Autism & ADHD

Misconceptions of ADHD

1. Bad parenting

2. High sugar diet

Non-pharmacological treatments of ADHD

1. Parent Management Training

2. Other behavioral interventions

Environmental risk factors of ADHD

1. Low birth weight

2. Malnutrition

3. Alcohol/smoking during pregnancy

4. Lead/pesticides

Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

1. Limited/no eye contact

2. Difficulty understanding other’s thoughts/feelings

3. Very specific interests

4. Stimming

5. Light/sound/touch sensitivity

6. Limitation in language

Theory of Mind

the ability to understand that people have different desires, beliefs, emotions, etc. from one’s own

Effects of early intervention on ASD

1. Help develop social and communication skills

2. Neuroplasticity allows individuals to change brain structures through repeated experiences

Controversy regarding childhood behavior disorders

labeling children as “disordered” is damaging to their self-concept

Parts of the brain associated with social cognition

• amygdala

• orbital frontal cortex

• fusiform gyrus

• posterior superior temporal sulcus

Amygdala

emotional recognition and regulation

Orbital frontal cortex

social rewards

Fusiform gyrus

facial recognition

Posterior superior temporal sulcus

biological motion detection