scholarly journals The impact of comorbidity of intellectual disability on estimates of autism prevalence among children enrolled in US special education

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Polyak ◽  
Richard M Kubina ◽  
Santhosh Girirajan
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
The United States ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Complex Disorder ◽  
Education Enrollment ◽  
Enrollment Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Autism Prevalence

Objectives: While recent studies suggest a converging role for genetic factors towards risk for nosologically distinct disorders including autism, intellectual disability (ID), and epilepsy, current estimates of autism prevalence fail to take into account the impact of comorbidity of these neurodevelopmental disorders on autism diagnosis. We aimed to assess the effect of potential comorbidity of ID on the diagnosis and prevalence of autism by analyzing 11 years of special education enrollment data. Design: Population study of autism using the United States special education enrollment data from years 2000-2010. Setting: US special education. Participants: We analyzed 11 years (2000 to 2010) of longitudinal data on approximately 6.2 million children per year from special education enrollment. Results: We found a 331% increase in the prevalence of autism from 2000 to 2010 within special education, potentially due to a diagnostic recategorization from frequently comorbid features like ID. In fact, the decrease in ID prevalence equaled an average of 64.2% of the increase of autism prevalence for children aged 3-18 years. The proportion of ID cases potentially undergoing recategorization to autism was higher (p=0.007) among older children (75%) than younger children (48%). Some US states showed significant negative correlations between the prevalence of autism compared to that of ID while others did not, suggesting differences in state-specific health policy to be a major factor in categorizing autism. Conclusions: Our results suggest that current ascertainment practices are based on a single facet of autism-specific clinical features and do not consider associated comorbidities that may confound diagnosis. Longitudinal studies with detailed phenotyping and deep molecular genetic analyses are necessary to completely understand the cause of this complex disorder. Future studies of autism prevalence should also take these factors into account.

scholarly journals Reaching Out: Extending Collaboration & Training To Educators

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orletta Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hierarchical System ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Students With Special Needs ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
The Impact

In the United States, special education paraeducators constitute a population of educators that provide integral services to our students with special needs. This population of educators is historically and currently poorly trained and supervised; yet, they work with the most challenging conditions and student population. Existing literature has unveiled a dismal state where the paraeducators job demands are increasing while their training and support remain relatively stagnant. An area where research has not highlighted as thoroughly is the impact of the dysfunctional, hierarchical system in which paraeducators operate. In essence, paraeducators are victims of a dysfunctional system that leaves them stagnant in their learning and in a position of marginalization. To begin including and valuing these individuals and thus improving our schools, practitioners must go back to the basics and increase the extent in which we demonstrate our appreciation of paraeducators by acknowledging and including them in more collaborative relationships and providing adequate training.

scholarly journals Expanding the Role of Educational Audiologists After a Failed Newborn Hearing Screening: A Quality Improvement Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Caitlin Sapp ◽  
Jonathan Stirn ◽  
Tammy O'Hollearn ◽  
Elizabeth A. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
The United States ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Hearing Screening ◽  
Newborn Hearing Screening ◽  
Newborn Hearing ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hearing Evaluation

Purpose Lack of timely and proximal access to diagnostic hearing evaluation using auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing hampers the effectiveness of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs in the United States. This study measured the impact of a state-based quality-improvement (QI) project that provided diagnostic ABR equipment and training to educational audiologists distributed throughout Iowa in regional special education centers. Method We used de-identified administrative data generated by the state EHDI program to analyze markers of access to early hearing health care for infants in a preproject condition (“Baseline”) compared to the implementation of diagnostic ABRs at the regional special education centers (“QI Project”). Results Our findings revealed that the QI Project was associated with improvements in timeliness of first hearing evaluation, distance traveled for first hearing evaluation, and likelihood of receiving on-guideline audiology care during the first hearing evaluation. Conclusions Following the onset of the QI Project, infants and their families had greater access to initial hearing evaluation after failed newborn hearing screening. This improvement could have cascading effects on timeliness of later intervention among those with confirmed permanent childhood hearing loss.

Perinatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Neonatal COVID-19: A 2021 Update

NeoReviews ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. e284-e295
Author(s):  
Deepika Sankaran ◽  
Natasha Nakra ◽  
Ritu Cheema ◽  
Dean Blumberg ◽  
Satyan Lakshminrusimha
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Older Children ◽  
High Quality Data ◽  
Lactating Women ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
United States Food ◽  
States Food ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
The Impact

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has swept across the world like an indiscriminating wildfire. Pregnant women and neonates are particularly vulnerable to this infection compared with older children and healthy young adults, with unique challenges in their management. Unfamiliarity with the consequences of this novel virus and lack of high-quality data led to considerable heterogeneity in obstetrical and neonatal management early in the pandemic. The aim of the this review is to summarize the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy and childbirth and to examine care and possible outcomes for neonates with Covid-19-positive mothers. A brief review of vaccines currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for emergency use and their potential effects on pregnant and lactating women in included.

