scholarly journals Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neonatal Serum Magnesium Levels in Preterm Infants

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2329048X1880056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda V. Bakian ◽  
Deborah A. Bilder ◽  
E. Kent Korgenski ◽  
Joshua L. Bonkowsky

Premature birth is associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. Antenatal maternal magnesium administration is known to reduce subsequent risk of cerebral palsy including among premature infants, suggesting a potentially broader neuroprotective role for magnesium. Our objective was to determine whether magnesium could be protective against autism spectrum disorders in premature infants. A cohort of 4855 preterm children was identified, magnesium levels from 24 to 48 hours of life recorded, and subsequent autism spectrum disorder status determined. Adjusted relative risk of autism spectrum disorder with each 1 mg/dL increase in neonatal magnesium level was 1.15 (95% confidence interval: 0.86-1.53). Analysis of variance indicated that magnesium levels varied by gestational age and maternal antenatal magnesium supplementation, but not autism spectrum disorder status ( F1,4824 = 1.43, P = .23). We found that neonatal magnesium levels were not associated with decreased autism spectrum disorder risk. Future research into autism spectrum disorder risks and treatments in premature infants is needed.

Author(s):  
Cara E. Pugliese ◽  
Gregory L. Wallace ◽  
Laura Gutermuth Anthony ◽  
Lauren Kenworthy

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities are at increased risk for engaging in one or more types of problem behavior (e.g., aggression, property destruction, self-injury). Self-injurious behavior (SIB), the focus of the current chapter, refers to behaviors that produce (or could produce) physical injury to an individual’s own body and is common among individuals with ASD. SIB poses immediate and long-term risks for the individuals and their caregivers. This chapter summarizes the prevalence and developmental course of SIB in individuals with ASD, as well as research on the etiology, diagnosis, assessment, and evidence-based treatments for SIB. Case examples and suggestions for future research are provided.


Autism ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 728-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren M Little ◽  
Anna Wallisch ◽  
Brenda Salley ◽  
Rene Jamison

Given that early caregiver concerns may be different for children who go on to receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder versus another developmental disability, early caregiver concerns may differ for girls. Using a community-based sample of children (n = 241), we examined the extent to which gender differences may be related to caregiver concerns prior to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disability. Participants were matched on chronological age, and cognitive functioning did not differ across groups. Using caregiver concern data, results showed that boys with autism spectrum disorder showed increased social interaction concerns; overall, autism spectrum disorder–related concerns did not differentiate those with autism spectrum disorder from developmental disability. Children with developmental disability, however, showed increased general developmental concerns as compared to those with autism spectrum disorder. Young girls with autism spectrum disorder may demonstrate behaviors that are not particularly salient or concerning for parents; future research may investigate the behaviors that differentiate girls with autism spectrum disorder early in development.


Author(s):  
Hellström

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have shown an increased risk for violence and victimization. However, research on exposure to multiple forms of victimization in different contexts are scarce. Hence, the current aim is to review the evidence about polyvictimization among children with ASD or ADHD. PsycInfo, ERIC, ERC, Scopus, and PubMed databases were systematically searched until 12 March 2019 to identify empirical studies with reported prevalence rates of at least four forms of victimization among children with ASD or ADHD. A total of 6/1300 articles were included in the review, ranging in sample sizes from 92 to 4114. The reported prevalence rates for polyvictimization were 1.8% and 23.1% for children with ASD and 7.3% for children with ADHD. The results emphasize the high prevalence of violence and victimization, including polyvictimization, among children with ASD or ADHD. Polyvictimization among children with ASD or ADHD is a highly under researched area. Significant knowledge gaps and important methodological considerations that provide important implications for future research include lack of information on cyber bullying, frequency or intensity of victimization, and the failure to include children as informants and to report health outcomes associated with polyvictimization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (B) ◽  
pp. 1556-1560
Author(s):  
Andy Martahan Andreas ◽  
Ratna Djuwita ◽  
Helda Helda ◽  
Rini Sekartni ◽  
Sri Hartati R. Suradijono ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The prevalence of people with autism spectrum disorders in some parts of the world tends to increase, in Indonesia alone, accurate and complete data and information from people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are still lacking, so it is feared that many children with risk symptoms of autism spectrum disorders do not get treatment early. Aim: This study aims to prevent the risk of autism spectrum disorders in children by applying massage therapy based on analysis of the Modified Check List for Autism in Toddler (M-Chat) scores. Methods: The study was conducted from May 2019 to March 2020 at three public health centers in the city of Jakarta. An analysis was carried out before and after the application of massage in a time series of four periods on 10 children aged 18-36 months with M-Chat scores, then analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) to obtain a cut off point to determine the risk status of autism spectrum disorders. Results: The results showed that there was an effect of massage therapy on the M-Chat score of children with autism spectrum disorder risk p=0.004 <0.05 and changes in the M-Chat score of children with autism spectrum disorder risk experienced significant changes after massage in the third and fourth therapy periods. with p = 0.005 and p = 0.007 < 0.05. Conclusion: The results show that massage therapy can prevent the risk of autism spectrum disorders in children based on the Modified Check List for Autism in Toddler (M-Chat). Keywords: Massage therapy, babies, autism spectrum disorders, modified checklist for autism in toddler


Author(s):  
John Elder Robison

There is strong evidence to suggest that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at heightened risk for developing co-occurring psychiatric conditions. However, the reasons behind this increased risk remain unclear. This chapter describes multiple conceptual models of the reasons for comorbidity and appraises the strength for each in relation to currently available evidence. The first section considers the evidence to suggest the reported increase in prevalence can be explained by purely artefactual factors (e.g., issues in sample acquisition or symptom measurement) and concludes this is unlikely as a complete explanation. The second section discusses more theoretical models, and how these could manifest in autistic individuals (e.g., increased prevalence or potency of established risk factors, and the role of ASD-specific risk factors). There is evidence to support multiple mechanisms playing a role in explaining the increased prevalence of psychiatric conditions, and these mechanisms are unlikely to be mutually exclusive. As the current literature is limited, priority areas for future research are suggested, including the need for accurate measurement of predictors and outcomes, more sensitive research designs, and the inclusion of underrepresented groups.


