Angela Hassiotis and James Dove summarise a recent meta-analysis of antipsychotic prescribing and use trends in US youth with autism spectrum disorder and/or learning disabilities.
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Rosalyn Nelson presents the findings of a small RCT of Pivotal Response Treatment groups for parents of children with autism, which has promising results in terms of encouraging children to communicate.
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Self-injurious behaviour can have significant consequences for individuals, their families and carers.
Here, Rachel Allen looks at a study, which focused in particular on adolescents, and considered that the severity of autism symptoms were related to the incidence of self injurious behaviour during adolescence.
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The internet is now a major source of information and advice and a significant proportion of parents who have just received a diagnosis of autism for their child will visit websites looking for information. But how far is the quality of that information assured?
Here, Emma Langley looks at an evaluation of autism related website which set out to answer that question.
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Seclusion, whilst still in use in disability services can be considered at odds with the person-centred values underpinning modern services
Here, Alex Leeder looks at a review of its use in Victoria, Australia, to try to find what factors are associated with its ongoing use.
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Learning disability in-patient services have come under some scrutiny in recent times.
Here, Tom Crossland looks at an evaluation of the introduction of a care pathway approach in an inpatient service
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The mental health needs of people with learning disabilities may be overlooked.
In this blog, Paula Hopes looks at review of literature, which sets out to discover how prepared mental health nurses are to respond to these needs.
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In this blog, John Northfield considers a study of rates and patterns of prescribing psychotropic medications by GPs to people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
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Transforming Care, the government’s response to WInterbourne view, set some clear targets for the development of community services and the reduction on specialist inpatient bed numbers.
Here Alix Dixon looks at a paper, which used some illustrative case examples to explore some of the policy and practice issues around these targets.
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There continues to be debate about the appropriate use of in-patient services for people with learning disabilities and we need to learn as much as possible about routes in, treatment options within and pathways out.
In her debut blog, Anne Marie Scott looks at a paper, which reports on outcomes in relation to people who were inpatients in a forensic unit, In particular the researchers asked if being on the autism spectrum impacted on these outcomes.
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