4. 1 in every 110 children The prevalence rate
are diagnosed with an increases from 10% to 17%
Autism Spectrum every year
Disorder
Autism Spectrum
Disorders are more
Boys are more common than childhood
likely to develop cancer, pediatric AIDs,
autism than girls and juvenile diabetes
combined
Boys are diagnosed 3-4 times more often
1.5 million
than girls
Americans are
affected and
1 out of every 70 boys is 10s of millions
diagnosed in the US alone are affected
world wide
7. “Autism is a general term used to describe a
group of complex developments brain
disorders known as Pervasive Developmental
Disorders (PDD)”
~ from the autismspeaks website
9. Most causes are idiopathic, meaning we don’t
know what causes them
When autism was first discovered, people
thought that it was caused by bad mothering
During the 1960s and 70s, Dr. Bernard Rimland
helped correct that theory
He proved that it is caused by a biological
disorder, not by bad parenting
Dr. Bernard Rimland, who had a son with
autism, later went on to found the Autism
Society of America
10. We do know some factors that may contribute
to autism
14. Role of the immune system
o Possibly caused by inflammation of the
central nervous system
o Animal studies show that an inflamed central
nervous system can cause autism like
behaviors
15. NOT cause by bad parenting
o Autism was first described as a “unique
condition” by Dr. Leo Kanner in 1943
o He declared that it was a condition caused by
“cruel, cold, unloving mothers”
17. There isn't currently a specific medical test to
test for autism
It is diagnosed through observation and
psychological testing
Symptoms vary, and so do the methods for
diagnosing autism
Sometimes a pediatrician doesn’t take a parents
concern seriously and a diagnosis is delayed
19. Symptom types:
Background to symptoms
Social symptoms
Communication difficulties
Repetitive behaviors
20. Background to Symptoms
Autism affects the way a child interprets the world
It can make communication difficult
It can make social interaction difficult
There can be repetitive behaviors
There can be very intense interests
One child with autism may have very different symptoms
than another child with autism
symptoms of autism usually last throughout someone's life
time
When a person is severely affected, they may not be able to
speak or care for themselves
Early intervention can make huge differences on the severity
of a person’s symptoms
21. Social Symptoms
Most children, form the beginning, are very social. They
smile, wave, and turn towards voices. Affected children can
be indifferent to average human interactions. They have
trouble picking up simple social interactions that other
children learn subconsciously. In their first year of life, and
affected child may not interact or make eye contact.
Affected children may be indifferent to other peoples
interactions and they may prefer being alone. They may
accept hugs and affection passively or resist it.
Later on, they might not look to their parents for affection.
They can react differently to anger or affection from their
parents. Kids with autism are attached to their parents, but
have a different way of showing their affection. To parents, it
may seem like their child is not attached at all.
22. Social Symptoms
Children with autism may take longer to what others are
thinking or feeling. They don’t understand social cues like a
smile, wave, or grimace, as easily as other children.
Children may have trouble seeing things from another
person’s perspective, and therefore, they have trouble
predicting how others will react to certain things. They can
have trouble regulating emotions, which can take the form
of “immature behavior.” They may cry, have verbal
outbursts, be disruptive in certain settings, or be physically
aggressive. When in an overwhelming environment, they can
“lose control,” which can result in actions like hair pulling or
arm biting.
23. Communication Difficulties
Some children with autism will remain mute all their life and
learn other forms of communication like sign language or
picture sign language. Other children learn to talk and
babble when they are little and then lose the skills they have
gained. Others wont talk until ages 5,6,7,8 or even 9 years
old.
Children with autism have a harder time expressing to others
what they need or want and as a result may jut grab things or
scream. As kids grow up, they may become aware of this
difficulty and become anxious or depressed.
24. Repetitive Behaviors
Children with autism may not look physically different, but
they can have odd, repetitive motions. These motions can
range from abrupt and obvious actions to very subtle ones.
Some children may flap their arms, some may walk on their
toes, and some may just freeze in a position they are in.
Children with autism spend more time lining up their
toys, like toy cars, in specific orders rather than playing
imaginary games with them. If somebody disrupts the order
of the toys, it can be very stressful to the child.
Repetitive behaviors can also take the form of interests.
Some of these interests can be very intense interests even if
it is in something many people don’t find all that interesting.
Children with autism need consistency in their environment.
