Name: Anonymous 2011-11-12 19:48
299.00 Autistic Disorder
Diagnostic Features
The essential features of Autistic Disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests. Manifestations of the disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual. Autistic Disorder is sometimes referred to as early infantile autism, childhood autism, or Kanner's autism.
The impairment is reciprocal social interaction is gross and sustained. There may be marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors (e.g., eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures and gestures) to regulate social interaction and communication (Criterion A1a). There may be failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level (Criterion A1b) that may take different forms at different ages. Younger individuals may have little or no interest in establishing friendships. Older individuals hay have an interest in friendship but lack understanding of the conventions of social interaction. There may be a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., not showing, bringing, or pointing out objects they find interesting) (Criterion A1c). Lack of social or emotional reciprocity may be present (e.g., not actively participating in simple social or emotional reciprocity may be present (e.g., not actively participating in simple social play or games, preferring solitary activities, or involving others in activities only as tools or "mechanical" aids) (Criterion A1d). Often an individual's awareness of others is markedly impaired. Individuals with this disorder may be oblivious to other children (including siblings), may have no concept of the needs of others, or may not notice another person's distress.
The impairment in communication is also marked and sustained and affects both verbal and nonverbal skills. There may be delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (Criterion A2a). In individuals who do speak, there may be marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others (Criterion A2b), or a stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language (Criterion A2c). There may also be a lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level (Criterion A2d). When speech does develop, the pitch, intonation, rate, rhythm, or stress may be abnormal (e.g., tone of voice may be monotonous, or contain question like rises at ends of statements). Grammatical structures are often immature and include stereotyped and repetitive use of language (e.g., repetition of words or phrases regardless of meaning; repeating jingles or commercials) or metaphorical language (i.e., language that can only be understood clearly by those familiar with the individual's communication style). A disturbance in the comprehension of language may be evidenced by an inability to understand simple questions, directions, or jokes. Imaginative play is often absent or markedly impaired. These individuals also tend not to engage in the simple imitations games or routines of infancy or early childhood or do so only out of context or in a mechanical way.
Individuals with Autistic Disorder have restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. There may be an encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus (Criterion A3a); an apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals (Criterion A3b); stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (Criterion A3c); or a persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (Criterion A3d). Individuals with Autistic Disorder display a markedly restricted range of interests and are often preoccupied with one narrow interest (e.g., with amassing facts about meteorology or baseball statistics). They may line up an exact number of play things in the same manner over and over again or repetitively mimic the actions of a television actor. They may insist on sameness and show resistance to or distress over trivial changes (e.g., a younger child may have a catastrophic reactions to a minor change in the environment such as a new set of curtains or a change in place at the dinner table). There is often an interest in nonfunctional routines or rituals or an unreasonable insistence on following routines (e.g., taking exactly the same route to school every day). Stereotyped body movements include the hands (clapping, finger flicking) or whole body (rocking, dipping, and swaying). Abnormalities of posture (e.g., walking on tiptoe, odd hand movements and body postures) may be present. These individuals show a persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (buttons, parts of the body). There may also be a fascination with movement (e.g., the spinning wheels of toys, the opening and closing of doors, and electric fan or other rapidly revolving object). The person may be highly attached to some inanimate object (e.g., a piece of string or rubber band).
The disturbance just be manifest by delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas prior to age 3 years; social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play (Criterion B). There is typically no period of unequivocally normal development, although 1 or 2 years of relatively normal development has been reported in some instances. In a minority of cases, parents report regression in language development, generally manifest as the cessation of speech after a child has acquired from 5 to 10 words. By definition, if there is a period of normal development, it cannot extend past age 3 years. The disturbance must not be better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (Criterion C).
Associated Features and Disorders
Associated descriptive features and mental disorders. In most cases, there is an associated diagnosis of Mental Retardation, commonly in the moderate range (IQ 35-50). Approximately 75% of children with Autistic Disorder function at a retarded level. There may be abnormalities in the development of cognitive skills. The profile of cognitive skills is usually uneven, regardless of the general level of intelligence (e.g., a 4 1/2-year-old girl with Autistic Disorder may be able to read, i.e., hyperlexia). In many higher-functioning children with Autistic Disorder, the level of receptive language (i.e., language comprehension) is below that of expressive language (e.g., vocabulary). Individuals with Autistic Disorder may have a range of behavioral symptoms, including hyperactivity, short attention span, impulsivity, aggressiveness, self-injurious behaviors, and, particularly in young children, temper tantrums. There may be odd responses to sensory stimuli (e.g., a high threshold for pain, oversensitivity to sounds or being touched, exaggerated reactions to light or odors, fascination with certain stimuli). There may be abnormalities in eating (e.g., limiting diet to a few foods, Pica) or sleeping (e.g., recurrent awakening at night with rocking). Abnormalities of mood or affect (e.g., giggling or weeping for no apparent reason, an apparent absence of emotional reaction) may be present. There may be a lack of fear in response to real dangers, and excessive fearfulness in response to harmless objects. A variety of self-injurious behaviors may be present (e.g., head banging or find, hand, or wrist biting). In adolescence or early adult life, individuals with Autistic Disorder who have the intellectual capacity for insight may become depressed in response to the realization of their serious impairment.
Associated laboratory findings When Autistic Disorder is associated with a general medical condition, laboratory findings consistent with the general medical condition will be observed. There have been reports of group differences in measures of serotonergic activity, but these are not diagnostic for Autistic Disorder. Imaging studies may be abnormal in some cases, but no specific pattern has been clearly identified. EEG abnormalities are common even in the absence of seizure disorders.
Associated physical examination findings and general medical conditions. Various nonspecific neurological symptoms or signs may be noted (e.g., primitive reflexes, delayed development of hand dominance) in Autistic Disorder. The condition is sometimes observed in association with a neurological or other general medical condition (e.g., encephalitis, phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, fragile X syndrome, anoxia during birth, maternal rubella). Seizures may develop (particularly in adolescence) in as many as 25% of cases. When other general medical conditions are present, they should be noted on Axis III.
Diagnostic Features
The essential features of Autistic Disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests. Manifestations of the disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual. Autistic Disorder is sometimes referred to as early infantile autism, childhood autism, or Kanner's autism.
The impairment is reciprocal social interaction is gross and sustained. There may be marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors (e.g., eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures and gestures) to regulate social interaction and communication (Criterion A1a). There may be failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level (Criterion A1b) that may take different forms at different ages. Younger individuals may have little or no interest in establishing friendships. Older individuals hay have an interest in friendship but lack understanding of the conventions of social interaction. There may be a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., not showing, bringing, or pointing out objects they find interesting) (Criterion A1c). Lack of social or emotional reciprocity may be present (e.g., not actively participating in simple social or emotional reciprocity may be present (e.g., not actively participating in simple social play or games, preferring solitary activities, or involving others in activities only as tools or "mechanical" aids) (Criterion A1d). Often an individual's awareness of others is markedly impaired. Individuals with this disorder may be oblivious to other children (including siblings), may have no concept of the needs of others, or may not notice another person's distress.
The impairment in communication is also marked and sustained and affects both verbal and nonverbal skills. There may be delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (Criterion A2a). In individuals who do speak, there may be marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others (Criterion A2b), or a stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language (Criterion A2c). There may also be a lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level (Criterion A2d). When speech does develop, the pitch, intonation, rate, rhythm, or stress may be abnormal (e.g., tone of voice may be monotonous, or contain question like rises at ends of statements). Grammatical structures are often immature and include stereotyped and repetitive use of language (e.g., repetition of words or phrases regardless of meaning; repeating jingles or commercials) or metaphorical language (i.e., language that can only be understood clearly by those familiar with the individual's communication style). A disturbance in the comprehension of language may be evidenced by an inability to understand simple questions, directions, or jokes. Imaginative play is often absent or markedly impaired. These individuals also tend not to engage in the simple imitations games or routines of infancy or early childhood or do so only out of context or in a mechanical way.
