ADHD, ADD, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Dypraxia, Sensory Integration      

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Autism

Wing [1988] has argued that rather than thinking rigidly in terms of a discrete syndrome of autism, we should be aware that there is a continuum of autistic disorders. Wing regards social impairment as the core symptom of such a disorder. Children with this social impairment are characterised by a triad of deficits in social recognition, social communication and social understanding.

However, clinical accounts suggest that conditions resembling autism do not differ just in terms of severity but also in pattern of symptoms.

Asperger Syndrome is one of five pervasive developmental disorders. Clumsy children with circumscribed interests, whose early language development is not delayed and who may have a verbal IQ well above performance. Children with Asperger Syndrome share characteristics with autistic children, but also have a number of unique features – social interaction impairment, speech and communication characteristics, cognitive and academic characteristics, sensory characteristics and physical and motor skill anomalies

Semantic Pragmatic Disorder - children who first present with delayed language development and evident comprehension problems and have a marked IQ discrepancy in favour of Performance IQ.

According to DSM – 1V, pervasive developmental disorders refers to persons who “are characterised by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development, reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills or the presence of stereotyped behaviour, interests and activities”                                                                                                                                                                                                       Autism :Diagnostic Criteria

1. A qualitative impairment in reciprocal & social interaction
2. A qualitative impairment in communication
3. A markedly restricted repertoire of activities, interests and imaginative development
4. Onset during infancy of childhood                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Diagnostic Criteria for Asperger Syndrome:-

A.     Qualitative social interaction impairment as shown by at least two of the following:-

1. Significant impairment in non-verbal behaviour use, including social interaction gestures, facial expression, eye to eye contact and body postures.
2. Inability to form developmentally appropriate relationships with peers.
3. Failure to spontaneously seek out others for interactions including sharing interests, enjoyment or achievement.
4. Difficulty with social or emotional reciprocity.

B.     Repetitive and restricted stereotyped patterns of behaviour, activities and interests, shown by at                least one of the following:-

1. Significant preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted interest patterns whose focus or intensity makes it abnormal.
2. Significant display of nonfunctional routines or inflexible adherence to rituals.
3. Repetitive and stereotyped motor movements such as complex whole body movements, or hand or finger flapping or twisting.
4. Significant and persistent preoccupation with parts of objects.

C.     Clinically significant social, occupational or other impairment in functioning.

D.    Absence of a clinically significant general language delay.

E.     Absence of a clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in development of age-appropriate         adaptive behaviour (other than social interaction), self help skills, and childhood curiosity about the             environment.

F.     Failure to meet diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia or another pervasive developmental disorder.

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