Children and Adolescents review

What are the causes of intellectual disabilities?

IDD is caused by various factors, with approximately 30–50% of cases having an unknown cause. Known causes include:

• Genetic Conditions and Birth Defects( Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome and Prader-Willi Syndrome.)

•  Maternal and Environmental Exposures (Prenatal/Perinatal)

  • Maternal Infections: Infections acquired by the mother during pregnancy can cause IDD. Examples include:Toxoplasmosis, Whooping cough, Measles and Meningitis.

  • Substance Exposure: Exposure to substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol (leading to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) or tobacco.

  • Traumatic Injuries: Injuries sustained during the birth process.

  • Maternal Medical Conditions: Conditions like hypothyroidism can be a cause.

  • Exposure to Toxins: Exposure to toxins like heavy metals (e.g., lead and mercury) or certain medications or drugs can trigger the condition.

  • Other Developmental Issues: Issues that interrupt fetal development, such as restricted fetal growth, brain damage due to lack of oxygen, or low blood sugar.

What are the risk factors of intellectual disabilities

• Family History: If there is a family history of any genetic condition that can cause an intellectual disability, genetic counseling should be considered before becoming pregnant.

• Maternal Avoidance: Nurses educate clients to prevent cognitive causes by addressing modifiable risk factors. Parents can take actions before conception or during pregnancy to avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, and exposure to toxins like lead and mercury.

• Vaccinations: Maintaining vaccinations before and during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of certain maternal infections that can cause intellectual disabilities.

• Stress and Trauma: Exposure to early childhood trauma or stress can act as an environmental factor triggering the onset of mental health conditions.

Is early intervention the best approach to treat communication disorders? Why or why not?

Yes, early intervention is described as the best way to treat communication disorders.

Early intervention is considered critical because it is associated with achieving the best outcomes for clients and is often a component of effective treatment for neurodevelopmental issues where communication is affected.

Here are the reasons why early intervention is the preferred approach:

• Optimal Outcomes and Accessibility: Early intervention is considered to lead to the best outcomes or, in some cases, low-cost or free services may be available.

• Skill Development and Barrier Removal: Interventions are intended to help children in developing their language skills and to remove barriers to social participation.

• Addressing Related Conditions: Early behavioral and cognitive intervention is listed as one of the key treatment categories for Intellectual Disabilities. Communication difficulties are associated with intellectual disabilities.

What are the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

SD is characterized by developmental problems that primarily affect a person's interaction with others, communication, and learning. The primary symptoms fall into two categories:

• Difficulty with communication and interaction with other people.

  • Making little or inconsistent eye contact.

  • Rarely sharing enjoyment of objects or events by pointing or showing things to others.

  • Being slow to respond (or failing to respond) to someone calling their name.

  • Difficulty with back-and-forth communication

  • Difficulty talking at length about a favorite subject without noticing that others are not interested or without giving others a chance to respond

•  Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors

  • Repeating certain behaviors or exhibiting unusual behaviors.

  • Repetitive and Stereotyped Behaviors, such as hand flapping, body rocking, or repeating words.

  • Placing toys in the same order all the time.

  • Echolalia, which means the involuntary repetition of words, phrases, or vocalizations.

  • Having a strong, intense interest in certain topics.

  • Having overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects.

  • Getting upset by slight changes in a routine

What are the signs and symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

Symptoms are grouped into three types (Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, or Combined):

1. Inattentive Symptoms

• Short attention span or easily distracted.

• Prone to careless mistakes.

• Difficulty organizing and completing tasks.

• Forgetfulness or misplacing things.

• Trouble listening or carrying out instructions.

2. Hyperactivity/Impulsiveness Symptoms

• Trouble sitting still, fidgety or restless.

• Excessive talking or interrupting others.

• Trouble waiting their turn / impatience.

• Acting without thinking about consequences.

• Difficulty controlling impulsive behaviors

What would be a potential primary barrier to participation in the treatment plan for a client with ADHD?

difficulty adhering to instructions, organizing tasks, and maintaining focus due to core symptoms of the disorder.

