SHCN Flashcards
Who is most likely to experience traumatic brain injury?
Children 0-4yo, adolescents 15-19yo, adults 75+
Leading causes of TBI
Falls, car accidents, violence, sports injuries
Shaken baby syndrome is a form of TBI
Symptoms of TBI
- Severity can be classified by mild, moderate, or severe, determined by degree of secondary injury (i.e. hypoxia, hypotension) following the event
- Disturbed cognition, behavior + emotional changes, motor function deficits
- Headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbance, mood disorders, post-traumatic epilepsy, blood vessel damage, nerve damage-paralysis of facial muscles, vision disturbance, altered function of smell, loss of facial sensation, swallowing problems
- Increased long-term risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia
Acute medical management of TBI
- Medical imaging (skull + neck radiographs, CT scan, MRI) followed by emergency surgical + medical care
- Degree of disability may depend on severity of injury, location, emergent care received, age + general health of individual
Chronic medical management of TBI
- TBI rehab may focus on ability to perform tasks independently, engage w/ family + friends, participate in the community
- Involves physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, physiatry (physical medicine), psychology/psychiatry, social support
- Cognitive rehab w/ focus on communication + memory
- Physical rehabilitation w/ focus on range-of-motion + strength exercises
Oral findings w/ TBI
- Oral trauma related to heady injury
- Auditory, visual or taste disturbance
- Altered oral sensation, oral motor disorder, including swallowing problems
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Describes a group of specific conditions
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most severe manifestation
- Partial fetal alcohol syndrome
- Neurobehavioral disorder associated w/ prenatal alcohol exposure
FASD Diagnosis
- No medical test for FASD - diagnosis made based on
- Abnormal facial features
- Lower than average height, weight, or both
- CNS problems
- Prenatal alcohol exposure (confirmation but not required to make a diagnosis)
FASD epidemiology
- 7.6% of pregnant women (1 in 13) report drinking in past 30 days, and 1.4% report binge drinking in past 30 days
- Studies of school-aged children estimate 6-9 out of 100 children affected w/ FASD
- Full range might be as high as 20-50 out of 1,000 children (2-5% of population)
FASD Etiology
- Mother drinking during pregnancy
- Alcohol in mother’s blood passes to baby through umbilical cord
- There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy
FASD Physical features
- Abnormal facial features
- Short palpebral fissures
- Flat nasal bridge w/ upturned nasal tip
- Hypoplastic philtrum w/ thin upper vermillion border
- Flat midface
- Micrognathia
- Cleft lip and/or palate
- Small teeth w/ defective enamel
- Small head size
- Shorter than average height
- Low body weight
- Vision/hearing problems
- Poor coordination
- Sleep + sucking problems as a baby
FASD Mental + behavioral features
- Hyperactivity + attention difficulty
- Poor memory
- Learning disability
- Speech/language delay
- Poor reasoning + judgment skills
- Possible comorbid conditions: ADHD, mood dysregulation, aggression, anxiety
FASD Treatment
- Occupational therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Speech + language therapy
Factors that promote positive outcomes w/ FASD
- Diagnosis before 6yo w/ early intervention
- Loving, nurturing, stable home
- Absence of violence
- Involvement in special education + social services
FASD Dental considerations
- Behavioral, hearing, vision constraints may impair ability to provide tx
- Cooperation facilitated by:
- Increasing familiarity + predictability of dental experience
- Using visual prompts + simple instructions
- Rewarding positive behavior
Autism spectrum disorder definition
- Disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction + communication, and by restrictive, repetitive behavior
- Diagnosis based on behavioral criteria – there are no biomarkers
- DSMV
- ASD includes:
- Autistic disorder
- Asperger’s disorder
- Childhood disintegrative disorder
- Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified
- ASD includes:
- Diagnosis now based on level of severity
Autism prevalence
1 in 68 children
4 : 1
Boys > Girls
Autism etiology
- Heterogeneous w/ multiple known causes (i.e. genetic causes such as Down syndrome + fragile X), although in most cases, the etiology is unknown.
- Strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by rare mutations or by rare combinations of common genetic variants
- Environmental factors – stress, pesticide exposure, prematurity, increasing parental age, and maternal autoimmune disorders may contribute to autism
Autism symptoms
- Per diagnostic criteria
- Must exist in the early developmental period (generally before 5yo)
- Cause clinically significant impairment in function
- Are not better explained by intellectual disability or developmental delay
- May include
- Delayed development of speech + language (some cases severe or nonverbal)
- Difficulty w/ relationships
- Restrictive, repetitive behaviors
- Obsessive interests
- Insistence on sameness + resistance to change
- Seemingly meaningless routines
Early signs of autism
- Does not respond to name
- Acts as though deaf
- Does not smile socially
- Does not point or gesture by age 1
- No babbling
- Talks + uses language but w/o social intent (lacks social communication)
What two medications are FDA approved for use in autism?
Aripiprazole + Risperidone
For aggression + irritability
Oral findings in autism
- OH may be poor due to inability to brush or accept assistance w/ brushing
- Factitial injuries due to self-injurious behavior
- Cariogenic rewards used in behavior therapy may contribute to higher caries risk
- Occlusal attrition due to esophageal reflux or bruxism
- May exhibit side effects of any medications taken
Advanced behavior guidance w/ autism
- Physical restraint requires appropriate informed consent, but may be preferred by parents of some children
- SED + GA may be appropriate to address dental needs in an atraumatic fashion and/or when non-pharmacologic attempts have failed
- Must factor in behavioral + sedative daily medications when planning care under SED/anesthesia
Fragile X syndrome definition
A genetic condition w/ variable expression that causes a range of developmental problems + cognitive impairment
What is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability?
Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome prevalence
Full mutation in males = 1 : 3,600
Females = 1 : 4,000-6,000
Fragile X syndrome etiology
- Caused by a mutation in the FMR1 gene on the X chromosome
- Mutation consists of repeated trinucleotide sequence (CGG)
- The mutation is thought to be related to maternal folate deficiency
Symptoms of fragile X syndrome
- Large or prominent ears
- Elongated face w/ prominent forehead
- Hyperextensible finger joints
- Enlarged testicles
- Many children will not show the characteristic phenotypic features
- Deficits in cognitive skills
- Impairments in adaptive behaviiors
- Many children will also have autism, ADHD, anxiety
Fragile X syndrome medical management
- Should be considered in any child who has idiopathic intellectual disability bc the physical features are not always present
- Benefit from early intensive intervention, including speech + language therapy, occupational therapy, special education
- May benefit from medications that provide symptomatic (not curative) therapy, including stimulants for ADHD, antidepressants for anxiety, atypical antipsychotics from autism symptoms, mood instability, aggression
Fragile X syndrome dental considerations
- Oral findings
- Side effects from medications
- TMJ problems due to hyperextensibility of the joint
- Additional physical characteristics can include:
- Macrocephaly
- Prominent frontal bone
- Hypotelorism
- Strabismus
- Midface hypoplasia
- Pierre Robin sequence
- Cleft palate
- Dental hypomineralization
- Mesiodens
- Abnormal tooth size
- Tx
- May require extensive behavior guidance due to anxiety and/or behavior issues
ADHD definition
Persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity w/ functioning or development (DSM V)
What is the most common neurobehavioral disability in children?