Changes in the environment or in their schedule can be
extremely stressful.
25. What are other medical issues
that may accompany autism?
26. Seizure Disorders
o Called Epilepsy
o Occurs in 39% of people with autism
o It occurs more often in people with “cognitive defects” than in people
with out
o some studies say its more common in children that have had a
regression of skills
o There are different types of seizures
o Grand mal – easy to spot
o Petite mal – sometimes only seen on and EEG
o Sub clinical – not clear whether these affect language development
o usually start early in life, but can happen any time
o Tests:
o EEG (electroencephalogram)
o MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
o CT (computed axial tomography)
o CBC (complete blood count)
o People can be treated with anticonvulsant to reduce/eliminate
occurrences
27. Genetic Disorders
o Fragile X Syndrome
o Angelman’s Syndrome
o Tuberous Sclerosis
o Chromosome 15 Duplication Syndrome
o Or another chromosome disorder
28. Gastrointestinal Disorders
Gastritis
Chronic constipation
Colitis
Celiac disease
Esophogitis
o The exact number of children with autism and
gastrointestinal problems is unknown
o Studies say it is anywhere between 46% and 85%
o A popular “solution” to these problems is to
remove dairy and gluten from the child’s diet
29. Sleep Dysfunction
o When the dysfunction is caused by a medical
disorder like obstructive sleep apnea or
gastrointestinal reflux, it can be cured by a
doctor
o When it isn’t caused by a medical problem, it
can be treated with “sleep hygiene.” that
means doing things like setting up a regular
bedtime, having a bedtime routine, and
limiting the hours of sleep
30. Sensory Integration Dysfunction
o Many children with autism react differently to sensory input
or stimulation
o Hearing, vision, touch, smell, taste, sense of movement, and
sense of position can all be affected
o Information is being senses normally by the child, but is
being perceived much differently
o stimulation that may seem normal to another child can be
perceived as painful, unpleasant, or confusing
o Sensory Integration Dysfunctions include:
o Hypersensitivity
o Not being able to wear cloths
o Not able to be touched
o Not able to be in a room with normal lighting
o Hyposensitivity
o Increased tolerance of pain
o Constant need for stimulation
31. Pica
o Pica is an eating disorder that includes eating
things that aren’t food
o This is normal behavior between 18 and 24
months, but it can continue after this period of
time with an autistic child
o They tend to eat things like dirt, clay, chalk, and
paint chips
o A sign of pica is if a child is constantly mouthing
on fingers or other objects
o Children that do this should be tested for lead in
their blood
32. Red Flags of Autism
If there is no warm or joyful expressions by 6
months or after
If there is no back and forth or sounds, smiles, or
facial expressions by 9 months or after
If there is no babbling by 12 months or after
If there is no back and forth gestures
(pointing/showing/reacting/waving) by 12
months or after
If there are no words by 16 months or after
If there are no two word meaningful phrases (not
imitation/repetition) by 24 months
Any loss of speech or babbling at any age
42. Retts Syndrome is a neurodevelopmental
disorder that begins to show its affects in
early childhood. It is almost exclusively found
in females, but all racial and ethnic groups
can be affected by it.
46. 3-5 months: slowing of head growth
6-18 months: learning to crawl later than
usual, ceasing to learn new skills, diminished
muscle tone, decreased eye contact, inattentive
behavior
1-4 years: loss of previously acquired skills
2-10 years: recession of skills stops, motor skill
difficulties become more pronounced, seizures
become more pronounced
10 years and older: developing motor skill
difficulties, muscle weakening gets worse
49. Childhood Disintegration Disorder is a
condition where a child will develop
normally, but when they reach the age of
about 3 or 4, they lose their
language, motor, social, and other skills that
they have already learned
52. What are the symptoms of
Childhood Disintegration
Disorder?
53. Lose communication skills
Lose nonverbal behaviors
Lose skills already learned
Decay of spoken language
Lack of spoken language
Inability to start or maintain a conversation
Lack of playing
Lose bladder/bowel control
Lose language skills
Lose social skills
Problems forming relationships with friends and
family members
56. Pervasive Developementa Disorders – Not
Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) are
conditions on the autism spectrum that
exhibit some, but not all of the symptoms of
autism
60. People may appear unemotional to others
People may possibly be unable to speak
People have trouble holding eye contact
People have trouble transitioning activities
