We further extended the use of a microswitch-cluster technology to promote object manipulation and to reduce tongue protrusion in seven children with Angelman syndrome. Study I included seven participants with severe to profound developmental disabilities. An ABB[superscript 1]AB[superscript 1] experimental sequence was implemented. During the…

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a genetic disorder, commonly caused by a 17p11.2 deletion, affecting the Retinoic Acid Induced 1 gene. It affects approximately 1 in 25,000 individuals, with over 90% engaging in challenging behaviors. Function-based treatments, using the principles of applied behavior analysis, have consistently been shown to…

Telehealth is increasingly being employed to extend the reach of behavior analytic interventions to families of children with developmental disorders who exhibit problem behaviors. In this preliminary study, we examined whether function-based behavior analytic interventions could be delivered via telehealth over 12 weeks to decrease problem…

Research has shown that children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have social-cognitive challenges and decreased quality parent-child interactions. However, given the low prevalence rate, developing interventions for children with PWS is faced with the significant challenge of enrolling enough participants for local studies. To better understand…

Clinical guidelines recommend chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for all children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We explored the test's perceived usefulness among parents of children with ASD who had undergone CMA, and received a result categorized as pathogenic, variant of uncertain significance, or negative. Fifty-seven parents…

Parents and professionals typically report problem behavior as a significant concern for children with fragile X syndrome. In the present study, the authors explored whether behaviorally based interventions would result in a reduction in problem behavior and an improvement in quality of life for 3 children with fragile X syndrome and their…

Research into the determinants and developmental course of fragile X syndrome (FXS) has made remarkable progress over the last 25 years. However, treatments to ameliorate the symptoms of FXS have been less forthcoming. While there is optimism in the field that the pace of intervention research is quickening, there has been a bias toward…

Aversion to eye contact is a common behavior of individuals diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome (FXS); however, no studies to date have attempted to increase eye-contact duration in these individuals. In this study, we employed a percentile reinforcement schedule with and without overcorrection to shape eye-contact duration of 6 boys with FXS.…

We reviewed communication intervention studies involving people with Rett syndrome. Systematic searches of five electronic databases, selected journals, and reference lists identified nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated in terms of: (a) participant characteristics, (b) target skills, (c) procedures, (d) main…

Children with genetic syndromes frequently have feeding problems and swallowing dysfunction as a result of the complex interactions between anatomical, medical, physiological, and behavioral factors. Feeding problems associated with genetic disorders may also cause feeding to be unpleasant, negative, or even painful because of choking, coughing,…