title: Outcome of Home-Based Early Intervention for Autism in Sri Lanka: Follow-Up of a Cohort and Comparison with a Nonintervention Group.
abstract: This paper presents the outcome of a home-based autism intervention program (HBAIP) in 18- to 40-month-old children newly diagnosed and treatment naïve. Intervention was exclusively implemented at home. Outcome was measured at 3 months and 6 months after intervention and compared with a group of newly diagnosed children with autism who were >40 months at intake but had not received any autism specific clinical management. Aim was also to estimate whether natural development would contribute to gain in skills and compare with the effect of intervention. Five selected parameters of behavior representing social interaction and social communication were used to assess outcome. Results showed a statistically significant improvement between preintervention and postintervention in all the measured parameters. The effect size was large when compared to preintervention and gains were indicated by changes in mean scores and p values within a narrow confidence interval. Highest gains were in first 3 months of postintervention which continued up to 6 months. Although the comparison group was more advanced in the measured skills at intake, they were significantly below the level reached by experimental group at 3 months and 6 months after intervention. This study was registered in the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR/2009/011).
authors.affiliation: University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Hemamali
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Kamal Chandima
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jeewandara
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Sudarshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seneviratne
authors.affiliation: National Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Chandima
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guruge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002652:Child Behavior; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000379:methods*; D005220:Fathers; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009035:Mothers; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012919:Social Behavior; D013188:Sri Lanka; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult