AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASDs) “People with Autism do not lie, do not judge, do not play mind games. Maybe we can learn something from them.” - CafePress Rebecca Wong Leh Ping Nutrition 3 rd year

What is ASDs? A brain disorder that limits a person’s ability to communicate and relate to other people First appears in young children, who fall along a spectrum from mild to severe Some can navigate their world, some have exceptional abilities, while others struggle to speak ASDs affect about one child in 88, striking nearly 5 times as many boys as girls

What causes Autism? Unknown Genes probably play a role More common among people with genetic disorders such as Fragile X and tuberous sclerosis Taking valproic acid or thalidomide during pregnancy

Signs of Autism Repeated motions (rocking or spinning) Avoiding eye contact or physical touch Delays in learning to talk Repeating words or phrases (echolalia) Getting upset by minor changes May have constipation May have sleep problems Have poor coordination of the large muscle used for running and climbing, or the smaller muscles of the hand Seizures (1/3 of people with autism)

Diagnosis Speech problems  Doctor will check how your baby responds to your voice, smile or other expression Poor social skills  Trouble relating to other people  Avoid looking people in the eye  Focus intently on an object, while ignoring others around them for a long periods of time  May not use gestures, body posture, or facial expressions to communicate Repetitive behavior  Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (eg. Hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole body movements)

Asperger’s Syndrome Do not have low intelligence or language problems May have advanced verbal skills Can be socially awkward Have trouble understanding nonverbal cues (eg. Facial expression) May focus intensely on one topic that interests them Have trouble making friends

Treatment: Behavior Programs Widely used to o Learn to talk and communicate o Develop physically o Deal with other people more effectively Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) – encourage +ve and discourage –ve behaviors Floortime – emotion and social skills TEACCH program – uses picture cards and other visual cues

Treatment: Education Speech therapy Occupational therapy Develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) Early intervention or extended school year services

Treatment: Medication Anti-psychotic medicines o Risperdal – help with aggression, self-injury, tantrums Anti-convulsant - help with seizures Anti-depressant

Treatment: Sensory Integration Children with autism may be extremely sensitive to sounds, touch, taste, sights, or smells – sensory integration disorder E.g. Upset by bright flashing lights or school bell

Autism and Diet Digestion problems 30% of them may eat nonfood items (dirt/paper) Diet free of gluten, and casein

Autism among Siblings People who have one child with autism have 19% chance that another child have it too If two children have autism, the risk is even higher for 3 rd sibling When one fraternal male twin has autism, 31% chance that other twin will have it When autism affects a boy with an identical twin, 77% chance that both boys will have an ASD