Smartphones to study Autism
by Dr. Alan Kadish NMD
It’s amazing that to this date we still have limited quality information on the effects of autism, on both the patient and the caregivers.
Yes, we have some ideas but when it comes to gauging the levels of anxiety and quality of life, over a long period of time, our information is lacking. With the new findings in Alzheimer’s caregivers having issues we should explore other disorders and determine the best care for both individuals.
Reported in the British Medical Journal, they are proposing to finally do a 6-month study. Based on using smartphone technology to evaluate a number of issues.
In our treatment of ASD youngsters and adults, we encourage the use of multiple devices and applications. They have the potentials to enhance interaction, change behavior patterns and overall make for an enhanced opportunity for further development.
One of the best sites to consider when you’re looking for applications and wanting a quick means of comparison specific for autistic children is by far the Autism Speaks reviews. It’s a bit overwhelming, at first, but is a testament to the many people wanting to assist those with ASD.
Want treatment of your ASD family member using the biomedical-focused treatment approach ? Personalized and specific to their needs, with the minimum of any prescriptions and with results. We have over 30 years of successful histories with our patients.
Call us and lets get healthier: 541.773.3191
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British Medical Journal Open Nov 22nd//Vol. 6 Iss. 11 |
Rationale and protocol for using a smartphone application to study autism spectrum disorders: SMARTAUTISM.
Longitudinal studies on the evolution of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms are limited and have primarily used repeated measurements performed several months apart. However, measurements of changes in everyday life should more closely reflect the ‘real life’ of the patient and his or her family. We propose to study the child’s ASD symptoms and their effect on the quality of life, psychological status and anxiety of the child’s parents over a 6-month period using SMARTAUTISM, a smartphone application.
Method And Analysis
This is a prospective, longitudinal, exploratory, open study with a 6-month follow-up period. Data will be recorded longitudinally over multiple weeks under natural conditions. The factors affecting the quality of life and anxiety of parents of children with ASD and the children’s functional symptoms will be examined, and the feasibility of using a smartphone application designed for parents of ASD patients will be assessed.
Primary Objective
Explore the evolution of a child’s behaviour over 6 months and the (psychological and social) effects of these changes on the family.
Secondary Objective
Assess the feasibility of our application by examining the filling rate and application usage by parents for 6 months. 100 families containing 1 child diagnosed with ASD will be included. At baseline, sociodemographic, psychiatric and medical data will be recorded. The correlations of the general epidemiological variables (primary outcome measure) will be evaluated via multivariate analysis. The application filling rate (relative to the ideal filling rate) will be used to assess the feasibility of the application (secondary outcome measure).
Ethics And Dissemination
The SMARTAUTISM study has the approval of the local ethics committee, and data security will be ensured via the use of encryption and a secure medical server. The use of this application will be proposed at autism resource centres across France.
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.
PubMed ID: 27881525
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