scholarly journals MALTREATMENT IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER CHILDREN FROM PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE IN BANGLADESH: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-198
Author(s):  
M Atiqul Haque ◽  
Sharmin Islam ◽  
Anika Tasnim ◽  
Marium Salwa ◽  
Sarmin Sultana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Disciplinary Practices ◽  
The Past ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Abuse And Neglect

Children with disabilities are at an increased risk of experiencing child maltreatment (CM). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of different forms of CM among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Bangladesh. We interviewed 45 randomly selected mothers of ASD children who attended a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to treat their children. Data regarding CM was collected using a standard screening tool recommended by the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN). We asked mothers to report about their child-rearing practices to identify CM, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, and neglect, along with their non-violent disciplinary practices. The children's age range was 3 to 9 years, and approximately 82 percent were boys. All children were found to have experiences of physical and psychological abuse throughout their childhood. Seventy-three percent of children experienced neglect during the past year while 82 percent during their entire childhood. The reported prevalence of sexual abuse was 4.4 percent in the past year and 8.9 percent during their childhood. However, all parents followed non-violent disciplinary practices, and the prevalence of maltreatment did not differ between boys and girls. Higher instances of CM in Bangladesh, especially among ASD children, raise concern for its adverse social consequences and calls for appropriate mitigation practices as proclaimed by the United Nations Child Rights Charter.

scholarly journals Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children up to Age 2.5 years in a Tertiary Care Hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Anum Farooq ◽  
Shoaib Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Tertiary Care Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Military Hospital ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dsm 5

Objective: To investigate the frequency of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by screening 16 to 30 months old children, reporting to a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross sectional study.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Paediatrics Outpatient Department of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from November 2017 to August 2018.Materials and Methods: A total of 163 children between the age of 16-30 months were screened using Urdu translated version of Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/FTM). Those who screened positive on MCHAT-R were assessed using Childhood Autism Rating Scale-2 (CARS 2) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5) as diagnostic tools.Results: Among the 163 children screened with MCHAT, 33 were found positive for autism. The positive individuals were further assessed on CARS-2 and DSM-5; five children were diagnosed with ASD at moderate to severe level.  This study has shown that 3% of children visiting the hospital for various reasons suffer from ASD.Conclusion: This study concluded that 3% of the children coming to the hospital for any purpose were found to have ASD. There is a need to make Level 1 screening an essential part of regular check-ups of children in Paediatrics outpatient clinics. How to cite this: Farooq A, Ahmed S. Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children up to Age 2.5 years in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Life and Science. 2020; 1(1): 12-16.  doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/L&S.1.1.74

scholarly journals Endocannabinoid System Dysregulation from Acetaminophen Use May Lead to Autism Spectrum Disorder: Could Cannabinoid Treatment Be Efficacious?

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1845
Author(s):  
Stephen Schultz ◽  
Georgianna G. Gould ◽  
Nicola Antonucci ◽  
Anna Lisa Brigida ◽  
Dario Siniscalco
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptors ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Patterns Of Behavior ◽  
Arachidonoyl Glycerol

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.

scholarly journals In Silico Exploration of the Potential Role of Acetaminophen and Pesticides in the Etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Toxics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Tristan Furnary ◽  
Rolando Garcia-Milian ◽  
Zeyan Liew ◽  
Shannon Whirledge ◽  
Vasilis Vasiliou
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Pesticide Exposure ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Genetic Associations ◽  
Increased Risk

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.

575 Sleep Duration in American Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Role of Physical Activity

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A227-A227
Author(s):  
Stacey Elkhatib Smidt ◽  
Nalaka Gooneratne ◽  
Edward Brodkin ◽  
Maja Bucan ◽  
Jonathan Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Caregiver Education ◽  
The Past ◽  
Interaction Terms ◽  
American Children

Abstract Introduction Sleep dysfunction is prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can have major daytime behavioral consequences. Emerging evidence suggests that physical activity may be associated with improved sleep in children, including those with ASD. We aimed to determine if there was an association between physical activity and sleep duration in American youth and if the association was consistent in children with and without ASD. Methods We analyzed data from children ages 6–17 years whose caregivers completed the 2018 National Survey of Children’s Health (N=20,980). ASD was self-reported (N=687), and we determined if reported ASD was mild, moderate, or severe, and if reported ASD occurred with intellectual disability (ID). Participants self-reported their weekday sleep duration and days of physical activity in the past week. We classified children as sleep sufficient or insufficient based on age-specific recommendations. Logistic regression was used to determine if physical activity and ASD were associated with sleep sufficiency. Physical activity-by-ASD interaction terms were used to determine if any physical activity association was modified by ASD status. Covariates included: age, sex, race, Hispanic ethnicity, highest caregiver education level, and overweight status. Results Compared to children without ASD, children with ASD were 29% less likely to have sufficient sleep (OR=0.71; 95% CI: 0.52–0.99), but this association attenuated to the null after adjusting for physical activity (OR=0.77; 95% CI: 0.55–1.07). Compared to zero days, being physically active for 1–3, 4–6 or 7 days in the past week was associated with increased odds of sufficient sleep, even with adjustment for ASD status (e.g., 4–6 days: OR=1.85; 95% CI: 1.48–2.32). We did not observe a statistically significant interaction between physical activity and ASD status with respect to sleep sufficiency (P-interaction=0.571), which remained consistent when using ASD severity and ASD with ID exposure variables. Conclusion Physical activity was associated with increased odds of meeting age-specific sleep duration recommendations in children with and without ASD. Our observations support pursuing physical activity in future studies as a potential intervention target to improve sleep duration in children, including those with ASD. Support (if any) NIH T32HL07713 and University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics

scholarly journals “If He Has it, We Know What to Do”: Parent Perspectives on Familial Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine E MacDuffie ◽  
Lauren Turner-Brown ◽  
Annette M Estes ◽  
Benjamin S Wilfond ◽  
Stephen R Dager ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Familial Risk ◽  
Predictive Testing ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Brain And Behavior ◽  
Familial Disorders