Author(s):  
Maria Kontogianni ◽  
Andromachi Nanou

Self-awareness and self-regulation yoga techniques lead to stress management, reducing anxiety and well-being of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The current study seeks to investigate the degree of the autonomous involvement of an 11-year-old girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the self-awareness and self-regulation yoga exercises. The research was designed as an educational intervention. The intervention was applied once a week for 3 months, and took place at the sensory room of “School for all: Tokei Maru” at Include in Thessaloniki. Research diaries and observation protocols, by participant and external observers, were used for data collection before, during and after the intervention. According to the research findings, girl’s degree and quality of involvement improved during the intervention, so that she managed to use specific techniques autonomously. Research findings cannot be generalized, but they are encouraging in developing effective self-awareness and self-regulation programs for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in future research.


Author(s):  
Connor M. Kerns ◽  
Chandler Puhy ◽  
Chelsea M. Day ◽  
Steven J. Berkowitz

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition characterizes oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as reflecting pervasive patterns of irritable mood, defiant behavior, and/or vindictiveness. Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit high rates of disruptive behaviors commonly associated with ODD, such as noncompliance, irritability, temper tantrums, and mood dysregulation. This chapter reviews the presentation of ODD in individuals with ASD, including current prevalence estimates, proposed etiology, validated assessment methods, and emerging best practices designed to treat challenging behaviors. Although there is a robust literature describing assessment and treatment procedures for disruptive behaviors in individuals with ASD, conceptualizing these hallmark behaviors within the framework of ODD is relatively novel and not without controversy. Discussion thus includes challenges around the applicability of the diagnostic criteria in this population and future research directions that may provide clarity on this issue.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1845
Author(s):  
Stephen Schultz ◽  
Georgianna G. Gould ◽  
Nicola Antonucci ◽  
Anna Lisa Brigida ◽  
Dario Siniscalco

Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities, are the core items characterizing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Strong inflammation states have been reported to be associated with ASD. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) may be involved in ASD pathophysiology. This complex network of lipid signaling pathways comprises arachidonic acid and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol-derived compounds, their G-protein-coupled receptors (cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2) and the associated enzymes. Alterations of the ECS have been reported in both the brain and the immune system of ASD subjects. ASD children show low EC tone as indicated by low blood levels of endocannabinoids. Acetaminophen use has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of ASD. This drug can act through the ECS to produce analgesia. It may be that acetaminophen use in children increases the risk for ASD by interfering with the ECS.This mini-review article summarizes the current knowledge on this topic.


Toxics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Tristan Furnary ◽  
Rolando Garcia-Milian ◽  
Zeyan Liew ◽  
Shannon Whirledge ◽  
Vasilis Vasiliou

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen (APAP) is associated with increased risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1 in 59 children in the US. Maternal and prenatal exposure to pesticides from food and environmental sources have also been implicated to affect fetal neurodevelopment. However, the underlying mechanisms for ASD are so far unknown, likely with complex and multifactorial etiology. The aim of this study was to explore the potential effects of APAP and pesticide exposure on development with regards to the etiology of ASD by highlighting common genes and biological pathways. Genes associated with APAP, pesticides, and ASD through human research were retrieved from molecular and biomedical literature databases. The interaction network of overlapping genetic associations was subjected to network topology analysis and functional annotation of the resulting clusters. These genes were over-represented in pathways and biological processes (FDR p < 0.05) related to apoptosis, metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and carbohydrate metabolism. Since these three biological processes are frequently implicated in ASD, our findings support the hypothesis that cell death processes and specific metabolic pathways, both of which appear to be targeted by APAP and pesticide exposure, may be involved in the etiology of ASD. This novel exposures-gene-disease database mining might inspire future work on understanding the biological underpinnings of various ASD risk factors.


2021 ◽  
pp. 105381512199557
Author(s):  
Jay Buzhardt ◽  
Anna Wallisch ◽  
Dwight Irvin ◽  
Brian Boyd ◽  
Brenda Salley ◽  
...  

One of the earliest indicators of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is delay in language and social communication. Despite consensus on the benefits of earlier diagnosis and intervention, our understanding of the language growth of children with ASD during the first years of life remains limited. Therefore, this study compared communication growth patterns of infants and toddlers with ASD to growth benchmarks of a standardized language assessment. We conducted a retrospective analysis of growth on the Early Communication Indicator (ECI) of 23 infants and toddlers who received an ASD diagnosis in the future. At 42 months of age, children with ASD had significantly lower rates of gestures, single words, and multiple words, but significantly higher rates of nonword vocalizations. Children with ASD had significantly slower growth of single and multiple words, but their rate of vocalization growth was significantly greater than benchmark. Although more research is needed with larger samples, because the ECI was designed for practitioners to monitor children’s response to intervention over time, these findings show promise for the ECI’s use as a progress monitoring measure for young children with ASD. Limitations and the need for future research are discussed.


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