Research Suggests Link Between Ageing And Severity Of Autism Traits
Psychology
Goldsmiths, University of London researchers working with adults recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have found high rates of depression, low employment, and an apparent worsening of some ASD traits as people age.
The number of UK adults over 65 with ASD is expected to reach 155,000 by 2035, but little is known about the trajectory of wellbeing or cognitive and social abilities of people as they get older.
Goldsmiths psychologists believe that while anecdotal reports indicate an improvement in ASD symptoms with age, a lifetime developing coping strategies does not reduce traits, but may reduce the effects of them. As a result, the speed or likelihood of a formal ASD diagnosis could be reduced as symptoms are hidden.
Dr Rebecca Charlton and colleagues worked with 100 adults recently diagnosed with ASD by a specialist centre, to explore and identify patterns in characteristics. Participants were over 18 and had an IQ in the normal range, with no learning disabilities.
In the hope that new insights into characteristics could help healthcare officials with the diagnostic process, researchers also compared the group with 46 individuals referred to the centre but then not then given an ASD diagnosis.
Their study found:
- An association between age and the tendency to analyse and extract rules . Systemising scores from self-testing increased by 10.4 points per decade in the ASD group. This did not happen in the group not given an ASD diagnosis.
Associated Medical & Mental Health Conditions
- Autism can affect the whole body.
- Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder affects an estimated 30 to 61 percent of children with autism.
- More than half of children with autism have one or more chronic sleep problems.
- Anxiety disorders affect an estimated 11 to 40 percent of children and teens on the autism spectrum.
- Depression affects an estimated 7% of children and 26% of adults with autism.
- Children with autism are nearly eight times more likely to suffer from one or more chronic gastrointestinal disorders than are other children.
- As many as one-third of people with autism have epilepsy .
- Studies suggest that schizophrenia affects between 4 and 35 percent of adults with autism. By contrast, schizophrenia affects an estimated 1.1 percent of the general population.
- Autism-associated health problems extend across the life span from young children to senior citizens. Nearly a third of 2 to 5 year olds with autism are overweight and 16 percent are obese. By contrast, less than a quarter of 2 to 5 year olds in the general population are overweight and only 10 percent are medically obese.
- Risperidone and aripiprazole, the only FDA-approved medications for autism-associated agitation and irritability.
What Are The Signs Of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Signs of ASD range from mild to severely disabling, and every person is different. The following signs are considered to be red flags that indicate your young child may be at risk for autism. If your child shows any of the following signs, please get in touch with your childs healthcare provider to discuss a referral for an autism evaluation.
The signs include the following:
- Your child doesnt respond to their name being called at all or responds inconsistently.
- Your child doesnt smile widely or make warm, joyful expressions by the age of 6 months.
- Your child doesnt engage in smiling, making sounds and making faces with you or other people by the age of 9 months.
- Your child doesnt babble by 12 months.
- No back-and-forth gestures such as showing, pointing, reaching or waving by 12 months.
- No words by 16 months.
- No meaningful, two-word phrases by 24 months.
- Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age.
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Can Autism Spectrum Disorders Get Worse
Applied Behavior Analysis AustismAutism TreatmentLeafwing Center
Autism spectrum disorder is a complex, lifelong, developmental disability that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a persons social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a spectrum condition that affects people differently and to varying degrees. While there is currently no known single cause of autism, early diagnosis helps a person receive the support and services that they need, which can lead to a quality life filled with opportunity.In the U.S., about 1 in 54 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder , with four times as many boys with ASD as girls. It is in early childhood where autism is most typically diagnosed. It is also the best time for an intervention with autism therapy services including applied behavior analysis therapy.
Studies have indicated that left untreated, the symptoms associated with autism may worsen over time. LeafWing Center can help by providing treatment to your child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder through its ABA therapy program.
Autism Signs: Ages Three To Five
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Although most children who are diagnosed with autism are diagnosed by age 3, there are milder cases that are not diagnosed until preschool or later. Earlier diagnosis is best, but if you find that your preschooler is displaying characteristics of autism: get them screened. Again, the sooner the diagnosis is made, the sooner that intervention can begin and the better the outcome for the child diagnosed with autism.
Certain autism signs are generally the same throughout development. Socially these include:
In communication development the autism signs include:
Behaviorally look for:
A great book for concerned parents:
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Early Signs Of Autism In Boys
Autism is seen more prevalently in boys than in girls. Therefore, the core symptoms mostly coincide with the symptoms we have mentioned to be seen in children with autism in all ages.
