scholarly journals Parents' perceptions of autism and their challenges in China

2022 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-142
Author(s):  
Wangqian Fu ◽  
◽  
Yawen Xiao ◽  
Cui Yin ◽  
Ran Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Future

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication deficits and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Parents play a significant role in research, clinical practice and policy development on autism. Parents' perceptions of autism can affect not only their own well-being, but also their children's development. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the parents’ perception of autism in Chinese context. The parents’ perception of autism questionnaire was applied to collect information from 171 families of children with ASD, mainly to investigate the knowledge of autistic children and the difficulties the family facing. The following conclusions were drawn from this study: (1) Mother as the primary caregiver for children with ASD; (2) Parents’ perception of ASD were various parents of autistic children have a good understanding of the symptoms, causes, age of onset and interventions, and their expectations of the prognosis and the future life of their autistic children are high; (3) The difficulties that faced by the parents are mainly composed of low social acceptance, family pressure and concerns about the effectiveness of interventions for their children. In consideration of the future development of children with autism and the mental health development of their parents, it is particularly crucial to support their parents with multifaceted support.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Etiology among Parents of Children with ASD

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6774
Author(s):  
Wei-Ju Chen ◽  
Zihan Zhang ◽  
Haocen Wang ◽  
Tung-Sung Tseng ◽  
Ping Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Parental Perceptions ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Religious Factors

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication deficits and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Parental perceptions of the etiology of their child’s ASD can affect provider–client relationships, bonding between parents and their children, and the prognosis, treatment, and management of children with ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine the perceptions of ASD etiology of parents of children with ASD. Methods: Forty-two parents of children diagnosed with ASD were recruited across Texas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually. All interviews were recorded and later transcribed verbatim for content analysis utilizing NVivo 12.0 (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia). Results: The content analysis identified the following themes regarding parental perceptions of ASD etiology: Genetic factors (40.5%), environmental factors (31.0%), problems that occurred during pregnancy or delivery (23.8%), vaccinations (16.7%), other health problems (7.1%), parental age at the time of pregnancy (4.8%), and spiritual or religious factors (2.4%). Conclusions: The parental perceptions of ASD etiology were diverse, but several views, such as vaccinations and spiritual or religious factors, were not based on scientific evidence. Health professionals and researchers can use these findings to develop and provide targeted education to parents who have children with ASD. Our findings also support policymakers in developing campaigns designed to increase parental ASD awareness and knowledge.

Millennium Nutrient N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) and its Effectiveness in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daljeet Singh Dhanjal ◽  
Sonali Bhardwaj ◽  
Chirag Chopra ◽  
Reena Singh ◽  
Jiri Patocka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Drastic Increase ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Core Symptoms

: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder belonging to the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In ASDs, the individuals show substantial impairments in social communication, repetitive behaviours, and sensory behaviours deficits in the early stages of their life. Globally, the prevalence of autism is estimated to be less than 1%, especially in high-income countries. In recent decades, there has been a drastic increase in the incidence of ASD, which has put ASD into the category of epidemics. Presently, two US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, aripiprazole and risperidone are used to treat symptoms of agitation and irritability in autistic children. However, to date, no medication has been found to treat the core symptoms of ASD. The adverse side effects of conventional medicine and limited treatment options have led families and parents of autistic children to turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments, which are perceived as relatively safe compared to conventional medicine. Recently, N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG), a dietary supplement, has emerged as a useful supplement to improve the mental and physical state of children with ASD. The current review discusses ASD, the prevalence of ASD, CAM approach and efficacy of CAM treatment in children with ASD. Moreover, it highlights the chemistry, pharmacological effect, and clinical studies of DMG, highlighting its potential for improving the lifestyle of children with ASD.

scholarly journals Alpha-Synuclein, cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandins-EP2 receptors as neuroinflammatory biomarkers of autism spectrum disorders: Use of combined ROC curves to increase their diagnostic values