Creating Classroom Environments That Address the Linguistic and Cultural Backgrounds of Students with Disabilities

1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 323-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Sileo ◽  
Mary Anne Prater
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
The Public ◽  
Asian And Pacific Islander ◽  
Changing Demographics ◽  
The Impact

Significant changes in the public school population throughout the United States are influenced by the increasing numbers of immigrants who enter the country annually. It is estimated that in the next 50 years the U.S. population will become exceedingly more ethnically diverse than it is at present. Immigrants from Asian and Pacific Rim countries are emigrating to the United States more rapidly than any other group. We discuss the impact of increased numbers of Asian and Pacific Islander students in the context of special education. In particular, we focus on the changing demographics of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the overall U.S. population and on the importance of designing and delivering special education services that address their diverse cultural and linguistic characteristics, culturally and linguistically relevant instructional practices, and parental involvement.

Population-Based Analysis of Firearm Injuries among Young Children in the United States, 2010–2015

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 449-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Cook ◽  
David Hosmer ◽  
Laurent Glance ◽  
Bindu Kalesan ◽  
Jordan Weinberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Gunshot Wounds ◽  
The United States ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Firearm Injuries ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Impact

Firearm violence in the United States knows no age limit. This study compares the survival of children younger than five years to children and adolescents of age 5–19 years who presented to an ED for gunshot wounds (GSWs) in the United States to test the hypothesis of higher GSW mortality in very young children. A study of GSW patients aged 19 years and younger who survived to reach medical care was performed using the Nationwide ED Sample for 2010–2015. Hospital survival and incidence of fatal and nonfatal GSWs in the United States were the study outcomes. A multilevel logistic regression model estimated the strength of association among predictors of hospital mortality. The incidence of ED presentation for GSW is as high as 19 per 100,000 population per year. Children younger than five years were 2.7 times as likely to die compared with older children (15.3% vs 5.6%). Children younger than one year had the highest hospital mortality, 33.1 per cent. The mortality from GSW is highest among the youngest children compared with older children. This information may help policy makers and the public better understand the impact of gun violence on the youngest and most vulnerable Americans.

Exceptional Learners

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel P. Hallahan ◽  
Paige C. Pullen ◽  
James M. Kauffman ◽  
Jeanmarie Badar
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
American Psychiatric Association ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
The United States ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Inattentive Type ◽  
Exceptional Learners

Exceptional learners is the term used in the United States to refer to students with disabilities (as well as those who are gifted and talented). The majority of students with disabilities have cognitive and/or behavioral disabilities, that is, specific learning disability (SLD), intellectual disability (ID), emotional disturbance, (ED), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The remaining have primarily sensory and/or physical disabilities (e.g., blindness, deafness, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy). Many of the key research and policy issues pertaining to exceptional learners involve their definitions and identification. For example, prior to SLD being formally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in the 1970s, its prevalence was estimated at approximately 2% to 3% of the school-age population. However, the prevalence of students identified for special education as SLD grew rapidly until by 1999 it reached 5.68% for ages 6 to 17 years. Since then, the numbers identified as SLD has declined slowly but steadily. One probable explanation for the decrease is that response to intervention has largely replaced IQ-achievement as the method of choice for identifying SLD. The term intellectual disability has largely replaced the classification of mental retardation. This change originated in the early 2000s because of the unfortunate growing popularity of using retard as a pejorative. Although ID used to be determined by a low IQ-test score, one must also have low adaptive behavior (such as daily living skills) to be diagnosed as ID. That is the likely reason why the prevalence of students with ID at under 1% is well below the estimated prevalence of 2.27% based solely on IQ scores two standard deviations (i.e., 70) below the norm of 100. There are two behavioral dimensions of ED: externalizing (including conduct disorder) and internalizing (anxiety and withdrawal) behaviors. Research evidence indicates that students with ED are underserved in public schools. Researchers have now confirmed ADHD as a bona fide neurologically based disability. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes three types of ADHD: (a) ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type; (b) ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type; and (c) ADHD, Combined Type. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes two types of ASD: social communication impairment and repetitive/restricted behaviors. The prevalence of ASD diagnosis has increased dramatically. Researchers point to three probable reasons for this increase: a greater awareness of ASD by the public and professionals; a more liberal set of criteria for diagnosing ASD, especially as it pertains to those who are higher functioning; and “diagnostic substitution”—persons being identified as having ASD who previously would have been diagnosed as mentally retarded or intellectually disabled. Instruction for exceptional children, referred to as “special education,” differs from what most (typical or average) children require. Research indicates that effective instruction for students with disabilities is individualized, explicit, systematic, and intensive. It differs with respect to size of group taught and amount of corrective feedback and reinforcement used. Also, from the student’s viewpoint, it is more predictable. In addition, each of these elements is on a continuum.

