autism Flashcards
DSM criteria for ASD
Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts currently or by history
Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities currently or by history
Symptoms must be present in early development period
Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
what do social deficits look like in ASD?
Doesn’t respond to their name
Avoids or only maintains brief eye contact
Prefers to play alone & doesn’t share interests with others
Only interacts to achieve a desired goal
Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions and has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about feelings
Avoids physical contact
Lack of joint attention
what do communication deficits look like is ASD?
Delayed speech and language skills (or no speech)
Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
Lack of back and forth conversations
Does not point or respond to pointing; uses few or no gestures
Does not pretend play
Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasing (or always thinks they’re being teased)
what is the relevance of language to being diagnosed with ASD
no official language criteria for ASD but common to have some kind of deficit
what do behavior deficits look like in ASD?
Lines up toys or other objects as a form of play
Plays with toys the same way every time or only likes parts of them
Gets upset by minor changes and transitions
Has obsessive interests
Has to follow certain routines
Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
Sensory issues (either needs excessive or everything seems excessive) – clothing, food, haircuts, sounds, etc
how do we categorize ASD diagnoses?
severity levels 1-3 depending on the level of support that a child will need
red flags for ASD
No babbling by 12 months
No single words by 16 months
No spontaneous 2-word phrases by 24 months
Any loss of language or social skills (regression)
Does not orient to name being called
Lack of pointing and/or not following a point
deficits in joint attention
what are three common comorbid disorders with ASD?
ADHD, anxiety, depression
somatic manifestations of ASD
higher rates of epilepsy, eating issues, sleep problems, GI complaints
cognitive manifestations of ASD
many have intellectual disability and/or language impairment
behavioral manifestation of ASD
hyperactivity, aggression, impulsivity (runners), self-injurious behavior
etiology of ASD
combo of environmental factors and genetic; more than 100 genes have been linked to ASD
what neurotransmitters can have abnormal levels in ASD
serotonin, dopamine, glutamate
risk factors for ASD
advanced parental age, close or prolonged spacing of pregnancies, low birth weight or prematurity, prenatal factors
specific prenatal factors linked to ASD
med use/ health factors of mom during pregnancy, exposure to viral infections and/or toxins, vitamin deficiencies
when should all children be screened for ASD? what tool is used?
18 months and 24 months well child visits
use MCHAT
what does an evidence based assessment for ASD look like?
medical/ developmental/ pregnancy history
Physical exam/ lab testing/ neurological exam
Speech and language evaluation
Psychological evaluation
DSM-5 diagnostic interview with parents
ADOS-2 standardized assessment/ observation (gold standard)
Ratings scales for parents/ teachers/ daycare
Occupational therapy evaluation
what is a specific type of therapy used for ASD treatment? describe
Early intensive behavioral intervention/ applied behavior analysis (ABA) – individualized teaching using positive reinforcement to shape behaviors and reduce harmful behaviors
common med interventions for ASD
Atypical antipsychotics – risperdal (for irritability)
SSRIs (anxiety/ depression)
Stimulants (ADHD)
what is a resource available for free in the US for kids 0-3yrs old
early intervention
when should treatment for ASD start?
as soon as it is expected – don’t wait for diagnosis