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Afaf El-Ansary ◽  
Manan Alhakbany ◽  
Abeer Aldbass ◽  
Hanan Qasem ◽  
Sarah Al-Mazidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Roc Curve ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Roc Curves ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Cyclooxygenase 2 ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Lipid Mediator ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Specificity And Sensitivity

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Neuroinflammation and abnormal lipid mediators have been identified in multiple investigations as an acknowledged etiological mechanism of ASD that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. Methods In this study, multiple regression and combined receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to determine the relationship between the neuroinflammatory marker α-synuclein and lipid mediator markers related to inflammation induction, such as cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin-EP2 receptors, in the etiology of ASD. Additionally, the study aimed to determine the linear combination that maximizes the partial area under ROC curves for a set of markers. Forty children with ASD and 40 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled in the study. Using ELISA, the levels of α-synuclein, cyclo-oxygenase-2, and prostaglandin-EP2 receptors were measured in the plasma of both groups. Statistical analyses using ROC curves and multiple and logistic regression models were performed. Results A remarkable increase in the area under the curve was observed using combined ROC curve analyses. Moreover, higher specificity and sensitivity of the combined markers were reported. Conclusions The present study indicates that measurement of the predictive value of selected biomarkers related to neuroinflammation and lipid metabolism in children with ASD using a ROC curve analysis should lead to a better understanding of the etiological mechanism of ASD and its link with metabolism. This information may facilitate early diagnosis and intervention.

The Well-Being of Families living with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Qatar

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi V. Ekas ◽  
◽  
Abdallah M. Badahdah ◽  
Azza O. Abdelmoneium
Keyword(s):  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Restricted Interests ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
The Government

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that affects approximately 1% of children worldwide. Children with autism have difficulties in social interactions and communication and often engage in repetitive behaviors or have restricted interests (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). As a result of their child’s autism diagnosis, parents of children with autism often experience increased stress and poorer psychological well-being. Moreover, relationships within the family (e.g., marital relationship) may be negatively impacted. Addressing the needs of family members, particularly parents, is critical, as decades of research have shown that parents’ psychological well-being can affect the way that parents interact with their children. These interactional patterns can, in turn, impact children’s development in many of the areas that are affected by autism, including the social and emotional, language, and cognitive domains. The government of Qatar has recently taken steps to address the needs of children with autism and their families. The overarching aim of the Qatar National Autism Plan is to improve the lives of individuals with autism and their families. The six pillars of the National Autism Plan are designed to address the needs of individuals with autism and their families in areas such as raising awareness about autism, receiving early diagnosis, and accessing treatment and education. Once these needs are met, it is likely that the families of children with autism in Qatar can flourish. However, there are likely to be other challenges and unmet needs that the National Autism Plan does not address, and it was with this in mind that this first comprehensive study of families of children with autism in Qatar was undertaken.

scholarly journals Growth hormone and ghrelin status in autistic children

QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H M Abozaid ◽  
E A A Algohary ◽  
E A Zaky ◽  
R A A Mahmoud
Keyword(s):  
Growth Hormone ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Psychometric Evaluation ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Pubertal Stage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Children With Asd

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with multifaceted etiology; with the hormonal imbalance playing an important role. Recent evidence suggests that plasma levels of Growth Hormone (GH) and ghrelin are altered in autistic children. Both hormones play a role in mucosal integrity which is crucial in immune tolerance. Ghrelin also modulates neuroinflammatory and apoptotic processes, thus both may have an impact on pathogenesis of autism. Aim To study the GH and ghrelin status in children with ASD and their relation to anthropometry and clinical phenotype. Patients and Methods This is a cross-sectional case-controlled study that included 45 children (30 males and 15 females) diagnosed with ASD compared to 30 age, sex and pubertal stage matched clinically normal controls. Psychometric evaluation including DSM 5, IQ, and CARS were done for the patients, while serum Acyl ghrelin, GH levels and anthropometric measurements were done for both the patients and controls. Results Compared to controls, patients had significantly higher weight and BMI (19.07 ± 4.56 kg versus 23.66 ± 11.44 kg, p 0.004) and (16.20 ± 0.89 kg/m2versus 17.94 ± 4.22 kg/m2, p 0.003) respectively. Ghrelin levels were significantly lower in our cases (7.04 ± 3.95 versus 1.90 ± 0.82, p 0.000) with significant positive correlation to the age. GH levels were also significantly lower in our cases (5.86 ± 2.21 versus 2.99 ± 1.51, p 0.000) with significant negative correlation to their CARS score. Conclusion Children with ASD have lower levels of ghrelin, GH compared to their normal counterparts. These findings support the hypothesis that hormones may modulate pathogenesis of autism, thus may play a key role in diagnosis and treatment response.