Here are some of the early symptoms in autistic boys:
- Doesnt make eye contact
- Has repetitive behaviors
- Doesnt like physical contact
Risk Of Depression And Anxiety
Much flexibility is required to adequately cope with change, and since patients with ASDs typically have an inexible disposition, great difculty dealing with change emerges. The changes one experiences in the course of life can provoke major behavioral disturbances and psychiatric disorders, such as depression or anxiety comorbid psychiatric disorders may mask the not-yet-identified ASD pathology.9
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Early Signs Of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Studies have shown that autism can be diagnosed as early as 14 months. It typically appears in the early ages of an individual.
This means that the infants first year is crucial in terms of the diagnosis of the disorder.
Many children with autism spectrum disorder show developmental differences. This can especially be seen in their social and language skills. There are certain developmental milestones babies hit while they are growing up.
Parents and caregivers should observe their childrens behaviors so as to be able to catch the disorder early on.
The 10 early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children can be as follows:
- Little to no eye contact during infancy,
- No babbling,
- Not expressing emotions,
- Not seeming attached to parents.
Subtle differences caused by autism may appear before the childs first birthday. These differences will be visible in childrens interaction with their surroundings.
When 2-months old, babies generally begin to smile at people, coo, and are able to pay attention to faces. This may not be the case for children with autism spectrum disorder. By 6 months, if a baby
- doesnt smile,
- doesnt smile as big,
- is not showing any other warm, joyful, and engaging expressions
It may be a sign of autism spectrum disorder.
By 9 months, children with ASD:
- make limited or no eye contact with anyone
- dont share sounds,
- dont smile back-and-forth with parents.
Before their first birthday, babies on the autism spectrum,
How Does Autism Get Worse With Age
How does autism get worse with age? That is one of the most difficult questions for parents to deal with. The answer is probably “not much”. There are always exceptions and this is what makes dealing with an autistic child so much different than dealing with another child with normal abilities.
Autism is a spectrum disorder meaning that there is a wide range of behaviors that can be displayed. Those behaviors can go from extremely severe to something so mild that it is hardly noticeable. For some people, being able to handle social situations can be a challenge. For others, it may come down to fine tuning behaviors to be more acceptable to others. One thing is for sure, though. No matter what level of autism a person has, they will require some type of help to be able to function within society.
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How Is Autism Treated
There is no cure for ASD. Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can substantially improve those symptoms. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that meet the specific needs of the individual. Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.
Educational/behavioral interventions: Early behavioral/educational interventions have been very successful in many children with ASD. In these interventions therapists use highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills, such as applied behavioral analysis, which encourages positive behaviors and discourages negative ones. In addition, family counseling for the parents and siblings of children with ASD often helps families cope with the particular challenges of living with a child with ASD.
How Is Asd Diagnosed
ASD symptoms can vary greatly from person to person depending on the severity of the disorder. Symptoms may even go unrecognized for young children who have mild ASD or less debilitating handicaps.
Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed by clinicians based on symptoms, signs, and testing according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V, a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association used to diagnose mental disorders. Children should be screened for developmental delays during periodic checkups and specifically for autism at 18- and 24-month well-child visits.
Very early indicators that require evaluation by an expert include:
- no babbling or pointing by age 1
- no single words by age 16 months or two-word phrases by age 2
- no response to name
- excessive lining up of toys or objects
- no smiling or social responsiveness
Later indicators include:
- impaired ability to make friends with peers
- impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
- absence or impairment of imaginative and social play
- repetitive or unusual use of language
- abnormally intense or focused interest
- preoccupation with certain objects or subjects
- inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals
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Topic : Late Life Autistic Traits And Diagnosis Of Asd
2.1.1. Key questions
Anecdotes from autistic self-advocates and practitioners confirmed that receiving a diagnosis of ASD in later life was a life changing event. Clinicians face multiple challenges in identifying the clinical features of autism in older adults, especially in the ways these may differ from the symptoms shown by a younger autistic individual and across a range of abilities. This can result in undiagnosed older adults failing to be identified by social or healthcare services . The key question that emerged from this discussion topic was: ‘What does ASD look like in older individuals?‘ This led to a secondary question: ‘What questions should be asked to obtain appropriate background information about medical and developmental histories in older autistic adults in order to reach a reliable diagnosis?‘.
