Exam 2 Flashcards
Autism Crieteria
Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple domains
Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. This may include: fixed routines, ritualized patterns, altered sensitivity and reactivity to sensory input
Symptoms present early in life ( 12-24 months or earlier) and cause significant impairment in social and/or occupational functioning.
Autism Signs in Infants
Low muscle tone
Hates baths, dressing or diaper changes
Startles easily when touched
Does not calm when held; may prefer to lie in the crib
Stiffens when picked up
Characteristics of Autism
Low muscle tone
Interested in parts of toys or mechanical objects
Seems unaware of surroundings
Does not make eye contact
Does not relate to others
Sleep problems
Hyperactive
Fixates on one object
Children with Autism may…
May have restricted areas of higher functioning, and difficulty generalizing
May have self aggressive behaviors
May have seizure disorders and/or ADHD
May have difficulty with visual and auditory processing
Have difficulty with changes of routines and environments, difficulty transitioning between activities
Children Autism Deficits in Function
Poor gross and fine motor coordination
Decreased orientation in space and decreased balance
Difficulty processing tactile and proprioceptive activity
Level of attention and arousal are less than optimal, affecting learning and performance
Limited repertoire of coping skills
Autism Impact on Family
Physical exhaustion
Guilt frustration, self-blame
Inability to communicate with child
Parental isolation from peers
Inflexibility of child results in inflexibility of the family
Blocks natural life cycle flow of the family
Autism Spectrum Disorder includes
Asperger Syndrome: May have social and behavioral factors without language delays; lack of empathy
Rett Syndrome
Child Disintegrative Disorder
PDD-groups several autistic related disorders. “catch all”
Fragile X Syndrome
Autism Interventions Categories
Behavioral interventions using behavioral management techniques; Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
TEEACH-Adapts the environment to the child with autism
Autism Language Interventions
Clear link between language and behavior
Use of natural language teaching in expected environments are more effective
Use of visual stimuli are effective in enhancing verbal language
Picture exchange communication systems
OT Autism Interventions
Sensory integration techniques are used to address sensory processing issues
Tactile input from brushing and/or deep pressure thought to improve attention, focusing, and arousal
Occupational Role Interventions
Provides training in play skills and socialization
Use of structured play and social skills programming
Provide training in ADL skills
Environment needs to be predictable, structured, organized, nurturing, and supportive
Vestibular
where our head is in relation to the surface of the earth, movement through space (balance)
Proprioceptive
unconscious awareness of where our body parts are and what they are doing when we are moving
Links between Learning Disabilities and Sensory Integration
Vestibular
Tactile
Proprioceptive
Auditory
Visual
Sensory Integration
How we process info from the environment into a meaningful organized fashion in order to act on it in an adaptive, functional way.
Sees the body as an open system
Types of SI Problems
Sensory modulation dysfunction
Sensory discrimination
Vestibular proprioceptive problems
Praxis problems
Sensory Modulation
The process of adjusting to info about the intensity, frequency, duration, complexity and novelty of sensations
Sensory Modulation Dysfunction (SMD)
Difficulty regulating and organizing the degree, intensity and nature of responses to sensory input in a graded/adaptive way
Clinical Signs of Sensory Problems
Over aroused
Oversensitive
Distractible
Defensive
Disorganized
Can also have failure to recognize and react to stimuli, slow to response which also leads to disorganization, defensiveness, distractibility
SMD Treatment Ideas
Deep proprioceptive input is often craved by most of these kids (weight bearing)
Respect child’s fear; do not force child to engage in activities
Sensory Discrimination Dysfunction SDD
Inaccurate organization of sensory info
Can’t differentiate one stimulus from another
Issues could be primarily in one system or a combination of all three (e.g. vestibular, tactile, or proprioceptive)
Tactile system dysfunction you might see
Poor body awareness and body scheme
Poor hand function and fine motor skills
Tactile defensiveness
Poor discrimination/under responsiveness
For SDD that is primarily in the Proprioceptive system….
Poor body awareness and motor planning
Poor gradation and coordination for smooth movements
Poor postural stability
Emotional
Gravitational insecurity
Excessive seeking of proprioceptive input
Vestibular Treatment Ideas
Suspended equipment
Linear movement first then rotary if tolerated
Lots of stop/start movement
Slow/fast movement
Proprioceptive input also
Vestibular- Proprioceptive Dysfuntion
Poor equilibrium and balance
Poor bilateral coordination
Low muscle tone especially in ext
Immature righting reactions
Poor left/right discrimination
Lack of clear hand dominance
Problems crossing midline
V-PD Treatment Ideas
Facilitation of muscle tone via suspended equipment
Bilateral coordination and poor balance/equilibrium via motor planning activities that incorporate two sides of body and get progressively more challenging
Fine motor activities that focus on left and right hands/sides of body (twister) and reinforce hand dominance
Praxis/Motor Planning Problems
Strongly correlated with problems in tactile system
Tactile defensiveness, over responsiveness, and/or poor discrimination
Significant problems with motor planning especially non-routine actions
Difficulty figuring out how to approach a task
Problems sequencing a motor action…also in timing of the action
Problems in coordination of upper and lower body. Clumsy and awkward
Problems with where self is in space
Praxis/ Motor Planning Treatment Activities
Suspended equipment
Deep pressure
Motor planning activities—obstacle courses, sequencing activities, tasks which involve timing a movement to achieve something
