child pysch 2

Question 1

autism spectrum disorders

Answer 1

neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development”

• Autistic disorder –> Asperger’s disorder
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
• Rett’s Disorder

Question 2

Autism?

Answer 2

1. Abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication
2. Restricted repertoire of interests.
3. Manifestations of the disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and age of the individual.

Question 3

prevelance of autism

Answer 3

1. Typically diagnosed within first three years
2. 1 in 68 individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014)
3. 4 times more prevalent in boys than girls
4. Not affected by income level, lifestyle, and educational levels
5. Autism is growing at a rate of 10-17 percent per year
   1-2 per 1000 a decade ago

Question 4

Rett’s syndrome

Answer 4

1. Development of specific deficits after a period of normal functioning following birth
   - Normal prenatal development & normal devel during first 5 months of life
2. After 5 mos head growth rate decelerates
3. Lose previously acquired hand skills
   - Gradual over 5 to 30 mos
4. Develop problems with social interaction, locomotion, & language
5. Occurs only in girls

Question 5

Treatment of Symptoms of Autism

Answer 5

1. Discrete trial instruction (DTI) most effective method of acquiring new behavior
   aka “Applied Behavior Analysis”
2. reinforcement-based treatments are most effective for decreasing problematic behavior
   - Functional analysis
3. New forms of antipsychotic meds & stimulant meds are most commonly prescribed