Abstract Objective Predictive testing for familial disorders can guide healthcare and reproductive decisions. Familial disorders with onset in childhood (e.g., autism spectrum disorder [ASD]) are promising targets for presymptomatic prediction; however, little is known about parent perceptions of risk to their children in the presymptomatic period. The current study examined risk perceptions in parents of infants at high familial risk for ASD enrolled in a longitudinal study of brain and behavior development. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 37 parents of high-risk infants during the presymptomatic window (3–15 months) that precedes an ASD diagnosis. Infants were identified as high familial risk due to having an older sibling with ASD. Parent interview responses were coded and interpreted to distill emerging themes. Results The majority of parents were aware of the increased risk of ASD for their infants, and risk perceptions were influenced by comparisons to their older child with ASD. Parents reported a variety of negative emotions in response to perceived risk, including worry, fear, and sadness, and described impacts of perceived risk on their behavior: increased vigilance to emerging symptoms, altered reproductive and healthcare decisions, and seeking ongoing assessment through research. Conclusions Parents of children at high familial risk for childhood-onset disorders like ASD face a period of challenging uncertainty during early development. In anticipation of a future in which presymptomatic testing for ASD is made available, it is important to understand how parents react to and cope with the elevated—but still highly uncertain—risk conveyed by family history.

The link between autism spectrum disorder and gut microbiota: A scoping review

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1328-1344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Nitschke ◽  
Raywat Deonandan ◽  
Anne TM Konkle
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
The Past ◽  
Gastrointestinal Distress ◽  
Special Diets

Gut dysfunction and microbial dysbiosis comorbidities are of particular interest in recent autism research, as gastrointestinal distress is present in up to 90% of autism spectrum disorder cases and therefore may play a key role in the pathogenesis of this disorder. This scoping review aims to integrate the results of studies conducted in the past 6 years examining the association between gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorder, specifically with regard to the characterization of autism spectrum disorder microbiota and potential therapeutic interventions. Studies related to the gastrointestinal microbiome of subjects with autism spectrum disorder were identified through PubMed, SCOPUS, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar databases. Studies were screened and selected based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria; 19 studies were included. Research continues to report differences between microbiota of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and controls; however, the types and abundances of bacteria present remain inconsistent. Promising treatment interventions for autism spectrum disorder, including special diets, dietary supplementation, and of particular interest, microbiota transfer therapy, are also being explored. Research regarding the link between gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorder renders exciting results; however, it is still in its infancy of investigation. Rigorous methodologies are required to support and strengthen the reliability of existing results, and to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder. Lay abstract Gastrointestinal distress and gut microbial imbalances are commonly found in children with autism spectrum disorder, and therefore may play a key role in the development of the disorder. This scoping review aimed to examine the extent, range and nature of research conducted in the past 6 years that focused on furthering our understanding of autism spectrum disorder and its association with gut microbiota. A literature review was performed with predetermined key words. Studies were screened and selected based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 19 studies were included for final analysis. While there are continuous reports of differences in gut microbiota between autism spectrum disorder and neurotypical individuals, knowledge about the consistency in the presence and abundance of bacterial species, as well as metabolites, remains deficient. Treatments such as special diets, vitamin, prebiotic, probiotic, and microbiota transfer therapy show promising therapeutic potential, yet are in their infancy of investigation. Overall, further research with rigorous methodologies is required to support and strengthen the reliability of existing findings. Future research should aim to increase sample sizes, eliminate biases, and subgroup autism spectrum disorder groups to help accommodate for inter-individual variation. As increasing evidence of a unique autism spectrum disorder microbiome and metabolome is acquired, autism spectrum disorder-specific biomarkers can be identified. These biomarkers have great implications in terms of elucidating the molecular mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder, preventing the onset of autism spectrum disorder, and improving treatments for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Obesity, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder compared with typically developing peers

Autism ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M McCoy ◽  
Kristen Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Adolescents With Autism ◽  
Unhealthy Weight

Decreased engagement in beneficial physical activity and increased levels of sedentary behavior and unhealthy weight are a continued public health concern in adolescents. Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder may be at an increased risk compared with their typically developing peers. Weekly physical activity, sedentary behavior, and body mass index classification were compared among adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder. Analyses included 33,865 adolescents (autism spectrum disorder, n = 1036) from the 2016–2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (United States). After adjustment for covariates, adolescents with autism spectrum disorder were found to engage in less physical activity and were more likely to be overweight and obese compared with their typically developing peers ( p’s < 0.05). As parent-reported autism spectrum disorder severity increased, the adjusted odds of being overweight and obese significantly increased and physical activity participation decreased ( p-for-trends < 0.001). The findings suggest there is a need for targeted programs to decrease unhealthy weight status and support physical activity opportunities for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder across the severity spectrum.

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