2.1.2. Challenges to addressing key question and potential solutions
How Pediatricians Screen For Autism
Children are screened by pediatricians after they are born. Your childs pediatric primary health care provider will start screening your kid for any developmental or communication challenges.
This will happen at your childs first well-baby appointment.
Pediatricians observe the behavior of your child. They inspect the babys giggles, eye movements. They point or wave and call your babys name to assess their reactions.
In addition, they get family history, examine the health of the child as well as the input from the childs parents or caregivers.
With that, pediatric primary health care providers identify whether the child is at risk for autism spectrum disorder.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for ASD at their 18 and 24 month well baby visits.
This is done in addition to the regular developmental observance and screening. This may identify children with significant developmental delays early.
Multiple tools can be used by the health care provider for ASD screening like Ages and Stages Questionnaires SE-2 , Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening Test-II , Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales , and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised with follow-up .
However, screening does not equal to diagnosis.
If pediatricians notice a delay or suspect ASD, they will refer your kid to a specialist in order to provide a certain diagnosis and plan on a treatment plan.
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Foods That Can Make Autism Worse
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder , is diagnosed in 1 in 54 children, according to the CDC. The condition is associated with an array of challenges, including abnormal social skills, developmental delays, communication problems, and behavioral issues.
According to research, over 70% of children with autism have at least one co-existing physical or mental health condition, and 40% have two or more of them. Among children with autism:
- 30-61% have ADHD
- Over 50% have chronic sleep problems
- 32% are overweight
- 16% are obese
In addition, kids with autism are 8 times more likely to have gastrointestinal issues compared to those who dont have the condition. And among adults with ASD, 26% have depression and 4-35% have schizophrenia .
All of these challenges and symptoms can range from mild to severe. And food can have an impact on severity.
Autism In The Teen Years: What To Expect How To Help
What parent doesn’t watch their “tween” become a teen without a twinge of anxiety? Factor autism into the equation, and parents may well wonder how the physical and hormonal changes of adolescence will affect their child on the spectrum.
How will typical teenage rebellion look in someone who struggles with behavioral control? What will it be like traversing the social minefield of high school for someone with a social disability?
Many a teen boy has had to be convinced of the need for daily showers and shaving. How do you convince someone who has sensory problems to stand under water or drag a sharp razor across his face?
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Growing Numbers Of Teens With Asd
Chantal Sicile-Kira says nobody told her what to expect when her son with autism, now 24, became a teenager. Jeremy Sicile-Kira was born when autism was considered to be relatively rare just before the tide of diagnoses began rising in the 1990s. “Nobody ever told us anything about adolescence and autism,” she said.
Today, many more parents have children with autism entering or already in their teens.1 Ms. Sicile-Kira tries to educate them through her books, speeches and seminars on autism spectrum disorders .
One common complaint she hears from parents: their teens’ autism is getting worse. But that may be a misunderstanding, she said.
“The teens are not getting more noncompliant because their autism is getting worse. It’s because they’re teenagers,” said Ms. Sicile-Kira, author of Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum. Like all teens, they may want more independence. Parents can help: “If your child needs schedules, for example, give him more control over his schedule. That gives him a way to be ‘noncompliant'” to have his own way sometimes.
Research into autism in the teen years and beyond is still in its infancy: “very little is known about the course of ASD through adolescence and into young adulthood,” one study said.1
Autism is a broad spectrum, and adolescence will affect each child differently. If recent studies are an indication, parents generally can expect some of the following along their child’s road to adulthood:
Let Those In Your Family With Autism Know They Are Loved
If you have a family member who is on the spectrum, it is therefore critical that you let them know by all that you do and say how much you love and value them. Individuals with autism are worthy of love and acceptance every bit as much as anyone else, but they might not always feel the easy sense of human connection that is present for many of us with no great effort on our parts.
Try to be a guiding force in the life of your family member or friend who has autism. You dont want to give them the sense that you are running their life for them. They should be allowed to be independent, but at the same time, you should be there for them as much as they need.
It is helpful if you know that they have a network of close, reliable friends. If they play in organized sports leagues, belong to clubs, or they are in a relationship, it is probably going to do them a lot of good. If they have a job or a career that they feel is rewarding, that can help as well. It is when people with autism feel disconnected from society that they might resort to suicidal thoughts or ideations.
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