Recent research by Lynn Koegel, the Clinic Director of the Koegel Autism Center at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, and her research team argues for intervention for infants under the age of two in both the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Early intervention, currently a burgeoning trend in the field, is believed to be more time and cost efficient over the typical “wait and see approach” that is most commonly used in treating Autism. Treatment during the first two years of life can result in less costly lifelong interventions, help children improve socially and communicatively, prevent secondary, disruptive symptoms, while reducing parent stress and improving parent wellbeing. Addressing early symptoms at before the age of two – a critical period of brain growth and connectivity – can also result in long-term outcomes such as altering cortical organization, enhancing learning, and potentially improving developmental trajectories.
In her most recent publication, “Feasibility and Effectiveness of Very Early Intervention for Infants At-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review,” Koegel performed an extensive literature review on the nine previous studies that have investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of the early intervention of ASD under the age of two. Koegel uses existing empirical evidence to provide a foundation of all possible treatments and methodologies that can help provide the best possible diagnosis and intervention for this age group. Some of the studies Koegel has examined demonstrate improvement in verbal and nonverbal communication, social engagement, and autism symptomology from pre to post intervention, providing preliminary evidence that intervention for at-risk infants may be beneficial for both infants and parents. This builds upon research published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders where the autism treatment developed at UCSB (called “Pivotal Response Treatment”) showed improvements in infants under a year of age.
Koegel uses past literature and experimental designs, although extremely limited, to overcome the barriers apparent in conducting early behavioral intervention approaches and hopes to move forward with experimental designs for infants. Koegel addresses the greatest barrier in finding an experimental design to provide early intervention is due to the heterogeneity in the diagnosis of ASD at such a young age. A more intelligent and sensible approach through individualized interventions based on an infant’s unique behavioral, environmental, and family characteristic is suggested to check the improvement of behavioral functioning in treatment rather than simply relying on diagnostic labeling.
Lynn Koegel is conceptualizing future directions in treating infants with ASD in their first two years. By understanding the diagnosis process, plausible treatments, and outcomes of early intervention, Koegel is tackling the current barriers faced in experimental design. The Koegel Center is currently pushing forward promising early detection diagnosis and intervention for infants within the first two years.