Twinkling Tree Canopy
Research and the Testable Autistic
A fundamental issue in autism research is that again and again we are testing only a narrow band of "testable autistics."
Essentially past and current research on Autism is oversampling the same ~30% of autistics, the testable autistics. Then we assume the results apply to all, when they do no.
I was in a research stakeholder meeting last week where another autistic talked about the variety of different research studies she had participated in over the years.
I was thinking of how many autism research studies where I've been a participant - it was ZERO, literally!! It was not that I did not want to, I was always in the exclusion criteria zone even in autism research.
Growing up, I used to hear about what autistics are supposed to be thinking/doing, all based on the hundreds of studies that had already been done. And the thought was - the results don't reflect me. Do I have the wrong dx?
We badly need to RETHINK RESEARCH METHODOLOGY along with new NEW TECHNOLOGY , so that we can expand this ZONE OF TESTABLE AUTISTICS so it's more representative of even those with high support needs like me.
So, what kind of methods can we use to extend the range of testable autistics.
We need to find answers and solutions for all autistics. THIS IS URGENT.
M-CHAT Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers
Lexicon [Measures] - M-CHAT
The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R) is a screening tool to identify early signs of autism in toddlers. The M-CHAT-R is a caregiver-reported questionnaire that assesses the presence of behaviors associated with ASD in toddlers aged 16 to 30 months. It is intended to screen for potential developmental concerns and determine the need for further evaluation.
Limitations
Measure, Scoring & Interpretation
The M-CHAT-R is typically administered by a clinician or early intervention specialist. It consists of 20 items that cover different areas of development, including social communication, joint attention, play, and repetitive behaviors. Caregivers indicate whether the behaviors are observed in their child or not (scored as 1 for Yes and 0 for No). The total score is calculated by summing the scores across all items.
History, Limitations, and Revisions
The M-CHAT-R is an updated version of the original M-CHAT,. It was developed by Diana Robins, Deborah Fein, and Marianne Barton in 2009.
Citation:
Robins, D. L., Fein, D., & Barton, M. L. (2009). The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R). Retrieved from https://mchatscreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-CHAT-R.pdf
Winter Thaw
Winter thaw, nature awakes
Twittering birds in flights of awe
Dancing from tree to tree to tree
I woke upto sunshine today though the temperature is still in the 30s. My window view continues to be provide awe for me.
Hoarfrost and Icicles
glazed ice drape the leafless trees
ice sculptures of neural dendrites
...glistening at 27 degrees
white latticed cobwebs cover the brush.
fine needle crystals, it's hoarfrost.
water vapor turned solid, sublimation.
icicles drip by my windowsill
add to the morning chill
Comorbidity of ADHD puts you at higher risk for Mental Health
This article on ADHD talks about research from Bath University in the UK.
Essentially it says
- Mental health risk higher in ADHD alone > Mental Health risk in Autism alone
- The risk is higher when there are co-morbidities (ie: Autism+ADHD)