Autism Spectrum
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects both behavior and communication. There is a wide range in the severity of symptoms that people with ASD display, from very high functioning (formerly called Asperger’s Syndrome) to pervasive autism.
Symptoms include:
- Difficulty making eye contact
- Becoming upset by slight changes in routine
- Rarely sharing enjoyment of activities or objects by showing things to others
- Having difficulties with back and forth conversation
- Often talking at length about a favorite subject without noticing others are losing interest or giving others a chance to respond
- Having an unusual tone of voice
- Having trouble understanding another person’s point of view or being able to understand another person’s actions
- Repeating certain words or behaviors
- Having overly focused interests
- Being more sensitive to sensory input or very much less sensitive to sensory input than others, for example noise, texture (food, clothing, etc), light, or temperature.
- Sleep problems
- Irritability
People with ASD may also have many strengths including:
- Being strong visual and auditory learners
- Learning intricate details and retaining the information for long periods
- Excelling in math, science, music or art
Treatment Options
Neurofeedback
Research shows that there are issues with connectivity in the brain of individuals with ASD. EEG and neuroimaging show areas of both excessive connectivity and areas with under connectivity. Basically, there are areas in the brain that are so tied in together (chatting excessively) that they are not getting input from (listening to or talking with) other important areas. In a 2006 study using connectivity-guided Neurofeedback, the data showed a 40% reduction in autistic symptoms and reduction in hyper-connectivity.
Counseling
While Bloomington Neurofeedback does not offer psychotherapy for ASD, we will coordinate care with an individual’s treatment team.