We, the Barbados Association of Psychologists (BAP), would like to thank Mr Matthew Farley for acting as moderator at the lecture/discussion on Autism Spectrum Disorders held at the Barbados Workers’ Union on Monday, July 19. We would also like to thank him for bringing to the attention of the public some of the issues presented during the aforementioned lecture. Finally, we would like to clarify some potential misperceptions presented in his article in the Sunday SUN of July 25. The BAP would like to clarify that during the lecture on July 19, autism was not presented as an “incurable disorder” by any of the panellists. Rather, a comprehensive and collaborative view of autism and potential treatment options was presented. The purpose of this lecture was to educate, instil hope and support parents in their efforts to seek a range of treatment options for their children. It is important to the BAP that professionals create and maintain a collaborative relationship with parents when assessing and treating developmental disorders in children. It is only through this collaborative relationship that an individual and specific treatment plan can be developed for each child. Ms Alana Warren, clinical psychologist, presented a definition of autism spectrum disorders and discussed the fact that those on the spectrum experienced impairments in 1) social interaction, 2) verbal and nonverbal communication, and 3) restricted and repetitive behaviours/interests. Depending on the number and severity of symptoms, individuals may be diagnosed as having autism, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (atypical autism) or Asperger’s syndrome. In her presentation Ms Warren gave some examples of common characteristics observed in those who receive a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. These may include, but are not limited to, lack of/delay in language development, little/no eye contact or other communication gestures, lack of interest in play relationships, lack of spontaneous or imaginative play, or a persistent fixation on particular objects/parts of objects.Ms Warren reported on a 2007 report by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM) which suggested one in 150 children in the United States were affected by an autism spectrum disorder. She noted that no information on prevalence rates was currently available for the Barbadian population. Dr Shirley Alleyne, paediatric and adult psychiatrist, noted that treatment outcomes had improved over the last 20 years as a result of earlier diagnosis, fuelled by greater awareness and collaboration between parents and professionals. She discussed other diagnoses that share similar characteristics to autism and should be ruled out during the diagnostic process, and addressed conditions that frequently co-occur with autism. She addressed the myth that children with autism had a higher risk of childhood onset schizophrenia and emphasised the fact that research had proven there was no increased risk of childhood onset schizophrenia in children with autism. Both Ms Warren and Dr Alleyne reported the research findings that autism was more common in boys. Additionally, they both advocated a multidisciplinary, multimodal, team approach to diagnosis and treatment. From this perspective, a medical doctor, psychologist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist and audiologist might work together with parents to confirm a diagnosis. Symptom management might include social skills training, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, a special education setting, and parent training and support. Mrs Deborah Thompson-Smith, the mother of a child on the autism spectrum and the executive director of the new charity Spectrum Possibilities, was invited to present her unique view of autism and experience with a number of treatment options, many of which she had employed with her own child, and the improvements observed. While not all of the treatment approaches discussed are currently available in Barbados, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, osteopathy and homeopathy are available. The BAP has been hosting public outreach seminars for the past six years to educate the public on issues pertinent to the field of psychology. Our aim was to educate the public about autism spectrum disorders and treatment options. We hope that this article further serves that purpose.
•Lauren Marshall is a clinical psychologist and secretary of the Barbados Association of Psychologists.
