Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI)-informed assessment and treatment of challenging behavior in a child with SCN2A-related disorder

J Neurodev Disord. 2024 Nov 28;16(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s11689-024-09580-7.

Abstract

This report presents results of parent-implemented behavioral treatments for a child with cortical visual impairment (CVI), intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) associated with a pathogenic variant in the SCN2A gene (i.e., SCN2A-Related Disorder). Treatment evaluations were informed by combined results of functional behavior assessment (FBA) and functional vision assessment (FVA) which yielded CVI-related accommodations. The treatment of escape-maintained challenging behavior involved the evaluation of behavioral prompting strategies in accordance with CVI-related accommodations, extinction (EXT), and differential reinforcement modifications. The treatment for behavior problems maintained by access to food (tangible-edible) included functional communication training (FCT), EXT, and schedule thinning with schedule-correlated visual signals. Overall, integrating child-specific CVI-related accommodations was essential for developing effective behavioral interventions for this child. FVAs are accessible and practical for uptake by behavior analysts in vision-informed assessment and treatment of challenging behavior.

Keywords: Applied behavior analysis; Autism spectrum disorder; Cortical visual impairment; Functional behavior assessment; Functional vision assessment; Parent training; SCN2A-related disorder.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder* / complications
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder* / therapy
  • Behavior Therapy
  • Child
  • Epilepsy / complications
  • Epilepsy / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability* / complications
  • Intellectual Disability* / therapy
  • Male
  • NAV1.2 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel* / genetics
  • Problem Behavior
  • Vision Disorders / physiopathology
  • Vision Disorders / therapy

Substances

  • NAV1.2 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • SCN2A protein, human