Autism and ADHD in InfancyBy: Kimberly Bass
OutlineAutism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD
Definition
Prevalence/Who is at risk?
Diagnostic criteria
Dietary Recommendations
Autism Also knows as Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD)
ASD is a general term for a group of disorders which includes autism
Defined as a condition in which the person affected has difficulty with verbal, non-verbal, and social skills.
Autism speaks
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)-difficulty relating to others, difficulty with changes in routine, repetitive movements and playing with toys in an unusual way
Asperger Syndrome-Obsessive or repetitive actions, social problems, and sensitivity to light, taste and sound
Rett Syndrome-loss of speech, and intellectual and social problems
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder-loss of language, social and motor skills
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development “Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)”
Autism Speaks
Autism Babies may be considered “good” because
they are quiet or calm/don’t have a lot of interaction with others
Autism is not identified by unusual behaviors, but the absence of usual behaviors
May excel in certain areas like art, music, or math
Autism speaks
Autism Children with autism may focus on a single
object for several hours
May engage in repetitive behaviors (rocking) or self-abusive behaviors (head-banging or biting)
Don’t understand social clues (tone of voice, facial expressions)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Autism fact sheet
Autism Some autistic children have unusual physical activity
and unusual eating patterns, leading to obesity
Other studies show that children with autism may prefer soft, sweet foods or energy dense foods such as cake and hotdogs
A recent study showed 30.4% of children with autism as being obese whereas only 23.6 % of children without autism were obese
“The prevalence of obesity in children with autism: a secondary data analysis using nationally
representative data from the National Survey of Children’s Health”
Risk Factors Gender-boys are 3-4 times more
likely to have autism than girls
Family history-having one child with autism increases the chances of having another child with autism
Father’s age-above age 40
Mayo Clinic-Autism Risk Factors
Prevalence/Who is at Risk?
The CDC says that 1 in 88 American children are diagnosed with ASD
(1 in 54 boys vs. 1 in 252 girls in the U.S.)
Autism speaks
Diagnostic Criteria In infants, some possible signs of autism
include the absence of the following behaviors:
Responding to his/her name
Following a gesture with eyes
Playing with others
Reaching out to be held
Making noise to get attention
Smith, M., Segal, J., & Hutman, T. (2010, December 20).Health guide.
Diagnostic Criteria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5SponU
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Treatment Options for treating and maintaining Autism
Spectrum disorders include:
Behavioral Therapy
Speech Therapy
Physical and/or Occupational Therapy
Medication (anti-anxiety and anti-psychotics)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development “Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)”
GFCF Diet Gluten Free, Casein Free Diet
The idea is to remove gluten and casein from the diet of someone with Autism to improve their symptoms
Where are gluten and casein found?
Gluten- wheat and grains (oats, rye, barley etc.), also soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and artificial colors
Casein-milk and milk products (May also be in soy cheese and hotdogs)
Autism Web
A Parent’s Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
A disorder in which the individual has difficulty with over-activity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, or a combination of the three.
PubMed Health
Prevalence/Who is at Risk?
Boys are about twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls
CDC reports about 5.2 million U.S. children with ADHD
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: FastStats
Risk Factors The chances of developing ADHD are more
likely when the following occur:
Smoking, drinking, using drugs, or being exposed to toxins while pregnant
Low birth weight
Family history
Mayo Clinic-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children
Prevalence2007 survey: North Carolina had the highest number of children ages 4-17 diagnosed with ADHD at 15.6%
Diagnostic Criteria ADHD is not diagnosed during infancy; however,
temperamental infants are more likely to become hyperactive children
Signs of ADHD to look for in infants:
-restlessness/unusual sleeping patterns
-difficulty feeding
-tantrums (banging head, screaming, kicking, rocking)
-impatient
-difficult to hold/cuddleeHow Health: Signs of ADHD in Infants
ADHD Across the Lifespan myadhd.com
Diagnostic Criteria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GIx-
JYdLZs
Dietary Recommendations Children with ADHD should have a diet
that excludes:
artificial colors, especially yellow
Any food additives including aspartame and MSG
There is no evidence that eating lots of sugar causes hyperactivity linked to ADHD
WebMD: ADHD Diets
Treatment options Medication-psychostimulants
(Adderall, Ritalin)
Behavioral treatment
Exercise
Web MD-ADD and ADHD Health Center