Intervention Proposal

Lauren DiSalvo

IFS 2104

February 19, 2017

Intervention Paper

        On December fourteenth 2002, my brother Cole was diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder. So, by recalling the measures we used to improve Cole’s symptoms, I was able to develop an intervention of my own. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a wide range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and challenges with speech and nonverbal communication. There are many types of Autism and most are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental influences. The most obvious signs tend to appear in children between the ages of 2 and 3 years old. Typical signs include the inability to speak, repetitive use of language and motor mannerisms, sharing little/ no eye contact with people, lack of interest in peer relationships, lack of spontaneous or make-believe play and persistent fixation on parts of objects. The typical onset of children with Autism occurs in one of two patterns. In one pattern, children tend to show abnormalities in social and communicative development in their first year of life and the most common symptom is delayed speech development. In the second pattern, which is known as regressive autism, children appear to be developing normally for the first year or two but by the time they are two years old, they lose skills that they had previously acquired with their onset of autistic symptoms. Autism symptoms can vary widely but the three main categories of symptoms include language impairment, social deficits, and repetitive behaviors. Although autism is usually a life-long condition, all children diagnosed with the disorder can benefit from interventions that reduce symptoms and increase skills and abilities. The best scenario would be to begin intervention as soon as possible, however, the benefits of therapy can continue throughout the course of the patient’s entire life.

Each autistic individual is unique and so each intervention plan should be specific to their needs. The intervention program I am going to use to treat this disorder is going to target the gastrointestinal distress that is typically associated with autism and will hopefully contribute positively to any other symptoms associated with the disorder. By addressing gastrointestinal conditions, hopefully the patient’s attention and learning related behaviors will improve along with it. To help the autistic child’s digestive system, I am going to put the patient on the paleo diet. The paleo diet is the healthiest way a person can eat because it works with genetics to keep someone lean, strong and energetic. It consists of lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil, and grass-fed meat. Health benefits of the paleo diet include improved blood lipids, weight loss, and reduced pain from autoimmunity. It will also help a patient with autism because it gives individuals stable blood sugar, reduces allergies, balances energy throughout the day and improves sleep patterns. Improving the patient’s sleeping pattern is a very important milestone on the road to recovery. A good sleeping pattern is associated with a range of benefits like improving memory, curbing inflammation, spurring creativity, sharpening attention, lowering stress and much more. “In a child with neurodevelopment disorders, the brain in inflamed, and the gut and the brain are connected.” So, although somewhat indirect, I believe keeping the patient on a strict diet like the paleo diet will help improve their overall health, neurocognitive abilities, and lead them toward the road to recovery.