate education and training, management development and strategy consultation. Author of two books and editor of anthology of poetry written by the mentally ill, producer of documentary on mental illness. Awarded excellence in teaching award several times and history of recognition for volunteering. Good bio on Elie to establish credibility as an expert in this field

Autism Spectrum Disorder The causes remain unknown, is linked to abnormal biology and chemistry of the brain, chromosomal abnormalities It occurs in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups Males are 4 times more likely than females to have ASD; females with autism are likely to have severe mental retardation Conditions are seen on a spectrum

Causes of Autism It is likely that genetics and environment play a role We see chromosomal abnormalities, congenital infections Structural abnormalities of central nervous system We see irregularities in regions of the brain Biochemistry reveals abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters We see disruption of normal brain development in fetal period caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and how brain cells communicate Research involves identifying which genes contribute to susceptibility for autism It can be inherited

Appears in the first 3 years of life; unlike Schizophrenia, where we have years of normal development followed by acute psychotic episode Increased incidence may be due to newer definitions of autism; now includes wider spectrum Characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors May have co-occurring disorders such as ADD, Tourette’s, Mental Retardation and about 20%-30% of these children develop epilepsy as adults

Scope of Impairments Communication Impairments: Cannot start or maintain conversation Communicates with gestures/not words Develops language slowly or no language Repeats words Does not refer to self correctly Social interaction Impairments: Does not make friends or play interactive games, withdrawal May not respond to eye contact or smiles, treats others as objects, prefers to spend time alone, shows lack of empathy, prefers solitary play

Response to Sensory Information: Does not startle to loud noises, heightened or low sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell or taste Withdraw from physical contact, rubs surfaces, licks objects Behaviors Shows narrow interests, repetitive body movements, can be aggressive towards others May be overactive or very passive; no imaginative play Short attention span; inflexible adherence to routines/rituals

There is no cure for autism Treatment Experienced clinicians compose a team of professional providing the following: Applied Behavior Analysis: one to one teaching approach reinforcing practice of skills; intensive, skill oriented training to develop language and social skills Family counseling, support groups Medications Occupational Therapy Speech Language Therapy Sensory Integration and Vision Therapy There is no cure for autism

Contact Information Dr. Elijah Levy Email: thelevylaunch@yahoo.com (562) 230-3334 Website: www.thelevylaunch.com