LENA Foundation Technology Measures Effectiveness of Auti...( BOULDER Colo. Feb. 23 /- The non-prof...),Health

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The non-profit LENA(TM) Foundation, which develops technology for the improved treatment of autism and other language disorders, has released two case studies showing how the breakthrough LENA system is being used to improve autism treatment. The LENA software enables the clinician to measure adult word counts, child vocalizations, and conversational turns at 5-minute and hourly intervals over the course of an entire day. The studies show two examples of how LENA can be used to improve the treatment of autism by monitoring fidelity of treatment and by providing parents immediate feedback regarding how well they are succeeding implementing the treatment protocol recommended by the clinician.

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In the first case study, LENA was used to monitor the natural home language environment of a child at around 12 months of age before the child had been diagnosed with autism. Adult words directed at the child were at the 14th percentile level. One year later this same child was diagnosed with autism and the parents were instructed in a treatment regime designed to increase talk and conversational turns. Based on recordings completed a few months after starting treatment, these parents had raised their average word counts to the 70th percentile, on some days exceeding the 95th percentile.

(see Figure 23)

In the second case study, LENA was used to measure adult word counts during and after therapy for a 29 month old child di
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