...Final Paper: Autism in Children: Conceptualizing the Complexities Genesis Cuesta The Chicago School of Professional Psychology December 13, 2012 Autism is a disorder that is becoming more and more common in our everyday society, despite a lack of everyday knowledge on this multifaceted disorder. Children are diagnosed with a range of autism disorders, fearing the consequences that come with it. In a short amount of time, the fields of medicine and psychology have advanced tremendously in their knowledge of this disorder and how it affects the development of children. In this paper, we will explore aspects of autism, from the different causes offered by researchers, common symptoms, and the latest treatments to combat this complex disorder. Overview Autism is not one disorder, but rather a group of developmental brain disorders, collectively referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) (2011) the term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment, or disability that children with ASD can have. As indicated by Johnson and Myers, Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University first described autism in a small group of children in 1943 (as cited in Kanner, 1943). Kanner documented that they showed extreme aloofness and total indifference to other people. In 1944, Hans Asperger, an Austrian pediatrician published an...
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...Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens * Does your child go through intense mood changes? * What is bipolar disorder? * Who develops bipolar disorder? * How is bipolar disorder different in children and teens than it is in adults? * What causes bipolar disorder? * What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder? * Do children and teens with bipolar disorder have other problems? * How is bipolar disorder diagnosed? * How is bipolar disorder treated? * Medication * Therapy * What can children and teens expect from treatment? * How can I help my child or teen? * How does bipolar disorder affect parents and family? * Where do I go for help? * I know a child or teen who is in crisis. What do I do? * Contact us to find out more about bipolar disorder Does your child go through intense mood changes? Does your child have extreme behavior changes too? Does your child get too excited or silly sometimes? Do you notice he or she is very sad at other times? Do these changes affect how your child acts at school or at home? Some children and teens with these symptoms may have bipolar disorder, a serious mental illness. Read this brochure to find out more. What is bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is a serious brain illness. It is also called manic-depressive illness. Children with bipolar disorder go through unusual mood changes. Sometimes they feel very happy or "up," and are much more active than usual...
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...Conduct disorder Email this page to a friendShare on facebookShare on twitterBookmark & SharePrinter-friendly version Conduct disorder is a disorder of childhood and adolescence that involves long-term (chronic) behavior problems, such as: * Defiant or impulsive behavior * Drug use * Criminal activity Causes Conduct disorder has been associated with: * Child abuse * Drug addiction or alcoholism in the parents * Family conflicts * Genetic defects * Poverty The diagnosis is more common among boys. It is hard to know how common the disorder is, because many of the qualities needed to make the diagnosis (such as "defiance" and "rule breaking") can be hard to define. For an accurate diagnosis, the behavior must be far more extreme than simple adolescent rebellion or boyish enthusiasm. Conduct disorder is often associated with attention-deficit disorder. Both conditions carry a risk for alcohol or other drug addiction. Conduct disorder also can be an early sign of depression or bipolar disorder. Symptoms Children with conduct disorder tend to be impulsive, hard to control, and not concerned about the feelings of other people. Symptoms may include: * Breaking rules without obvious reason * Cruel or aggressive behavior toward people or animals (for example: bullying, fighting, using dangerous weapons, forcing sexual activity, and stealing) * Failure to attend school (truancy -- beginning before age 13) * Heavy drinking and/or...
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...Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a chronic brain disorder marked by bouts of extreme and impairing changes in mood, energy, overwhelming thoughts, and behavior. What is it going to take to get people to comprehend what it really means to be bipolar? Well that’s a question we should all think about; whether it pertains to your child or someone else’s. Observing and documenting the child’s behavior and mood changes is the first step. There are several symptoms that are most consistent some include, high energy with little need for sleep; increased hyper, or "bouncing off the walls"; increased talkativeness with fast speech; racing thoughts , poor judgment etc. Treatment is available for these children we just need to pull to together and let one another know they have support. The Impact of children with Bipolar Disorder Bipolarism in children can influence them in a negative manner. It can cause a child to become extremely dangerous if not treated or treated correctly. “Viewing moods in bipolar varies on their severity” (D. Papolos M.D. & J. Papolos 2002). The youth that doesn’t get diagnosed or treated properly has a higher chance of developing poor social skills. Most people view bipolar disorder as just a general simplistic illness, when in all actuality it is far from it. Most children that suffer from bipolarsim typically do not fully understand the reason they are feeling the symptoms. Learning the early stages of bipolar disorder in children...
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...Surname 1 Name Course Professor Date Autism Spectrum Disorder All around the world, there are several children and even grow ups that have or suffer from autism. Unfortunately, it is a condition that is not easily detectable especially in children. Most people either do not understand the condition that manifests itself in children or take it for something else all together. For the families that are fortunate enough to identify the condition in children, they at most times have no idea at all on how to handle the child. Most people have misunderstood autism and taken it as insanity in children. It is therefore, necessary to demystify the misinterpretations in most people and make them aware of the condition, and how to handle it when a child is found to be autistic. Autism is a spectrum of closely related conditions or disorders which all have symptoms of a shared core. Every child said to be on the autism spectrum disorder has to some degree problems with communication, social skills, flexible behavior and empathy. However, the degree of disability and symptoms combinations varies enormously from one child to another. Surprisingly, children with the same diagnosis may be very different when it comes to abilities and behaviors. It is vital to note some few facts about autism. Autism is not contagious and is not acquired through environmental contact. It is a neurological disability presumed to be present from birth and apparent before the age of three in a child. Even though...
