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Critism of psychology Fourm |
Childhood Disorders • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms of ADHD are divided into categories: Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity. A diagnosis of ADHD is based on the number, persistence, and history of ADHD behaviors, and the degree to which they impede a child's performance in more than one setting (school, home and/or social activities). A child may be exhibiting symptoms of Inattention if he or she often:* Ignores details; makes careless mistakes.* Has trouble sustaining attention in work or play.* Does not seem to listen when directly addressed.* Does not follow through on instructions; fails to finish.* Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities.* Avoids activities that require a sustained mental effort.* Loses things he or she needs.* Is forgetful in daily activities.* Is easily distracted. Hyperactivity : A child may be exhibiting symptoms of Hyperactivity if he or she often:* Fidgets or squirms.* Leaves seat when remaining seated is expected.* Runs or climbs when he or she shouldn't.* Has difficulty with quiet leisure activities.* Is on the go, as if driven by a motor.* Talks excessively. Impulsivity : A child may be exhibiting symptoms of Impulsivity if he or she often:* Blurts out answers before questions have been completed.* Has difficulty waiting his or her turn.* Interrupts or intrudes on others.Because all children behave in these ways at times, only a professional can diagnose a child with ADHD.
Asperger's Disorder is a milder variant of Autistic Disorder. Both Asperger's Disorder and Autistic Disorder are in fact subgroups of a larger diagnostic category. This larger category is called either Autistic Spectrum Disorders, mostly in European countries, or Pervasive Developmental Disorders ("PDD"), in the United States. In Asperger's Disorder, affected individuals are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. Though grammatical, their speech is peculiar due to abnormalities of inflection and a repetitive pattern. Clumsiness is prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior. They usually have a circumscribed area of interest which usually leaves no space for more age appropriate, common interests. Some examples are cars, trains, French Literature, door knobs, hinges, cappucino, meteorology, astronomy or history. The name "Asperger" comes from Hans Asperger, an Austrian physician who first described the syndrome in 1944. http://www.aspergers.com/index.htm
What
is autistic disorder? One
or two people per 1,000 in the US have been diagnosed with some
form of autism. Autism can prevent a child from forming relationships
with others (in part, due to an inability to interpret facial
expressions or emotions). A child with autism may resist cuddling,
play alone, be resistant to change, and/or have delayed speech
development. Persons with autism tend to exhibit repeated body
movements (such as flapping hands or rocking) and have unusual
attachments to objects. However, many persons with autism excel
consistently on certain mental tasks (i.e., counting, measuring,
art, music, memory). What causes autism? The
cause of autism is not known. Research suggests that autism is
a genetic condition. It is believed that several genes are involved
in the development of autism. Research studies in autism have
found a variety of abnormalities in the brain structure and chemicals
in the brain, however, there have been no consistent findings.
One theory is the possibility that autistic disorder is a behavioral
syndrome that includes several distinct conditions. However, parenting
behaviors are not the cause or a contributing factor to the cause
or causes of autism. Who is affected by autism? Approximately
15 out of every 10,000 children born are diagnosed with autism.
Autism is more prevalent in boys than girls, with four times as
many boys affected than girls. * does not socially interact well with others, including parents o shows a lack of interest in, or rejection of physical contact. Parents describe autistic infants as "unaffectionate." Autistic infants and children are not comforted by physical contact. o avoids making eye contact with others, including parents o fails to develop friends or interact with other children * does not communicate well with others o is delayed or does not develop language o once language is developed, does not use language to communicate with others o has echolalia (repeats words or phrases repeatedly, like an echo) * demonstrates repetitive behaviors o has repetitive motor movements (such as rocking and hand or finger flapping) * is preoccupied, usually with lights, moving objects, or parts of objects * does not like noise * has rituals * requires routines The
symptoms of autism may resemble other conditions or medical problems.
Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis. How is autism diagnosed? For the first time, standard guidelines have been developed to help identify autism in children before the age of 24 months. In the past, diagnosis of autism was often not made until late preschool-age or later. The new guidelines can help identify children with autism early, which means earlier, more effective treatment for the disorder. The standardized guidelines were developed with assistance from 11 different organizations and were published in Neurology, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology. According to the guidelines, all children before the age of 24 months should routinely be screened for autism and other developmental delays at their well-child check-ups. Children that show developmental delays and other behavior disorders should be further tested for autism. According to the guidelines, less than 30 percent of children undergo age-appropriate screening at their well-child check-ups. By
screening children early for autism, those diagnosed with the
disorder can be treated immediately and aggressively. What are the guidelines? The standardized guidelines developed for the diagnosis of autism actually involve two levels of screening for autism. Level one screening, which should be performed for all children coming to a physician for well-child check-ups during their first two years of life, should check for the following developmental deficits: * no babbling, pointing, or gesturing by age 12 months * no single words spoken by age 18 months * no two-word spontaneous (non-echolalic, or not merely repeating the sounds of others) expressions by age 24 months * loss of any language or social skills at any age The second level of screening should be performed if a child is identified in the first level of screening as developmentally delayed. The second level of screening is a more in-depth diagnosis and evaluation that can differentiate autism from other developmental disorders. The second level of screening may include more formal diagnostic procedures by clinicians skilled in diagnosing autism, including medical history, neurological evaluation, genetic testing, metabolic testing, electrophysiologic testing (i.e., CT scan, MRI, PET scan), psychological testing, among others. Genetic testing involves an evaluation by a medical geneticist (a physician who has specialized training and certification in clinical genetics), particularly as there are several genetic syndromes which may cause autism, including Fragile-X, untreated phenylketonuria (PKU), neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, Rett syndrome, as well as a variety of chromosome abnormalities. A geneticist can determine whether the autism is caused due to a genetic disorder, or has no known genetic cause. If a genetic disorder is diagnosed, there may be other health problems involved. The chance for autism to occur in a future pregnancy would depend on the syndrome found. For example, PKU is an autosomal recessive disorder with a reoccurrence risk of one in four, or 25 percent, chance, while tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disorder, with a reoccurrence risk of 50 percent. In cases where no genetic cause for the autism is identified, there is still a slightly increased chance for a couple to have another child with autism, with ranges averaging from 3 to 7 percent. The reason for this increase over the general population is thought to be because autism may result from several genes inherited from both parents acting in combination, in addition to unknown environmental factors. There is no action/inaction known that parents could have done, or did not do, to cause autism to occur in a child. Always