The 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Body Composition Among Youth Receiving Special Education Services in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Justin A. Haegele ◽  
Xihe Zhu ◽  
Sean Healy ◽  
Freda Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Special Education Services ◽  
Education Services ◽  
Body Weight Status ◽  
The Impact

Background: The purposes of this study were to examine the proportions of youth receiving special education services in the United States who individually and jointly met physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration guidelines, and to examine the impact of meeting none, one, two, and three of the guidelines on overweight and obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis utilized data from the 2016 to 2017 National Survey for Children’s Health data set on 3582 youth aged 10–17 years who received special education services. The frequency of the participants’ compliance with the 24-hour movement guidelines and body weight status (based on the age- and sex-specific percentile cutoffs) were estimated. Meeting guidelines was defined as: 9–11 hours/night (5–13 y) or 8–10 hours/night (14–17 y) of sleep, ≤120 minutes per day of screen time, and ≥60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the impact of meeting none, one, two, or three guidelines on body weight status, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Overall, 8.1% of youth met all three guidelines, 42.0% met two guidelines, 38.0% met one guideline, and 11.9% did not meet any guideline. Meeting all three guidelines was associated with an approximately 50% decreased likelihood of overweight than meeting no guideline, or sleep or screen time guidelines independently. Conclusions: This study extends the 24-hour movement framework to children receiving special education services and should prompt the continued study of its utility for understanding health disparities experienced by this population.

Speech-Language Pathology in the Peace Corps: Necessity and Sustainability

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Pierce
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Peace Corps ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
The United States ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Language Pathology

In countries other than the United States, the study and practice of speech-language pathology is little known or nonexistent. Recognition of professionals in the field is minimal. Speech-language pathologists in countries where speech-language pathology is a widely recognized and respected profession often seek to share their expertise in places where little support is available for individuals with communication disorders. The Peace Corps offers a unique, long-term volunteer opportunity to people with a variety of backgrounds, including speech-language pathologists. Though Peace Corps programs do not specifically focus on speech-language pathology, many are easily adapted to the profession because they support populations of people with disabilities. This article describes how the needs of local children with communication disorders are readily addressed by a Special Education Peace Corps volunteer.

Demonstrating Nutrient Cost Gradients: A Brooklyn Case Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 244-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Karp ◽  
Gary Wong ◽  
Marguerite Orsi
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
The United States ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Caloric Density ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Introduction: Foods dense in micronutrients are generally more expensive than those with higher energy content. These cost-differentials may put low-income families at risk of diminished micronutrient intake. Objectives: We sought to determine differences in the cost for iron, folate, and choline in foods available for purchase in a low-income community when assessed for energy content and serving size. Methods: Sixty-nine foods listed in the menu plans provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for low-income families were considered, in 10 domains. The cost and micronutrient content for-energy and per-serving of these foods were determined for the three micronutrients. Exact Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for comparisons of energy costs; Spearman rho tests for comparisons of micronutrient content. Ninety families were interviewed in a pediatric clinic to assess the impact of food cost on food selection. Results: Significant differences between domains were shown for energy density with both cost-for-energy (p < 0.001) and cost-per-serving (p < 0.05) comparisons. All three micronutrient contents were significantly correlated with cost-for-energy (p < 0.01). Both iron and choline contents were significantly correlated with cost-per-serving (p < 0.05). Of the 90 families, 38 (42 %) worried about food costs; 40 (44 %) had chosen foods of high caloric density in response to that fear, and 29 of 40 families experiencing both worry and making such food selection. Conclusion: Adjustments to USDA meal plans using cost-for-energy analysis showed differentials for both energy and micronutrients. These differentials were reduced using cost-per-serving analysis, but were not eliminated. A substantial proportion of low-income families are vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies.

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