scholarly journals Providing Inpatient Medical Care to Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 918-924
Author(s):  
Robyn P. Thom ◽  
Melissa M. Hazen ◽  
Christopher J. McDougle ◽  
Eric P. Hazen
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Improvement Interventions ◽  
Communication Ability ◽  
Quality Improvement Interventions

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting an estimated 1 in 40 children. Children with ASD have high rates of medical comorbidity and often experience high levels of distress during medical admissions, increasing the risk of agitation. Pediatric hospitalists receive minimal formal training on the inpatient care of children with ASD. In this article, we review strategies that pediatric hospitalists can use to optimize the care of children with ASD during inpatient admissions. These include gathering an ASD-related history early in the admission to understand the child’s baseline core ASD symptoms, including social and communication ability, sensory needs, and restricted or repetitive behaviors. This information can be used to tailor the hospitalist’s approach in each of these 3 domains. We conclude by reviewing procedure-related considerations, an approach to managing agitation, and quality improvement interventions.

scholarly journals Parent-mediated Behavioral Intervention for Treatment Behavioral Excesses in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 422-437
Author(s):  
Esmaeil Shiri ◽  
◽  
Hamidreza Pouratemad ◽  
Jalil Fathabadi ◽  
Mohammad Narimani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Intervention ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Children With Asd

Background and Aim: One of the problems of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is behavioral excesses resistance to many educational and rehabilitation programs. Parent-mediated behavioral interventions seem to be effective in overcoming these problems. However, these methods are not well-introduced. The purpose of this study is to systematically review these studies and their primary and secondary outcomes, and finally analyze the components. Methods & Materials: This study was a systematic review. The search included SID, Magiran, Medline, PubMed, Springer, Science Direct, Online Library, and PsycINFO. We reviewed The articles published between 2000 and 2017 about parent-mediated behavioral interventions on behavioral excesses in autistic children. Ethical Considerations: This study with ethical code IR.SBU.ICBS.97/1013 was approved by the Biological Research Department of Shahid Beheshti University. Results: The findings of 9 studies indicated positive effects of parent-mediated behavioral intervention on behavioral excesses, including repetitive behaviors, irritability (including tantrums, aggression, and self-injurious behaviors), echolalia, and destructive behaviors (preliminary results). Also, these interventions improved the adaptive behaviors in autistic children, and parental functions such as self-efficacy, parental style, psychological problems (secondary results). Components of the therapeutic program included the type of consequence-based interventions (such as response interruption and redirection), antecedent-based interventions A (visual cue and daily schedules), antecedent-based interventions B (such as enriching environment with play). Three articles had medium certainty of the evidence, and 6 had high certainty of evidence. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated the positive effect of parent-mediated behavioral intervention on behavioral excesses in children with ASD. Future studies should emphasize the comprehensiveness of all the effective components in the parent-mediated behavioral intervention and the feasibility of the intervention in various contexts. It is suggested that parent-mediated interventions be implemented on behavioral excesses in children with ASD in Iran.

scholarly journals Sleep Disorders in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights From Animal Models, Especially Non-human Primate Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shufei Feng ◽  
Haoyu Huang ◽  
Na Wang ◽  
Yuanyuan Wei ◽  
Yun Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Sleep Disorders ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Human Primate