• The core symptoms of ADHD that pose significant barriers to successful treatment planning and follow-through include:

  • Difficulty Organizing and Completing Tasks: A person with ADHD, especially those with the inattentive type, finds it difficult to organize and complete tasks. Treatment plans (which often involve routines, homework, and organized care components) require organizational skills to be effective

  • Inattention and Distractibility: Symptoms like a short attention span and being easily distracted mean the client may struggle to listen to or carry out instructions given by healthcare providers, parents, or teachers

  • Forgetfulness and Misplacing Things: Clients are prone to forgetfulness and misplacing things. This directly threatens adherence to medication schedules or the requirement to bring necessary materials (like homework or journals) to therapy sessions

  • Impulsiveness and Poor Control: Clients exhibit impulsive behaviors and act without thinking about the consequences. Impulsivity and lack of organization can directly lead to poor adherence to treatment overall, which is a risk factor that heightens suicide risk in other disorders and is generally disruptive to ongoing car

What is a common learning disability that affects a person’s ability to read?

Dyslexia is the most common learning difference.

• It primarily affects a person's ability to read because it causes problems with phonological processing.

• Dyslexia affects approximately 7 to 10% of the population.

• Some indications of dyslexia include being a late talker, reversing sounds in reading and writing assignments, and difficulty spelling

What are the types of tics and their associated behavior?

• Motor tics(movement of the body)

  • blinking, shrugging, or jerking an arm or a leg

• Verbal tics(sounds)

  • sounds a person makes with their voice, such as grunting, humming, clearing the throat, or yelling a word or phrase.

what is Echolailia

The repetition of words or phrases heard from another person

What is Tourette syndrome

two or more motor tics and at least one vocal tic that have lasted for at least a year, and the onset began prior to the age of eighteen years old. Individuals with TS may involuntarily shout out swear words (coprolalia) or constantly repeat the words of others (echolalia), though these behaviors are rare

what are the 3 kinds of tics disorders

Tourette Syndrome, persistent motor or vocal tic disorder, and provisional tic disorder.

• All three types of tic disorders can involve either motor or vocal tics (or both), but not both types must be present in every disorder.

• For provisional tic disorder, the individual must have either motor or vocal tics (but not both) for less than a year

What is the purpose of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention Therapy (CBIT)?

a behavioral intervention that is found to be helpful in reducing tics.

Key details about CBIT:

• Behavioral Focus: CBIT is an example of a behavioral intervention for tics.

• Duration: CBIT is part of treatments intended to help individuals with tic disorders experience long-term relief from tics and the associated urge to tic (premonitory urges).

• Target Population: It is used in the management of Tourette syndrome (TS) and other tic disorders.

• Comparison to Other Treatments: CBIT is one of the medication and behavioral interventions that are found to be helpful in reducing tics

How does conduct disorder manifest in children?

an ongoing pattern of aggression toward others with serious violations of rules and social norms that occurs in three settings: at home, at school, and with peers.

For a diagnosis of CD to be met, these behaviors must be present for at least six months.

The specific ways Conduct Disorder manifests in children and adolescents include:

• Rule Breaking and Social Norm Violations:

  • Breaking serious rules, such as running away from home.

  • Staying out all night.

  • Skipping school.

• Aggression and Harm to Others:

  •  Being aggressive in a way that causes harm to others.

  • Behaviors such as bullying or fighting.

  • Being cruel to animals or other people

• Deceitfulness and Property Damage

  • Lying.

  • Stealing.

  • Purposefully damaging other people’s property.

Conduct Disorder is noted to be more common in males than females and affects approximately 2–10% of U.S. childre

How does antisocial personality disorder manifest in children?

represented by Conduct Disorder (CD), characterized by an ongoing pattern of aggression toward others and serious violations of rules and social norms lasting at least six months.

Key Manifestations (Conduct Disorder):

• Aggressive Behavior Being aggressive in a way that causes harm, such as bullying, fighting, or being cruel to animals or other people.

• Destruction/Deceit Lying, stealing, or purposefully damaging other people's property.

• Rule Violation Breaking serious rules, such as running away, staying out all night, or skipping school.

Note: Roughly 40% of adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder may go on to develop antisocial personality disorder in adulthood

What is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), and what are its symptoms?

a mood dysregulation disorder seen in children. It is characterized by chronic and intense angry outbursts and persistent irritability or anger.

Core Symptoms:

• Severe recurrent temper outbursts.

At what age is intellectual disability typically diagnosed?

before age eighteen.

• Diagnosis typically occurs during the person's developmental period.

• It is often recognized when a child misses developmental milestones.

• In cases of mild intellectual disability, deficits may not be officially noted until the child enters school