Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service

Raffaella Devescovi,1 Lorenzo Monasta,2 Alice Mancini,3 Maura Bin,1 Valerio Vellante,1 Marco Carrozzi,1 Costanza Colombi4 1Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, 2Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health – IRCCS “Burlo G...

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Autores principales: Devescovi R, Monasta L, Mancini A, Bin M, Vellante V, Carrozzi M, Colombi C
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Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Dove Medical Press 2016
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:ad874253812843bfb7e4728bfa540bfb2021-12-02T08:47:55ZEarly diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service1178-2021https://doaj.org/article/ad874253812843bfb7e4728bfa540bfb2016-06-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.dovepress.com/early-diagnosis-and-early-start-denver-model-intervention-in-autism-sp-peer-reviewed-article-NDThttps://doaj.org/toc/1178-2021Raffaella Devescovi,1 Lorenzo Monasta,2 Alice Mancini,3 Maura Bin,1 Valerio Vellante,1 Marco Carrozzi,1 Costanza Colombi4 1Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, 2Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health – IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Trieste, 3Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Background: Early diagnosis combined with an early intervention program, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), can positively influence the early natural history of autism spectrum disorders. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an early ESDM-inspired intervention, in a small group of toddlers, delivered at low intensity by the Italian Public Health System.Methods: Twenty-one toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders, aged 20–36 months, received 3 hours/wk of one-to-one ESDM-inspired intervention by trained therapists, combined with parents’ and teachers’ active engagement in ecological implementation of treatment. The mean duration of treatment was 15 months. Cognitive and communication skills, as well as severity of autism symptoms, were assessed by using standardized measures at pre-intervention (Time 0 [T0]; mean age =27 months) and post-intervention (Time 1 [T1]; mean age =42 months).Results: Children made statistically significant improvements in the language and cognitive domains, as demonstrated by a series of nonparametric Wilcoxon tests for paired data. Regarding severity of autism symptoms, younger age at diagnosis was positively associated with greater improvement at post-assessment.Conclusion: Our results are consistent with the literature that underlines the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention, since prompt diagnosis can reduce the severity of autism symptoms and improve cognitive and language skills in younger children. Particularly in toddlers, it seems that an intervention model based on the ESDM principles, involving the active engagement of parents and nursery school teachers, may be effective even when the individual treatment is delivered at low intensity. Furthermore, our study supports the adaptation and the positive impact of the ESDM entirely sustained by the Italian Public Health System. Keywords: early diagnosis, early intervention, autism spectrum disorder, Early Start Denver Model, Public Health System serviceDevescovi RMonasta LMancini ABin MVellante VCarrozzi MColombi CDove Medical PressarticleEarly diagnosisEarly interventionAutism Spectrum DisorderEarly Start Denver ModelPublic Health System ServiceNeurosciences. Biological psychiatry. NeuropsychiatryRC321-571Neurology. Diseases of the nervous systemRC346-429ENNeuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, Vol 2016, Iss Issue 1, Pp 1379-1384 (2016)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Early diagnosis
Early intervention
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Early Start Denver Model
Public Health System Service
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
RC321-571
Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
RC346-429
spellingShingle Early diagnosis
Early intervention
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Early Start Denver Model
Public Health System Service
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
RC321-571
Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
RC346-429
Devescovi R
Monasta L
Mancini A
Bin M
Vellante V
Carrozzi M
Colombi C
Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service
description Raffaella Devescovi,1 Lorenzo Monasta,2 Alice Mancini,3 Maura Bin,1 Valerio Vellante,1 Marco Carrozzi,1 Costanza Colombi4 1Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, 2Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Research Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health – IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Trieste, 3Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Background: Early diagnosis combined with an early intervention program, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), can positively influence the early natural history of autism spectrum disorders. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an early ESDM-inspired intervention, in a small group of toddlers, delivered at low intensity by the Italian Public Health System.Methods: Twenty-one toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders, aged 20–36 months, received 3 hours/wk of one-to-one ESDM-inspired intervention by trained therapists, combined with parents’ and teachers’ active engagement in ecological implementation of treatment. The mean duration of treatment was 15 months. Cognitive and communication skills, as well as severity of autism symptoms, were assessed by using standardized measures at pre-intervention (Time 0 [T0]; mean age =27 months) and post-intervention (Time 1 [T1]; mean age =42 months).Results: Children made statistically significant improvements in the language and cognitive domains, as demonstrated by a series of nonparametric Wilcoxon tests for paired data. Regarding severity of autism symptoms, younger age at diagnosis was positively associated with greater improvement at post-assessment.Conclusion: Our results are consistent with the literature that underlines the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention, since prompt diagnosis can reduce the severity of autism symptoms and improve cognitive and language skills in younger children. Particularly in toddlers, it seems that an intervention model based on the ESDM principles, involving the active engagement of parents and nursery school teachers, may be effective even when the individual treatment is delivered at low intensity. Furthermore, our study supports the adaptation and the positive impact of the ESDM entirely sustained by the Italian Public Health System. Keywords: early diagnosis, early intervention, autism spectrum disorder, Early Start Denver Model, Public Health System service
format article
author Devescovi R
Monasta L
Mancini A
Bin M
Vellante V
Carrozzi M
Colombi C
author_facet Devescovi R
Monasta L
Mancini A
Bin M
Vellante V
Carrozzi M
Colombi C
author_sort Devescovi R
title Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service
title_short Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service
title_full Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service
title_fullStr Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service
title_full_unstemmed Early diagnosis and Early Start Denver Model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an Italian Public Health System service
title_sort early diagnosis and early start denver model intervention in autism spectrum disorders delivered in an italian public health system service
publisher Dove Medical Press
publishDate 2016
url https://doaj.org/article/ad874253812843bfb7e4728bfa540bfb
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