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...Obsessive - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents A Review of Literature Galaunda J. Pee Professor Shirley McClerklin - Motley “Using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV TR)” Coker College, Hartsville South Carolina Abstract Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or OCD, is a medical disorder that causes repetitive, unpleasant thoughts (obsessions) or behaviors (compulsions) that are difficult to control (Stewart et al.2007). Unlike ordinary worries or habits, these obsessions and compulsions may consume significant amounts of time, more than an hour per day, may interfere with a person’s daily schedule. OCD may cause significant distress, and affects approximately one percent of children and adolescents. It was once considered a rare condition, but is now viewed as not only one of the more prevalent psychiatric disorders, but also one the most disabling medical disorders. Obsessive-compulsive disorder has a significant impact on humans and social functioning, quality of life, family, Relationships socio-economic status. Think of OCD as an “overactive alarm system.” Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), is a debilitation neuropsychiatry disorder with a lifetime prevalence of two to three percent and is estimated to be the tenth leading cause of disability in the world (Abramowitz, J.S. (2006)...
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...antipsychotic drugs used to treat school-aged children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The distribution of these ADHD medications have steadily increased over the years, which has, on one hand, presented a possible solution to the escalating diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and on the latter, brought into question the ethics and effectiveness of these medications. Health officials, parents, and the children themselves struggle to come to an agreement when deciding whether or not medication is the best solution. The Debate Over Medicating Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder In the spring of 2004, Jacqueline A. Sparks, an associate professor of family therapy at the University of Rhode Island, and Barry L. Duncan, a cofounder of the Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change, investigated the ethics and effectiveness behind the distribution of ADHD medications as a modern treatment method for children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Even though, “appropriate identification and treatment of symptoms for psychiatric illnesses (such as ADHD) during childhood and adolescence is critical” (ScienceDaily). Sparks and Duncan note that, “ADHD is arguably the most controversial topic in recent mental health history. The ADHD diagnosis is not defined by a biological marker (Leo & Cohen, 33), but is rather subjective and not easily distinguished from the everyday behavior of children. Thus, the diagnosis lacks reliability...
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...Mental Illness Paper Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder By: Michelle Sorg I have chosen this topic because I have a nephew with this disorder and I have a hard time understanding how it is treated and diagnosed. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ADHD) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders in childhood and can remain until adult hood (para.1). Children with this disorder have problem concentrating and they act out in class. But do not all children do this. So how can (ADHD) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder be treated and diagnosed. The National Library of Medicine stated that “It affects about three- five percent of school aged children and mostly boys” (para.2). I reviewed two different sources of this disorder and the side effects such as: paying close attention to details and making mistakes in school work. Every child I know makes mistakes in school work even college students. Daydreaming in class is another one what child does not day dream in school about they are going to do when school is out. Interrupting others when talking, they are children they do that. (NLM) National Library of Medicine says that children with (ADHD) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have depression or bipolar disorders and that it is inherited from parents (para.5). I do not believe that my nephew is an honor student and makes good grades and has no sign of depression they was told that it...
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...In reflecting on the article Screening for anxiety disorders in children the authors, Ellin Simon and Susan Bogels, made many excellent discoveries and brought to light many new ideas that will help diagnose and treat children who suffer from mental disorders. The premise of their research was to examine the effectiveness of screening methods for mental disorders in school age children, differentiate between different disorders, and predict disorders that may arise in children. The mental disorders, as described in the article, that have the greatest impact on children are separation anxiety, social phobia, and panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, specific phobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Throughout the article the authors referenced two types of screenings, the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders and the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule, that are used to detect these mental disorders. The effects that anxiety disorders can have on an individuals quality of life can be detrimental if they are not diagnosed early and treated properly. The earlier mental disorders can be detected, more specifically in children, the more likely chance there is that treatment can have a greater influence on the individuals life, helping them work through the disorder and having an overall better quality of life. According to the article “the decrease in quality of life, together with the need for treatment place a burden on society via indirect and direct...
