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Parental training 'key to controlling kids behavioural problems'

Date: 26/11/2009 / Category: Indoor play for disability schools and groups

When medication is combined with a structured training program for parents, serious behavioural problems that can occur in children with autism and related conditions can be reduced, according to recent research.

Yale University researchers and their colleagues studied the effects of the antipsychotic medication risperidone (Risperdal) alone versus medication plus active involvement from parents.

Over six months, parents of 124 children aged between four and 13 with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) accompanied by tantrums, aggression and self-injury, were taught to reduce their children's challenging behaviour.

Lawrence Scahill, a principal investigator in the study, said: "The results show that the parent training intervention can be delivered in a reliable manner and results were the same across all sites."

He hopes that parent training could be used to reduce pervasive developmental disorders in preschool-age children without the need for medication.

The NHS says that some children with autism spectrum disorders have sensory difficulties, meaning they may get upset if they are under-stimulated.

Indoor soft play centres include a great number of objects and areas in a variety of colours, which could provide children with autism spectrum disorders with the sensory play equipment they desire. ADNFCR-2594-ID-19482054-ADNFCR