Search results for "autism spectrum"
showing 10 items of 239 documents
Sleep habits in children affected by autism spectrum disorders: A preliminary case-control study
2017
Introduction: The core of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consists of alterations of neurological functions that affect the typical developmental trajectory leading to deficits in social interaction and non-verbal behaviors. In general, ASD is diagnosed at age three and many other frequent neurological signs may be present, such as sleep disorders. The aim of study is evaluating sleep habits in a sample of ASD children. Material and methods: The study population consists of 65 ASD children (43 males and 22 females), aged between 2 and 11 years (mean 5.73 ± 2.39 years). The control group consists of 114 children with typical development (68 males and 46 females), aged between 3 and 10 years …
Autonomic Regulation In Autism Spectrum Disorders
2017
Introduction: The sinactive developmental model provides suggests a different way for the brain study by observing the children behavior. In all neurodevelopmental disorders, we can observe autonomic alteration comprising sleep disorders, meal behaviour alteration and self-regulatory impairment. These alterations/impairment are very frequent in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (1-12). Aim of the present preliminary study is the assessment of metabolic rate in children affected by ASD. Material s and methods. 5 males affected by ASD aged 7-10 years (mean age 6.73±3:39), were recruited. The average score at the ADOS scale was 12.24 (SD± 3.29). The control group consisted of 5 males typically d…
Copy number variations in the etiology of autism spectrum disorders
2013
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by qualitative impairment in social interaction and communication and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities. They have a multifactorial etiology, but today different studies are showing the central role of genetics. Different genetic alterations were detected: chromosomal abnormalities, mutations, trinucleotide repeats and copy number variations (CNVs). Several studies identified many CNVs associated with ASDs and possible candidate genes, whose loss or gain could have a key role in the etiopathogenesis of these disorders. In particular, t…
A cognitive-behavioural intervention improves cognition in caregivers of people with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study
2017
Abstract As postulated by the stress process model, chronically stressed individuals, such as caregivers of people with chronic psychological disorders, have poorer cognitive performance and higher age-related cognitive decline than individuals not exposed to chronic stress. When analysing this topic in caregivers, the majority of research has been conducted in populations in which the care recipient has dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease, while relatively few studies have analysed cognition in caregivers of offspring with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The main objective of this pilot study was to analyse the effect of a cognitive-behavioural intervention on cognition in caregivers of pe…
Effects of Dolphin-assisted Therapy on the Social and Communication Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
2021
Although several studies have shown that dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT) may be beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), most of these studies have methodological weaknesses. This study tested the effectiveness of DAT in improving the social and communicative skills of children with ASD. We used a pretest- posttest design with a control group. The 48 participants were selected according to the following inclusion criteria: age between 4 and 5 years, diagnosis of ASD, and clear impairment in communication. Participants were randomly assigned to the groups: DAT and Therapy Without Dolphins (TWD). The research lasted 10 weeks. The intervention phase lasted 6 weeks and consis…
Impact of a physical education service-learning programme on ASD children: A mixed-methods approach
2021
Abstract Background. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have few opportunities to engage in physical activity, which affects their already limited social and motor skills. Different Service-Learning (SL) proposals designed to meet this need have started to emerge, and research is required to better understand the services provided. Objective. Two objectives were established in this study: (1) to understand the impact of a physical education SL programme from the viewpoints of Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students and the families of the children with ASD involved; and (2) to analyse the programme’s effects on the motor domain of children with ASD (physical activity …
Social inclusion as a therapeutic and educational factor in a music therapy setting
2016
Inclusive approaches for children with special needs are applied in both the fields of music therapy and (music) education. In practice, inclusive music therapy groups consist only of children with special needs, whereas an inclusive kindergarten group for example may consist of typical and non-typical children, yet not in an actual therapy setting. Both practices hold explicit benefits for typical and non-typical children, however mutually exclusive of one another. The aim of the study is to explore the effects of social inclusion in a group consisting of typically and non-typically developing children within a music therapy setting. The focus lays on the therapeutic benefits for the speci…
Exploring the impact of augmented reality in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a systematic review
2020
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent difficulties in communication and social interaction along with a restriction in interests and the presence of repetitive behaviors. The development and use of augmented reality technology for autism has increased in recent years. However, little is known about the impact of these virtual reality technologies on clinical health symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the impact of augmented reality through social, cognitive, and behavioral domains in children and adolescents with autism. This study is the first contribution that has carried out an evidence-based systematic r…
Organizational and activational effects of testosterone in two populations with high androgenization susceptibility = Efectos organizadores y activad…
2013
Los esteroides sexuales como la testosterona (T) producen una organización y/o modificaciones relativamente permanentes de la estructura y función del sistema nervioso central. Una alta exposición prenatal a la T podría estar relacionada con una mayor sensibilidad a los efectos activadores de dicha hormona durante la edad adulta. Por otra parte, las fluctuaciones en los niveles endógenos de T pueden modificar transitoriamente las capacidades socio-cognitivas. Así, la conducta y los procesos cognitivos podrían ser el resultado de la interacción entre los efectos hormonales organizadores y activadores. La T podría ser considerada como un predictor de rasgos masculinizados tales como los rasgo…
Teachers’ Knowledge Regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Systematic Review
2021
The increasing number of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream education environments require teachers to know how to identify their needs, being capable to adapt their education processes and make their inclusion easier. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review about teachers’ knowledge of ASD, including teachers from any stage and specialization. The research has been conducted from four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PsycInfo and Google Scholar) during the period of 2015–2020. In total, 25 articles were analyzed. The results show that, in general, teachers’ knowledge of ASD is poor. It depends on the education stage (being higher in early child…