Individuals with Autistic Disorder have restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. There may be an encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus (Criterion A3a); an apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals (Criterion A3b); stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (Criterion A3c); or a persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (Criterion A3d). Individuals with Autistic Disorder display a markedly restricted range of interests and are often preoccupied with one narrow interest (e.g., with amassing facts about meteorology or baseball statistics). They may line up an exact number of play things in the same manner over and over again or repetitively mimic the actions of a television actor. They may insist on sameness and show resistance to or distress over trivial changes (e.g., a younger child may have a catastrophic reactions to a minor change in the environment such as a new set of curtains or a change in place at the dinner table). There is often an interest in nonfunctional routines or rituals or an unreasonable insistence on following routines (e.g., taking exactly the same route to school every day). Stereotyped body movements include the hands (clapping, finger flicking) or whole body (rocking, dipping, and swaying). Abnormalities of posture (e.g., walking on tiptoe, odd hand movements and body postures) may be present. These individuals show a persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (buttons, parts of the body). There may also be a fascination with movement (e.g., the spinning wheels of toys, the opening and closing of doors, and electric fan or other rapidly revolving object). The person may be highly attached to some inanimate object (e.g., a piece of string or rubber band).
The disturbance just be manifest by delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas prior to age 3 years; social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play (Criterion B). There is typically no period of unequivocally normal development, although 1 or 2 years of relatively normal development has been reported in some instances. In a minority of cases, parents report regression in language development, generally manifest as the cessation of speech after a child has acquired from 5 to 10 words. By definition, if there is a period of normal development, it cannot extend past age 3 years. The disturbance must not be better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (Criterion C).
Associated Features and Disorders
Associated descriptive features and mental disorders. In most cases, there is an associated diagnosis of Mental Retardation, commonly in the moderate range (IQ 35-50). Approximately 75% of children with Autistic Disorder function at a retarded level. There may be abnormalities in the development of cognitive skills. The profile of cognitive skills is usually uneven, regardless of the general level of intelligence (e.g., a 4 1/2-year-old girl with Autistic Disorder may be able to read, i.e., hyperlexia). In many higher-functioning children with Autistic Disorder, the level of receptive language (i.e., language comprehension) is below that of expressive language (e.g., vocabulary). Individuals with Autistic Disorder may have a range of behavioral symptoms, including hyperactivity, short attention span, impulsivity, aggressiveness, self-injurious behaviors, and, particularly in young children, temper tantrums. There may be odd responses to sensory stimuli (e.g., a high threshold for pain, oversensitivity to sounds or being touched, exaggerated reactions to light or odors, fascination with certain stimuli). There may be abnormalities in eating (e.g., limiting diet to a few foods, Pica) or sleeping (e.g., recurrent awakening at night with rocking). Abnormalities of mood or affect (e.g., giggling or weeping for no apparent reason, an apparent absence of emotional reaction) may be present. There may be a lack of fear in response to real dangers, and excessive fearfulness in response to harmless objects. A variety of self-injurious behaviors may be present (e.g., head banging or find, hand, or wrist biting). In adolescence or early adult life, individuals with Autistic Disorder who have the intellectual capacity for insight may become depressed in response to the realization of their serious impairment.
Associated laboratory findings When Autistic Disorder is associated with a general medical condition, laboratory findings consistent with the general medical condition will be observed. There have been reports of group differences in measures of serotonergic activity, but these are not diagnostic for Autistic Disorder. Imaging studies may be abnormal in some cases, but no specific pattern has been clearly identified. EEG abnormalities are common even in the absence of seizure disorders.
Associated physical examination findings and general medical conditions. Various nonspecific neurological symptoms or signs may be noted (e.g., primitive reflexes, delayed development of hand dominance) in Autistic Disorder. The condition is sometimes observed in association with a neurological or other general medical condition (e.g., encephalitis, phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, fragile X syndrome, anoxia during birth, maternal rubella). Seizures may develop (particularly in adolescence) in as many as 25% of cases. When other general medical conditions are present, they should be noted on Axis III.