ASD Flashcards
main difference between asperger’s and autism?
aspergers patients have average intelligence, autistic patients have cognitive impairment
name the 5 conditions under the umbrella of ASD
aspergers rett's syndrome childhood aautism pervasive developmental disorder pervasive developmental disorder NOS
name the 4 core impairments in ASD
social communication
social interaction
social imagination
repetitive behaviours
describe how social communication is impaired in ASD?
cant understand jokes, metaphors, sarcasm
can’t grasp the meaning of conversation
monotonous voice
pedantic/idiosyncratic language
narrow interests; will talk about them over and over
struggle to show emotion
language skills are generally good in ASD T or F
T but struggle with the meaning of conversations
describe how social interaction is impaired in ASD
difficulties “reading” people
appear egocentric but they’re just trying to figure out social situations
can’t make/sustain personal relationships
describe how social imagination is impaired in ASD
can’t think flexibly
don’t understand others’ points of view
can’t apply knowledge across different settings
struggle to think about the future
describe the repetitive nature of behaviour in ASD?
repetitive motor movements
insistence on routine/patterns/rituals
highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity
hyper/hyporeactivity to sensory input from the environment
which ASD domain is missed most often in adults?
repetitive behaviours
how common is autism in the population?
1 in 60
why are boys more affected by learning disabilities and ASD than girls?
testosterone is responsible for organising circuits in the brain via neuronal migration however too much testosterone at too fast a rate (eg in puberty) may have a negative effect on this
gender identity disorder has a relationship with ASD T or F
T, ASD is around 3-4x more common in those with GID
why do girls with CAH have a tendency to develop autism?
CAH involves abnormal levels of testosterone which will affect circuit formation in the brain
cause of ASD?
no clear pathological mechanism
most common inherited form of intellectual disability
fragile X syndrome
organic risk factors for autism?
rubella in utero tuberous sclerosis fragile X encephaliis PKU foetal distress - trauma, haemorrhage, LBW, anaemia, hyperbilirubinaemia, meconium aspiration
is there a genetic element to autism?
yes, there is hereditability (About 90% in MX twins)
at what point in pregnancy do teratogens take effect on the foetus?
8 weeks from conception
what parts of the brain appear pathological in autism?
frontal lobes
amygdala
cerebellum
an enlarged amygdala causes what symptoms?
severe anxiety
impaired social and communication skills
role of GABA in development?
key role in regulation of cell migration, neuronal differentiation and maturation in early development
if glutamate is dysfunctional what happens?
neuronal damage
what neurotransmitters have a role in neuronal development?
serotonin
GABA
what neurotransmitters may be impaired in autism?
glutamate
GABA
serotonin
how do younger children with ASD present?
play alone
difficlties understanding emotions and feelings
cant pretend play
cant start
stick to routine, if they cant they throw a tantrums
speech/language problems
repeat things over and over
what abnormal movements are present in children with ASD?
flap hands
twist/flick fingers when excited
taste sensory problems in children with ASD?
flavours and foods too string and overpowering
restricted diet/textures
smell sensory problems in children with ASD?
smells can be too intense and overpowering
toilet problems
sound sensory problems in children with ASD?
noise can be magnified causing sounds to be muddled
cant cut out sounds eg background noise
touch sensory problems in children with ASD?
can be painful and uncomfy
dont like brushing/washing hair
can only tolerate certain clothing/textures
visual sensory problems in adults with ASD?
poor depth perception eg throwing. or catching
focus on details of an object rather than the whole thing
cant sleep as sensitive to the light
how do adults with ASD present in terms of their communication?
cant understand other perspectives avoid eye contact cant read people repeat phrases ad expressions cant start a conversation - hate small talk cant work out humour seem rigid/obsessive
social features of adults with ASD?
take things literally appear shy cant fit in - few friendships cant express needs to others ritualistic obsessive unusual body movements/clumsy/lack of coordination sensory issues
what parts of the history are most important when assessing someone with potential ASD?
developmental history
collateral history
main assessment tool used for autism?
autism diagnostic observation schedule
use of SLT/OT/psychology
what do you need to bear in mind before making a diagnosis of ASD?
cultural differences - some people act a certain way because of their culture
their personality - that is their “normal”
name the 3 criteria for diagnosis of autism
- present in early developmental period
- significant impairment in social, occcpational or other functional areas (must present in different situations not just 1!)
- disturbances are not better explained by another diagnosis
Tx of ASD?
self and family psychoeducation social skills training SALT family/school support risperidone only if severely aggressive/self injury
