Initial findings of an autism behavioral intervention study being conducted in Phoenix, AZ, reveal that Behavior Imaging (B.I.) technology can significantly aid families and health professionals in more effectively treating children with autism.
The study, which began in January 2009 and will continue through 2010, is being funded by the Organization for Autism Research and conducted by the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC). The study centers on the use of B.I. CARE™, a unique health record platform which allows health events captured on video and other documentation to be immediately shared between parents and their healthcare professionals privately via the internet. B.I. CARE was developed by Caring Technologies in Boise, Idaho.
In the study, parents using a Flip Video® camera digitally record their child’s behavioral events from their homes. They then share three recordings each week via B.I. CARE with SARRC, where a behavior professional observes the child’s behavior, makes annotations about appropriate interventions right on the video, and sends the comments back to the family through B.I. CARE. Like a health record, B.I. CARE also tracks SARRC’s clinical recommendations while documenting the child’s progress and / or needs, allowing SARRC to effectively treat these children over extended treatment periods regardless where the family lives.
The study includes 15 families of children with autism, each who met with SARRC counselors and received one week of intensive training on behavior interventions. At the end of the week, eight of the families were given access to Behavior Imaging technology and ongoing professional support from SARRC counselors. A control group consisting of the remaining seven families received no further support.
Among the families participating in the study are Heather and Bruce Clarke, two traveling nurses who currently live in Tucson, AZ, and their 3-year-old son Nathan, who was diagnosed with autism at 26 months of age. After three months in the study, both the Clarkes and Kristen Treulich, Clinical Supervisor at SARRC, have seen a steady improvement in Nathan’s behavior since the project began.
“Nathan’s behavior used to be very disruptive,”
Truelich said the families in the B.I. CARE group maintain and even improve their skills as their children's skills progress throughout the three month study process. She said the skills of the non-B.I. Care families worsen after the first month as a result of receiving no feedback for that month.
According to Treulich, a benefit of Behavior Imaging technology is that it allows intervention to be done in the child’s natural environment and in a place where they are comfortable and it is convenient. The technology also enables her to counsel three to five times the number of patients that can be seen during traditional in-office appointments and it lets her view and analyze behaviors that may not show up during face-to-face appointments.
Behavior Imaging also can be used to save patients and qualified practitioners time and money by obviating the need to observe autistic behavior in person. “Because autism services are often limited or unavailable in certain areas, Behavior Imaging technology gives families in remote access to professional care, no matter where they are, as long as they have Internet access,” Treulich said.
This is the second study involving the use of Behavior Imaging in a clinical environment. In August of 2009, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a study to determine the effectiveness of Behavior Imaging among special-needs health care providers. Results showed that 81% of the participants in the study found Behavior Imaging to be “favorable”
