Autism & Modern Day Developmental Changes

Autism & Modern Day Developmental Changes

J.R.Slosar, Ph.D.

A new study that examined traits of autism in a larger student population that included children in regular education, reported a rate of 1 out of 38 kids had autistic traits. This more comprehensive study contrasts with previous reports that 1 out of 100 kids had autistic traits. The more thorough study was done in South Korea, but the results are scary and has experts worried that previous estimates are way too low.

Parents today are overwhelmed. In Clinical practice today many more children are seen with a mixture and a hybrid of symptoms that may not offer a clear diagnosis. As the new study shows, of most concern to parents is the increase in autism like symptoms. First, parents need to realize that greater awareness of these symptoms is NOT due to immunization shots. For the reason parents are spooked, just look up the Andrew Wakefield story.

The types of symptoms seen that mystify parents is a child’s intense reactive responses and hypersensitivity. Some children refuse to put on their clothes—reporting that it hurts. Other symptoms might include fear of letting their parents cut their nails. These symptoms also seem related to a surge in anxiety – if you will a child’s version of a panic attack. Despite these sensitivities and oppositional gestures of refusal, the child overall seems to do fine and is not below average functioning in school. In fact, they may be quite smart and precocious. Others may have a mild attention deficit, but often not enough to warrant medication. These symptoms may be referred to as autistic or Asperger like symptoms but I am not so sure. Each case is unique, and it is also important to note that the higher functioning autistic category of Asperger’s disorder is going to be taken out of the new edition of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

When autism is evident, it can be readily discerned. The main symptom is social relatedness and functioning. In particular, it is what is referred to in developmental Psychology as Theory of Mind. A child who has not developed this cannot ask questions or relate in a way that he/she considers what you are thinking. This normally develops at age 4 to 5 when we notice a child even starting to play tricks or jokes on their parents. They are now able to think about what you are thinking. Along with this comes the many questions they ask about you and others. This is noticeably absent in children with autistic symptoms. Of course, direct eye contact is also lacking in autistic children.

But the child who is presenting with a hybrid of sensitivities and stubbornness is a phenomenon I have noticed. It is important not to diagnose too quickly or ascribe Asperger’s or autism to the child’s development. It is also important to work with parents to make sure they don’t overuse behavioral methods. While a consistent behavior plan is almost always helpful, it may not be best to insist on it when the child is displaying hypersensitivities. Or at least it is important not to be punitive with behavioral methods for something that may be even neurological.

Many developmental scales are helpful for assessment, but observing a child’s play and interactions in a structured setting are the most helpful for designing an effective treatment regime. Today, changing biological patterns in development are complicated and must be seen in a broader perspective. While the category being used to describe these developmental symptoms as autism—they are much more complex and intricate and one must be careful about always labeling them as autistic.

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PERSONALITY TESTING

Self Assessment

Any self-assessment to improve leadership skills, performance, communication and teamwork should involve the best instrumentation possible. Utilizing popular instruments that lack validity and then providing feedback to managers and supervisors can even be harmful. I am stunned at how many OD consultants, companies and Human Resource professionals have not heard of the Big 5 or the 5 Factor model of personality.

The Big 5 has emerged from continuous research in normal personality development that began in 1936. In the 1980s, the 5 factors emerged from the norms of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. This study was both the longest and largest ongoing study of personality development. The 5 Factor model has dominated the research literature in peer reviewed Personality journals in Psychology. The 5 factors have been continuously developed by Factor Analysis and have been established as valid universally. That is, the validity of the factors and structure held up even when the assessment was administered to people in different countries and cultures.

 Each of the 5 main factors has numerous subfactors that in totality provide more information than any other personality assessment. The factors have been researched describing their impact on work performance. If you are interested in taking the Big 5 (which can be taken online) and receiving professional interpretation, please contact Dr. Slosar by e mail at jrslosar@gmail.com. Consultations  can be conducted in person or by phone.

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Better care for mentally ill would help prisons

J.R. Slosar and Michael A. Moodian: Better care for mentally ill would help prisons, budget

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Book Review in June Issue of Choice

The recession, political divisions, and cultural confusion over what one needs to live a good life have made quite the perfect storm for most Americans in the first decade of the 21st century. Heretofore, Americans had been happy with excess, but now what? How does one make sense of it all and assess the material and psychological damage?

Slosar (a clinical psychologist in private practice) uses the tools of his trade to offer an accounting, a major theme of which is narcissism, the obsessive infatuation with sating desires without regard to the needs or well-being of others. The problem–besides those pesky hens coming home to roost–is that forms of narcissism are widespread in the US culture and economic system, as reflected in private life, health care, and love of digital toys, among other things. To illustrate his claims, Slosar switches back and forth between illustrative client case studies and media-based examples of bad behavior (think corporate greed, shameless celebrities, reality television), a method that sometimes works and sometimes does not.

Part psychology, part political analysis, and part polemics, this book makes clear the difficulty of shifting from “Generation Me” to “Generation We.” Summing Up: Recommended. General readers only.

– D. S. Dunn, Moravian College

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California Vote 2010 – KMPC TV 8/2/2010

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Answers for the Family on LA TALK RADIO

Press Release – Answers for the Family on LA TALK RADIO

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Culture of Excess Gets Some Great Exposure

The culture of excess has be listed on a number of major news and media sites.

AOL DailyFinance

Foxbusiness.com

Atlanta Business Chronicle

Bizjournals.com, Inc.

Boston Business Journal

Denver Business Journal

Houston Business Journal

Los Angeles Business from bizjournals

Pacific Business News

Philadelphia Business Journal

Pittsburgh Business Times

Sacramento Business Journal

San Francisco Business Times

Yahoo!

Yahoo! Canada

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Book Review by PNHP’s Don McCanne, MD

Physicians For A National Health Program’s (PNHP) Don McCanne, MD has written a great review of the book.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2010/may/jr-slosars-the-culture-of-excess

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Eric Hoffer da Vinci Eye Award

da-Vinci-Eye-AwardCulture of Excess has been awarded the 2010 Eric Hoffer da Vinci Eye Award for superior cover artwork. Cover art is judged on both content and style. The da Vinci Eye is given in honor of the historic artist/scientist/inventor Leonardo da Vinci.

http://www.hofferaward.com/HAdaVinci.html

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Book News Reviews

Economists, political scientists, and business experts have taken the lead in producing the many “we have only ourselves to blame” books that document our current economic woes. This book, written by a clinical psychologist offers a different perspective, which makes it stand out in this now-crowded genre of literature. Slosar provides an interesting examination of the psychological and social influences that affect us as a culture, setting up circumstances that made our clamor for money outpace our collective common sense. The prose is thoughtful, but not necessarily sanguine that we might not make the same mistakes again if given a chance.

Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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