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...Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents Before the 1990s, it was believed that children under the age of eighteen would have been rarely diagnoses with bipolar disorder. This all changed in the mid-1990s when there were 800,000 children labeled with bipolar disease and an astonishing number were under the age of five (Carmichael, 2008). The controversial findings have alerted psychiatrists and psychologists that the disease is much more common than originally thought (Carmichael, 2008). Psychiatrists have been discontent with the number of children being labeled with bipolar disorder at alarming rates (Woziak & Biederman, 1995). Woziak, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School of psychiatry, was educated with the idea that a professional in the psychiatric field would only see one or two cases of a child with bipolar disorder in a lifetime because of the rarity (Woziak & Biederman, 1995). Woziak, along with the famous Harvard child psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Biederman, felt that there were a number of children whose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) problems seemed to stem beyond the normal anger characteristics of ADHD (Woziak & Biederman, 1995). Woziak and Biederman (1995) completed research to reflect a much more violent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with children showing signs of heightened uncontrollable temper tantrums, violent hitting, screaming and kicking beyond the normal irritability. These signs included children not being able...
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...criteria for schizophrenia, as well as the current criteria for brief psychotic disorder. What is the typical age of onset? What percent of people will develop this schizophrenia? Following is the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. i. Two (or more) of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if successfully treated): 1. Delusions 2. Hallucinations 3. Disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence) 4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior. 5. Negative symptoms, (affective flattening, alogia, or avolition ii. For a significant portion of the time since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work or school, interpersonal relations, or self-care is markedly below the level expected for the individual or achieved prior to the onset. iii. Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least 6 months. This 6-month period must include at least 1 month of symptoms (or less if successfully treated) that meet Criterion A and may include periods of prodromal or residual symptoms. During these prodromal or residual periods, the signs of the disturbance may be manifested by only negative symptoms or two or more symptoms listed in Criterion A present in an attenuated form (e.g., odd beliefs, unusual perceptual experiences). iv. Schizoaffective disorder and mood disorder with psychotic features have been ruled out. The disturbance is not due to the...
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...Sleep wake disorders include; circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder, hypersomnolence, insomnia disorder, nightmare disorder, narcolepsy, rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, restless leg syndrome, and non-rapid eye movement sleep arousal disorder. Childhood disorders include; autism spectrum disorders, attachment disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, conduct disorder, disorder of written expression, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, encopresis, enuresis, expressive language disorder, mathematics disorder, mental retardation, oppositional defiant disorder, reading disorder, rumination disorder, selective mutism, separation anxiety disorder, social communication disorder, stereotypic movement disorder, stuttering, touretts disorder, transient tic...
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...Conduct Disorder Samantha Nitcher Pittsburg State University Conduct Disorder Description and Behaviors of the Disorder Conduct disorder is described as a child or adolescent who has experienced abuse in the past or is presently experiencing it and is starting to show one or all of the following behaviors: impetuous behavior, drug use, and criminal activity (A.D.A.M., 2011). Other behaviors that might start to show include: aggression to people and animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness, lying or stealing, and violation of rules (AACAP, 2012). Diagnosing As stated in the DSM-IV by the American Academy of Family Physicians, there are an abundant amount of things that could fit the criteria for conduct disorder. Some examples are a person who bullies people or animals, has a weapon that could seriously harm someone or something, has forced someone into sexual activity, has destroyed other people’s property, has shoplifted, stays out even though parents say not to, runs away from home, and many more (AAFP, 2001). Other forms of diagnosing include obtaining a detailed history of the child’s behavior which is provided by anyone who comes in contact with that child, just observing the child, or even conducting psychological tests (Hopkins). There are two subtypes of conduct disorder. The first one is childhood onset and the second is adolescent onset. Between the two of these, the childhood onset is by far the worst one. Childhood onset is labeled as the child...
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...COMMUNICATION DISORDERS INTRODUCTION TO DISORDERS : What is a Psychological Disorder ? A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder, is a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and/or create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS : There are many different conditions that are recognized as psychological health disorders. The more common types include: Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety is a vague, uncomfortable feeling of fear, dread, or danger. Anxiety disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that involve anxiety. Symptoms can vary in severity and length. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, the five anxiety disorders are identified as: Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Phobias (including Social Phobia, also called Social Anxiety Disorder). Mood Disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. Psychotic Disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. What is the COGNITIVE DISORDER ? A person with a cognitive disorder does not process information correctly within the brain. This results in impaired awareness and judgment, difficulty reasoning and focusing...
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... Autistic Spectrum Disorder Clinton T. Ashe Professor: Dr. Janice Spagenburg February18, 2013 AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2 Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism is a disorder that use to affect an estimated 3.4 out of every 1,000 children ages 3-10. And now research suggests that autism now affects 1 out of 110 children. These types of Disorders can cause disruption in families and unfulfilled lives for many children who have this disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorders range from a severe form which is called autistic disorder to a mild form known as Asperger syndrome. The risk for this disorder is higher for males than females. In 1942 while working at John Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Leo Kanner conducted a study with a group of 11 children and at the end of the study introduced the label of “early infantile autism” into the English language. During that same time frame and half way around the world, Dr. Hans Asperger described a lesser form of the disorder that became known as “asperger syndrome”. These two disorders have been described and are currently listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as two out of five pervasive developmental disorders and are often referred to as autism spectrum disorders. These disorders are categorized by the variance in the degrees of impairment in...
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