Use of early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder across Europe

Abstract

Little is known about use of early interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Europe. Parents of children with ASD aged 7 years or younger (N=1680) were recruited through parent organisations in 18 European countries and completed an online survey about the interventions their child received. There was considerable variation in use of interventions and in some countries more than 20% of children received no intervention at all. The most frequently reported treatments were speech and language therapy (64%) and behavioural, developmental and relationship based treatments (55%). In some parts of Europe, use of behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions was associated with higher parental educational level and time passed since diagnosis, rather than USE OF INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD IN EUROPE 2 with child characteristics. These findings highlight the need to monitor use of treatment for children with ASD in Europe in order to contrast inequalities.

Autism and ABA: The Gulf Between North America and Europe

“…This indirect endorsement of ABA by Howlin et al is misleading because in fact, only one third (32.3 %) of young children with ASD (aged <6 years) in Europe are reported to receive behavioural intervention of any type, with estimates ranging from 8.6 % in the Czech Republic to 80.6 % in Romania (Salomone et al 2014). Salomone et al found that the average number of hours per week was 8.69 (range 0.64-23.00; SD 9.80).…”

Language and communication in children with autism: Do research and clinical practice converge in Denmark?

“…A recent study surveyed the use of early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders across 18 European countries. It found that, in Europe as a whole, speech and language therapy was the most frequently provided intervention for young children with autism, received by 64% of children; in comparison, only 22% of Danish children received speech and language therapy, the second lowest percentage in the 18 European countries (Salomone et al, 2015).…”

“…However, the Danish approach differs from community standards in other European countries as well as in the United States, where verbal language is included as an important target for early intervention (e.g., TagerFlusberg et al, 2009;Virués-Ortega, 2010;Salomone et al, 2015), and speech-language pathologists are central to the early intervention process (Smith & Dillenbeck, 2006).…”

Impact of the Early Start Denver Model on the cognitive level of children with autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial using a two-stage Zelen design

“…[5][6][7] Early intervention for ASD in European countries is heterogeneous and poorly evaluated to date. 8 In French-speaking European countries, most children and their families have access to a public consultation centre specialised in autism. Families and children have regular consultations with a public psychologist or child and adolescent psychiatrist, but meeting schedules vary greatly (weekly, monthly or once a quarter).…”

“…Of all interventions, speech and language therapies are those most frequently reported. 8 These therapies can vary in frequency (30 min per session and up to four times per week). All these different treatments can be delivered in public or private centres.…”