Autism Spectrum Disorder Flashcards
T/F cause of autism is linked to both genetic and non-genetic factors
true
higher rates of epilepsy in autistic patients indicates?
a wide amount of neural systems must be affected
what features of autism are caused by deficits in the limbic system?
processing auditory/sensory/proprioceptive signals
what NT is likely overexpressed in autism that we can use medication to block?
dopamine
what NT shows elevated peripheral levels in autistic patients?
serotonin
list the difficulties in autism for criteria A
- social-emotional reciprocity
- verbal and non-verbal communication behaviors
- maintaining and understanding relationships
list the difficulties in autism for criteria B
- hyper or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects
- repetitive movement
- inflexible routines, sameness
- fixated interests at abnormal intensity
list criteria C to be diagnosed with autism
traits are present in early developmental period
list criteria D to be diagnosed with autism
traits cause significant impairment in social and occupational areas
list criteria E to be diagnosed with autism
disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability
** patients with autism are more likely to have another psychiatric/medical condition
.
what are the two most commonly seen co-morbid conditions in autism? what is potentially the third most common but difficult to diagnose and why?
ADHD and anxiety
depression, may have severe anxiety leading to depression
what are 4 common medical co-morbid conditions in autism?
GI problems
epilepsy
feeding issues
disrupted sleep
what drug should we avoid giving to a person with autism who is epileptic? why?
bupropion, lowers seizure threshold
what severity level would a patient be who has autism and shows deficits in social communication causing noticeable impairments with minor verbal communication?
a. Level 1: Requiring support
b. Level 2: Requiring substantial support
c. Level 3: Requiring very substantial support
a
what severity level would a patient be who has autism and has deficits in both verbal and nonverbal communication and has difficulty coping with change?
a. Level 1: Requiring support
b. Level 2: Requiring substantial support
c. Level 3: Requiring very substantial support
b
what severity level would a patient be who has autism and has severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills who has extreme difficulty coping with change?
a. Level 1: Requiring support
b. Level 2: Requiring substantial support
c. Level 3: Requiring very substantial support
c
patients with under responsive proprioception will seek?
behaviors with high proprioceptive stimulus and risky behaviors
patients who are over sensitive with proprioception will seek?
avoidance of proprioceptive stimulus and socialization
since patients with autism tend to have increased GI disorders, what drug class is it good to avoid?
anti-cholinergics
**since communication is often impaired in patients with autism, they may show unusual reactions to GI disorders, we should be alert of atypical signs of common GI disorders
.
what are behaviors that may signal GI discomfort?
tapping or pounding chest
pressing on abdomen
aggression/irritability
straining, crying when defecating
sleep disturbance
what are two meds we can try to determine if unusual behaviors are associated with a GI disorder?
miralax and PPIs
T/F children with autism tend to under eat due to being picky about food texture
false, they typically present with chronic overeating
