2. How do they present?
ďParents worried about:
⌠Speech and language delay
⌠Abnormal behaviour
⌠Lack of understanding
3. DEFINITION
ďA disorder of neural development
characterized by
ďimpaired social interaction
ďimpaired communication skills
ďimpaired imagination with restricted
interests and repetitive stereotypical
behavior
4. Contd..
ďItis a complex developmental disability
that typically appears during the first
three years of life.
ďAutism is also called as kanner syndrome.
5. AETIOLOGY
ďUNKNOWN AETIOLOGY (problems in
neural maturation)
ďSTRONG GENETIC BASIS
ďONSET BEFORE 36 MONTHS OF AGE
ďAutism is 4 times more prevalent in boys
and girls.
ďClassic autism occurs in 10-30 per 10,000
6. CLINICAL PRESENTATION
ďThe symptoms occur first during the
infancy period.
ďThe symptoms of autism vary greatly but
follow a general pattern.
ďNot all symptoms are present in all
autistic children.
7. ContdâŚ
VARIED SPECTRUM
ďNO EYE CONTACT<------------->INTERMITTENT
EYE CONTACT,
SMILE AND HUG
ďMENTAL RETARD.<------------->SUPERIOR IQ IN
SELECT AREAS
ďNO SPEECH<--------------------->ADVANCED
SPEECH
ďIMITATE SONGS;
8. Impaired social interaction
ďAvoid eye contact
ďAvoids cuddling by parents (resists or
becomes stiff)
ďReduced recognition of others happiness,
distress or anger (respond same to anger
and love)
ďLack of interest in other children
ďPrefers solitary play
11. Contd...
ďUnable to join in with others (GROUP
PLAY)
ďResists invasion of personal space or
being hurried
ďLack of awareness of classroom norms
e.g. criticises teacher, unwilling to
cooperate, doesnât fit in.
ďMay not smile in recognition of their
parents faces.
12. Contd..
ďSpeech and facial expressions deveop
peculiarly.
ďResistance to change. E.g. moving the
chair.
13. Impaired communication skills
ďDelayed language development especially
understanding.
ďPoor response to name (apparently deaf).
ďLack of pointing or pointing only for what
they need; and not to share interest
ďLack of empathy; Failure to respond to
othersâ smiles/ anger
14. Contd..
ďEcholaliabeyond expected age
ďReversing pronouns using âheâ for self beyond
3yrs
ďUnusual or advanced vocabulary
ďUnusual use of language or tendency to talk
only on specific (often factual) topics.
15. ECHOLALIA
REPEATING WORDS OR
PHRASES LIKE A PARROT
(beyond 3 years)
16. Impaired imagination
⢠Limited variety of imaginative play
⢠Repetitive play e.g. lining up toys,
spinning, flicking, switching on and off
⢠Liking for sameness and/or resists change
more than expected for age
⢠More interested in how things work than
playing with them.
18. OTHER BEHAVIOURS
⢠UNDER OR OVERSENSITIVITY TO SOUND,
TOUCH, PAIN OR OTHER SENSES
⢠UNUSUAL PROFILE OF SKILLS WITH SOCIAL
AND MOTOR SKILLS BELOW EXPECTED
⢠GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, READING OR
VOCABULARY IS ABOVE EXPECTED(THOUGH
MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS READ)
⢠UNUSUAL MOVEMENTS (CLAPPING, HEAD
BANGING, ROCKING MOVEMENTS, EXCESSIVE
MOUTHING..)
21. Possible Indicators of Autism
Spectrum Disorders
⢠Poor eye contact
⢠Doesn't smile
⢠Does not respond to name
⢠Does not babble, point, or make meaningful
gestures by 1 year of age
⢠Does not speak one word by 16 months
⢠Does not combine two words by 2 years
⢠Loses language or social skills
⢠Doesn't seem to know how to play with
toys
⢠Is attached to one particular toy or object
22. Diagnosis
⢠Based on history, assessment and
investigation.
⢠Audiometry.
⢠Rating scales and formal interviews may
help in certain cases (CHAT, M-CHAT)
⢠Assessment must be multiprofessional
and in more than one setting. (SCHOOL,
HOME, PEERS)
23. PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY:
ďMedications for seizures, hyperactivity,
extreme mood changes.
ďFENFLURAMINE- it is a drug that
decreases blood serotonin
concentrations. Some autistics have
abnormally high blood serotonin
concentrations.
ďPIRACETAM- it helps autistic child to
become more talkative, sociable, less
aggressive and increases the attention
span.
24. SUPPORTIVE TREATMENT:
ďEarlyintervention is essential.
ďEncourage and support the parents.
ďSpecial education class.
ďClear instructions to the child prompting to
perform specific behaviours.
ďImmediate praise the child and rewards for
performing those behaviors.
ďBehavior therapy
ďSpeech therapy
25. Contd..
ďMusic therapy
ďPlay therapy
ďSensory integration therapy
ďAuditory integration training- for
different sound frequencies.
ďEliminating dietary gluten and milk and
dairy products.
26. PROGNOSIS:
ďThe outlook for each child depends on
the intelligence and language ability.
ďSome people with autism become
independent adults.
Differs from mental retardation in that IQ is VARIED AND SOME FIELDS OF DEVELOPMENT ARE SUPERIOR
Taare zameen par
Infants are social beings they gaze at people, turn toward voices, grasp a finger, and even smile In contrast, most children with ASD seem to have tremendous difficulty learning to engage in the give-and-take of everyday human interaction Even in the first few months of life, many do not interact and they avoid eye contact. They seem indifferent to other people, and often seem to prefer being alone. They may resist attention or passively accept hugs and cuddling. Later, they seldom seek comfort or respond to parents' displays of anger or affection in a typical way.
It's important to remember that there are many possible explanations for most of the symptoms listed above. A child's attachment to a particular toy or difficulty with language skills is not, in itself, a sign of autism.