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Constipation Associated with Self-Injurious and Aggressive Behavior Exhibited by a Child Diagnosed with Autism
- Education and Treatment of Children
- West Virginia University Press
- Volume 32, Number 1, February 2009
- pp. 89-103
- 10.1353/etc.0.0041
- Article
- Additional Information
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A functional analysis was conducted to identify the role environmental variables had on the maintenance of self-injury and aggression. At the outset of the evaluation, an abdominal x-ray showed a moderate to large amount of stool throughout the colon (i.e., constipation). Consequently, medication was administered to promote bowel emptying. Initial high rates of self-injury and aggression reduced to near-zero levels following bowel cleanout, yielding undifferentiated functional analysis results.