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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOINT ATTENTION SKILLS AND LANGUAGE ABILITIES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, PRE AND POST SECRETIN INFUSION
| Title: | THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOINT ATTENTION SKILLS AND LANGUAGE ABILITIES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, PRE AND POST SECRETIN INFUSION |
| Author: | MURRAY, DONNA SMITH |
| Description: | Secretin, a porcine hormone that also has a human synthetic equivalent, is currently being used as a treatment for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). There are anecdotal reports of improvements in language skills, alertness, and autistic symptoms following a single infusion of secretin. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of secretin on receptive and expressive language skills and the pre-verbal social-communicative skills of responding to joint attention bids of others and initiating joint attention. In addition, the relationship between joint attention and receptive and expressive language in children with ASD pre and post secretin was investigated. Twenty children between the ages of 3 and 5 years, diagnosed with autism were included in this study. Receptive language skills were assessed using the receptive language portion of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSELR). Expressive language skills were evaluated by examining mean length of utterance (MLU), and Type Token Ratio (TTR). In addition, response to joint attention bids, and initiation of joint attention were scored. The study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross over design. Participants were evaluated over a period of twelve weeks (a total of five visits). Each participant received an infusion following visit 1 and visit 3 (secretin or placebo). Spearman correlations were used to determine if relationships existed between joint attention and the selected components of language (MSELR, MLU, TTR). The results of this study suggest a relationship between the ability to respond to the joint attention bids of others, and receptive and expressive language abilities in children with ASD. This study did not show a relationship between the ability to initiate joint attention and any of the selected components of language examined. A mixed model analysis was used to examine the effects of secretin infusion on selected components of language (MSELR, MLU, and TTR), and joint attention. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the effects of secretin on the relationships found at baseline between joint attention and the selected components of language. This study found no differences between placebo or treatment conditions on MSELR, MLU, TTR or joint attention skills. |
| Permanent Link: |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin990808257
http://hdl.handle.net/2374.OX/9013 |
| Date: | 2001 |
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