Friday, January 8, 2010

LEG. NEWS: January 12 hearing on Maine LD 1198: "An Act To Reform Insurance Coverage To Include Diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorders"

**Update 27Jan2010: At present on the "Status in Committee",
work sessions and public hearings scheduled on LD 1198 are listed as follows,

Public Hearing List
  • Mar 30, 2009, 0930AM, Room 427 State House
Work Session List
  •  UPDATE 2/10/10 - A work session is listed on the legislative website as scheduled for
    February 17, 2010 200PM    Room 427 State House
  • Apr 3, 2009, 0930AM, Room 427 State House
  • Jan 12, 2010, 0130PM, Room 427 State House (past date)
  • Jan 19, 2010, 0100PM, Room 427 State House (past date)
  • Feb 9, 2010, 0100PM, Room 427 State House (past date)
 Will try to post the exact time and date of such meetings when available, and recommend keeping in touch with Autism Votes-Maine. and the legislative webpage on LD 1198**
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**Update 19Jan2010:  This bill was not reported out of committee on January 12, and another work session was held on Jan 19, 2010, 0100PM, Room 427 , State House**
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Autism Votes sent out a notice today that the Maine legislature's Joint Insurance and Financial Services Committee will be holding a work group on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 to determine the future of LD 1198: "An Act To Reform Insurance Coverage To Include Diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorders".

Autism Votes has also issued an action request to those in Maine who have interest in the legislation.

For further reading/related blog posts
Autism Votes Maine page

Status and text of LD 1198 (Maine Legislature site)


Thursday, June 11, 2009
NEWS Maine: Board Certified Behavior Analysts Qualify for Reimbursement under MaineCare
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG blog

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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

LEG. NEWS: HB 569-FN New Hampshire Autism Insurance Bill passes NH House

**Update 1/25/10 - according to status report at the legislative website, HB 569-FN has not yet had first reading in the New Hampshire Senate or assigned to a committee**
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On January 6, 2010, HB 569-FN - As amended, aka "Connor's Law": clarifying insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment of pervasive developmental disorder or autism. passed in the New Hampshire House by a vote of 213-147.

The bill now proceeds to the Senate of the New Hampshire General Court.
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For further reading/past blog posts

Connor's Law website

Autism Votes New Hampshire page

LEG. NEWS: New Hampshire autism insurance bill on the calendar for 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG blog


Bill Docket HB 569

The New Hampshire General Court

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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

Thursday, January 7, 2010

NEWS: Pediatrics publishes two significant reports on evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals diagnosed with ASD

On January 4, 2010 Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, published online two articles related to the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Both articles are currently available in free full-text at the Pediatrics website,and professionals working with the ASD population may find them of value for their own education and in their roles in serving individuals with ASD.

The first is a consensus report based on the review of current available evidence by an expert panel (composition of the panel, evaluative process and resulting twenty-three statements described in the full report). Because evidence-based recommendation was not achievable at this time, this consensus report was produced, with a footnote included that,
"The guidance in this article is not intended to advocate for an exclusive course of treatment or to represent a standard of medical care. Individual circumstances will determine variations that may be appropriate."

Buie T, et al "Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals with ASDs: a consensus report" Pediatrics 2010; 125: S1-S18.
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-1878C
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/125/Supplement_1/S1

ABSTRACT:
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are common and clinically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders. Gastrointestinal disorders and associated symptoms are commonly reported in individuals with ASDs, but key issues such as the prevalence and best treatment of these conditions are incompletely understood. A central difficulty in recognizing and characterizing gastrointestinal dysfunction with ASDs is the communication difficulties experienced by many affected individuals. A multidisciplinary panel reviewed the medical literature with the aim of generating evidence-based recommendations for diagnostic evaluation and management of gastrointestinal problems in this patient population. The panel concluded that evidence-based recommendations are not yet available. The consensus expert opinion of the panel was that individuals with ASDs deserve the same thoroughness and standard of care in the diagnostic workup and treatment of gastrointestinal concerns as should occur for patients without ASDs. Care providers should be aware that problem behavior in patients with ASDs may be the primary or sole symptom of the underlying medical condition, including some gastrointestinal disorders. For these patients, integration of behavioral and medical care may be most beneficial. Priorities for future research are identified to advance our understanding and management of gastrointestinal disorders in persons with ASDs.Pediatrics 2010;125:S1–S18

The second,
Buie T, et al "Recommendations for evaluation and treatment of common gastrointestinal problems in children with ASDs" Pediatrics 2010; 125: S19-S29.
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-1878D
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/125/Supplement_1/S19

includes differential diagnostic and treatment guidelines which make reference to the consensus report.

ABSTRACT:
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can benefit from adaptation of general pediatric guidelines for the diagnostic evaluation of abdominal pain, chronic constipation, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. These guidelines help health care providers determine when gastrointestinal symptoms are self-limited and when evaluation beyond a thorough medical history and physical examination should be considered. Children with ASDs who have gastrointestinal disorders may present with behavioral manifestations. Diagnostic and treatment recommendations for the general pediatric population are useful to consider until the development of evidence-based guidelines specifically for patients with ASDs. Pediatrics 2010;125:S19–S29

As a sidebar to the newsstories on the Pediatrics articles, it was noted in one news report that there is a current well-designed and controlled study at the University of Rochester that is anticipated to provide useful information on the effects of the gluten-free/casein-free diet on children with ASD, and that Autism Speaks will be issuing its own recommendations on treatment, including diet, within the year via its Autism Treatment Network.

For further reading/references:

Pediatrics Gastrointestinal Consensus Statement & Recommendations Provide First Step Toward Needed Guidelines for Children with Autism
Autism Speaks

No Proof Yet That Special Diets Ease Autism
Experts say that, for now, parents should work with their child's doctors
By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter, BusinessWeek


NIMH study NCT00090428, Diet and Behavior in Young Children With Autism.

Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network

Pediatrics - Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics

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Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org