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with deficient social skills, communication deficits and repetitive behaviors. The prevalence of ASD has increased among children in recent years. Children with ASD experience more sleep problems, and sleep appears to be essential for the survival and integrity of most living organisms, especially for typical synaptic development and brain plasticity. Many methods have been used to assess sleep problems over past decades such as sleep diaries and parent-reported questionnaires, electroencephalography, actigraphy and videosomnography. A substantial number of rodent and non-human primate models of ASD have been generated. Many of these animal models exhibited sleep disorders at an early age. The aim of this review is to examine and discuss sleep disorders in children with ASD. Toward this aim, we evaluated the prevalence, clinical characteristics, phenotypic analyses, and pathophysiological brain mechanisms of ASD. We highlight the current state of animal models for ASD and explore their implications and prospects for investigating sleep disorders associated with ASD.

scholarly journals Mealtime Behaviors and Food Preferences of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Hae Jin Park ◽  
Su Jin Choi ◽  
Yuri Kim ◽  
Mi Sook Cho ◽  
Yu-Ri Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Mealtime Behavior ◽  
High Level

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a lack of social communication and restrictive, repetitive behaviors or interests. This study aimed to examine the mealtime behaviors and food preferences of students with ASD. An online questionnaire on mealtime behavior and food preferences of ASD students was conducted by caregivers including parents, and the average age of ASD students was 14.1 ± 6.1. The analysis of mealtime behavior resulted in classification into three clusters: cluster 1, the “low-level problematic mealtime behavior group”; cluster 2, the “mid-level problematic mealtime behavior group”; and cluster 3, the “high-level problematic mealtime behavior group”. Cluster 1 included older students than other clusters and their own specific dietary rituals. Meanwhile, cluster 3 included younger students than other clusters, high-level problematic mealtime behavior, and a low preference for food. In particular, there were significant differences in age and food preference for each subdivided ASD group according to their eating behaviors. Therefore, the content and method of nutrition education for ASD students’ needs a detailed approach according to the characteristics of each group.

scholarly journals Longitudinal change in restricted and repetitive behaviors from 8-36 months

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Sifre ◽  
Daniel Berry ◽  
Jason J. Wolff ◽  
Jed T. Elison
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Factor Score ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Restricted And Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Repetitive Motor ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and one of the earliest behavioral signs of ASD. However, RRBs are also present in typically developing (TD) infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. Past work suggests that examining change in these behaviors over time is essential to distinguish between normative manifestations of these behaviors and behaviors that denote risk for a neurodevelopmental disorder. One challenge in examining changes in these behaviors over time is that most measures of RRBs have not established longitudinal measurement invariance. The aims of this study were to (1) establish measurement invariance in the Repetitive Behavior Scales for Early Childhood (RBS-EC), a parent-report questionnaire of RRBs, and (2) model developmental change in RRBs from 8 to 36 months. Methods We collected RBS-EC responses from parents of TD infants (n = 180) from 8 to 36 months (n = 606 responses, with participants contributing an average of 3-time points). We leverage a novel methodological approach to measurement invariance testing (Bauer, Psychological Models, 22(3), 507–526, 2017), moderated nonlinear factor analysis (MNLFA), to determine whether the RBS-EC was invariant across age and sex. We then generated adjusted factor score estimates for each subscale of the RBS-EC (repetitive motor, self-directed, and higher-order behaviors), and used linear mixed effects models to estimate between- and within-person changes in the RBS-EC over time. Results The RBS-EC showed some non-invariance as a function of age. We were able to adjust for this non-invariance in order to more accurately model changes in the RBS-EC over time. Repetitive motor and self-directed behaviors showed a linear decline from 8 to 36 months, while higher-order behaviors showed a quadratic trajectory such that they began to decline later in development at around 18 months. Using adjusted factor scores as opposed to unadjusted raw mean scores provided a number of benefits, including increased within-person variability and precision. Conclusions The RBS-EC is sensitive enough to measure the presence of RRBs in a TD sample, as well as their decline with age. Using factor score estimates of each subscale adjusted for non-invariance allowed us to more precisely estimate change in these behaviors over time.

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