ADHD
Epidemiology ADHD
5-8% of all children; 2.5% of adults
3 : 1 , male : female predilection
ADHD etiology
- Genetic predisposition may be influenced by:
- Temperament
- VLBW
- Smoking during pregnancy
- Diet
- Toxic stress
- Trauma
- Exposure to environmental toxins
- May be associated w/ other conditions, syndromes, psychiatric disorders
ADHD symptoms
- ADHD characterized by
- Inattention: Inability/difficulty focusing on a task or sustaining a task, though the child intellectually understands the task and wants to perform it
- Hyperactivity: Excessive, inappropriate motor activity
- Impulsivity: Hasty actions that are made w/o forethought that may pose a high risk of harm to the individual
- Several symptoms must be present before 12yo for a child to receive a diagnosis of ADHD, but many children are diagnosed much earlier
- Parents may first notice symptoms when child is a toddler, but these symptoms cannot be distinguished from normal behavior until 4yo
- Symptoms must be present for at least 6mo to be ADHD
- Symptoms must be present in multiple settings (home, school) to be diagnosed as ADHD
- In teens, may present as antisocial behavior, jitteriness, restlessness, impatience
- Symptoms will lead to functional impairment, which may contribute to:
- Poor performance in school
- Social rejection
- Poor occupational performance
- Interpersonal conflict
Comorbidities of ADHD may include
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Conduct disorder
- Depression
- Anxiety disorder
- Speech/language disorder
- Intellectual/learning disabilities
Therapy considerations with ADHD
- Anticipatory guidance is critical: child + family should receive age-appropriate education regarding ADHD
- Child should have an individualized education program (IEP) w/ the school system
- Therapy should be monitored, re-evaluated, and periodically adjusted
Medications in ADHD
- First line is typically a stimulant [methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, mixed amphetamine salts, lisdexamfetamine, dexmethylphenidate]
- Side effects of stimulant/amphetamine:
- Tachycardia
- Xerostomia
- Bruxism
- Decreased appetite
- Stomach ache
- Jitteriness
- Delayed sleep onset
- Social withdrawal
- Motor tics
- Symptoms of excessive dose: Child appears dull or overly restricted
- Supplementary or alternative medication may include anti-hypertensive/alpha-2 agonist (clonidine, methyldopa, guanfacine)
- Side effects
- Dysphagia
- Xerostomia
- Sialadenitis
- Potentiates CNS depressants (caution w/ sedative agents)
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Side effects
- Child may take “holidays” from drug therapies
ADHD oral findings
- Dental wear due to bruxism
- May be at increased risk of caries
- May be at increased risk for dental trauma due to impulsive behaviors
Dental considerations w/ ADHD
- Update med hx, update account progress/changes in ADHD history
- If possible, the child should take his/her regular ADHD medications on days that dental treatment is provided
- Keep appointments short
- Use positive reinforcement
Major depressive disorder (classical depression)
Typically a recurrent condition consisting of periods of at least 2 weeks w/ demonstrable changes in emotion, intellectual function, overall neurological function
Depression epidemiology
- Major depressive disorder can occur at any age, occurring most frequently in the late 20s
- Prevalence over a 12mo period is 7%, and lifetime prevalence in 16%
- 1.5-3x more common females than males
- Risk of recurrence is higher for children than adults
Etiology of depression
- Classic hypothesis: Deficiency of 5HT (and other monoamine neurotransmitters) in the synaptic cleft
- Modern hypothesis: Pathophysiology of major depressive disorder is complex, involving multiple neurotransmitter systems
Depression symptoms
- Someone w/ major depressive disorder will exhibit at least 5 of the following symptoms over a period of at least 2 weeks:
- Depressed mood most of the time
- Significantly decreased interest in most activities
- Unexplained weight loss (or failure to gain weight in children)
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Psychomotor changes
- Fatigue
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Inattentiveness or indecisiveness
- Recurrent thoughts of death and/or suicide
Dental considerations w/ depression
- Medications can cause changes in saliva production as well as a subjective feeling of dry mouth (xerostomia)
- Medications can cause nausea + vomiting, leading to dental erosion
- Most nausea + vomiting will subside after two weeks on the medications
- Comorbid conditions that occur w/ depression can have oral side effects (bulimia, substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder)
What type of hearing loss are hearing aids not effective for?
Sensorineural hearing loss
What type of hearing loss do bone anchored hearing aids help treat?
Conductive or mixed hearing loss
What type of hearing loss can cochlear implants effectively treat?
Sensorineural hearing loss
Dental considerations w/ hearing loss + deafness
- Providers can build rapport through basic sign language
- Maintain eye contact when using sign language
- Speak slowly but do not change your lip movements so the person can read your lips
- Be aware when wearing a face mask that the individual will not be able to see your lips
- People who are deaf or hard of hearing will depend more on their other senses using nonverbal communication such as eye and head movement
- Intelligence is normal to superior
- Be cognizant of other medical issues
- Consider having parent, caregiver or other Sign Language Interpreter present to aid in communication w/ the patient
A1c
Average glucose for past 2-3mo
- Normal: <5.7%
- Prediabetes: 5.7-6.4%
- Diabetes: 6.5%+
Fasting plasma glucose
Glucose after fasting for at least 8hr
- Normal: <100mg/dL
- Prediabetes: 100-125mg/dL
- Diabetes: 126mg/dL+