Autism Spectrum Disorders:

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Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Caring for the Silent Generation

Research Methods Robert E. Smith March, 2006
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Agenda

• Enlightenment regarding autism spectrum disorders
• Presentation of primary research
• Inform, irk, incite, enrage

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Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Autism
• Aspergers
• Retts Syndrome
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder(CDD)
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder- Not Otherwise
  Specified (PDD-NOS)

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Common Traits

• Lack of communication development
• Lack of socialization
• Repeated, non-purposeful movements

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Etiology- ???

• Genetic
• Vaccine
• Thimersol
• Gluten/casein
• Heavy metals

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Treatments

• PT, OT, Speech
• Diet
• Chelation
• Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
• Medications

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Prevalence

• Studies vary 1/500 to 1/1000 children
• Unknown if the actual of cases is rising, or if
  the apparent increase is due to changes in
  diagnostic criteria.

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Percentage of Children by Birth Month
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Number of Respondents by Birth Year
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Funding for Services
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Breakdown of Respondents by Diagnosis
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Percentages of Respondents by Birth Order
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Breakdown of Responses to Survey Questions

• 76 Male 24 Female
• 26 of mothers had a history of miscarriages.
• 10 of mothers had gestational diabetes, and 2
  reported insulin treatment.
• 93 reported use of prenatal vitamins.
• 5 of mothers were prescribed Compazine during
  pregnancy.
• 40 reported using one or more medications
  (except compazine). See next slide.

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Although there is some disagreement as to the
exact numbers, the rate of children diagnosed
with autism spectrum disorders is rising. The
etiology of these disorders is unknown, but
research is being conducted into different
theories. There is no uniform, universally
applied system for screening, diagnosing, and
providing services for these children. This
situation will get worse before it gets better.
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Thank you for listening to my daddy.