consult your child's physician for a diagnosis and for more information. Treatment
for autism: Special education programs that are highly structured focus on developing social skills, speech, language, self-care, and job skills. Medication is also helpful in treating some symptoms of autism in some children. Mental health professionals provide parent counseling, social skills training, and individual therapy. They also help families identify and participate in treatment programs based on an individual child's treatment needs. Specific treatment will be determined by your child's physician based on:
* your child's age, overall health, and medical history Prevention
of autism:
"Conduct disorder" refers to a group of behavioral and emotional problems in youngsters. Children and adolescents with this disorder have great difficulty following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way. They are often viewed by other children, adults and social agencies as "bad" or delinquent, rather than mentally ill. Many factors may contribute to a child developing conduct disorder, including brain damage, child abuse, genetic vulnerability, school failure, and traumatic life experiences. Children or adolescents with conduct disorder may exhibit some of the following behaviors: Aggression to people and animals
* bullies, threatens or intimidates others Destruction of Property
* deliberately engaged in fire setting with the intention to cause
damage Deceitfulness, lying, or stealing *
has broken into someone else's building, house, or car • Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children are oppositional from time to time, particularly when tired, hungry, stressed or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is often a normal part of development for two to three year olds and early adolescents. However, openly uncooperative and hostile behavior becomes a serious concern when it is so frequent and consistent that it stands out when compared with other children of the same age and developmental level and when it affects the child's social, family, and academic life. In children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), there is an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that seriously interferes with the youngster's day to day functioning. Symptoms of ODD may include:
* frequent temper tantrums The symptoms are usually seen in multiple settings, but may be more noticeable at home or at school. Five to fifteen percent of all school-age children have ODD. The causes of ODD are unknown, but many parents report that their child with ODD was more rigid and demanding than the child's siblings from an early age. Biological and environmental factors may have a role.
Separation anxiety is a normal developmental stage experienced by a child when separated from the primary caregiver. It typically manifests itself as crying and distress when a child is away from a parent or from home. As time goes by and a child learns to feel safe in a new environment and secure that a parent or caregiver will return after an absence, anxiety over separation should fade. The typical sequence of child development and parent/child attachment is as follows:
* 0-18 months – child can usually be calmed by a loving
person, regardless of relationship, except for a normal period
of "stranger anxiety" from about 7-14 months (see note
about attachment theory). When feeling anxious about separation, young children exhibit many different behaviors, including:
* Crying or whining It is typical for children of preschool and kindergarten age to show signs of distress when separating from the primary caregiver, but they usually calm down once they are engaged in play or an activity with another person or child. Most children grow out of these anxious feelings as they become more secure in the relationship and learn to trust in the person’s return and consistent presence. Separation anxiety disorder is separation anxiety that does not go away with age (is not age-appropriate). After about 5 years of age, a child should feel relatively comfortable separating from parents or caregivers. Normal temporary distress during sleepovers or extended stays with a babysitter is normal, but if the anxiety persists and the child is inconsolable, the problem may represent more significant developmental or attachment problems. About 4% of children are extremely anxious about leaving their parents. Symptoms may develop at any time during childhood, but often arise following an event that, for the child, is traumatic:
* a scare (such as an earthquake or news of a child abduction) The
child often fears for the safety of the parent, cries, withdraws
from activities, and seems inconsolable. Although these symptoms
may abate on their own, professional assistance is needed sometimes
to prevent Separation Anxiety Disorder from evolving into agoraphobia
or other anxiety disorders in adulthood. What are symptoms of separation anxiety disorder? Separation anxiety manifests itself in a variety of physical and behavioral ways, including:
* Physical anxiety symptoms (such as headaches, stomachaches,
diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting), particularly when they persistently
occur in anticipation of separation from parents http://www.helpguide.org/mental/
Tourette Syndrome was considered rare and exotic at one time (however
now,) Tourette's syndrome is a relatively common childhood-onset
disorder defined by persistent motor and vocal tics and frequently
associated with obsessions, compulsions, and attentional difficulties." TourSymptoms are the subjective evidence of disease or physical disturbance observed by the patient that indicates the presence of a disorder. The general symptoms of Tourette Syndrome can be divided into motor, vocal, and behavioral manifestations. Though the behavioral manifestations are not essentially listed in the DSM as diagnostic criteria, there are those that believe behaviors like ADHD and OCD are common enough to be considered a co-morbid condition to Tourette Syndrome. The DSM does make note of this. ette Syndrome is also referred to as Tourette’s Disorder, Tourette’s, TS and sometimes Tourette Spectrum Disorder.Tourette Syndrome is best defined in the archives and pages of neurological conditions, syndromes, and disorders. Initially Tourette Syndrome was seen as extremely rare and an individual was viewed as having violent muscle contortions (motor tics) and vocal disruptions (vocal tics) combined with outburst of swearing and obscenities. (Tourette history) However Dr. David E. Comings writes in Tourette Syndrome and Human Behaviour, "...Tourette Syndrome is one of the most common genetic conditions affecting humanity and many more carry the trait."
http://www.tourettes-disorder.com/ |
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