According to a study in the journal of Pediatric Dentistry, parents of children with autism define their children’s oral health as fair or poor. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have difficulties adjusting with the dental scenery, due mainly to their inability to communicate and socialize their thoughts and feelings. Dental office visits can be challenging to the child with autism and therefor the parent as well. It is our job as a dental professional to help make these office visits as pleasant as possible to both the patient and the caregiver.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism spectrum disorder is a lengthy diagnostic category that includes those with impaired social interaction and communication, and those with repetitive stereo-typed behaviors (Persico & Merelli, 2014). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), defines the term ‘spectrum’ as a wide range of symptoms, skill, and levels of impairment or disability that kids with ASD possess. It is a disorder in where several parts of the brain have obstacles working together to complete complex tasks. It is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges (CDC, 2015).
Prevalence
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new information on the prevalence of autism in the United States. According to the new reports it identified 1 in 68 children as having autism spectrum disorder. As a dental professional, one will treat children
The Department of Labour (DOL) is the administering agency for the ADA, RA and other non-discriminatory laws for the benefit of the mentally disabled. The RA authorizes funding for the vocational rehabilitation programs through the State VR Agency. The State VR Agency is created in every State to assist mentally ill individuals achieve their employment goals. This agency can influence the parent agency, DOL, by developing policies for implementing effective job training and placement services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) promotes prevention and treatment of mental disorders through Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). CMHS is charged with making policy-level decisions for any modifications made to the existing vocational rehabilitation methods. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is a research organization which promotes mental health through basic and clinical research. It works on the areas of prevention, recovery and cure of mental illnesses. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cover mental health services via Medicaid and Medicare programs. Currently, vocational rehabilitation is not offered through Out Patient or Partial Hospitalization Services. Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) Program serves SSDI beneficiaries by removing barriers to employment at workplace.
Delli, K., Reichart, P. A., Bornstein, M. M., & Livas, C. (2013). Management of children with autism spectrum disorder in the dental setting: Concerns, behavioural approaches and recommendations. Medicina Oral, Patología Oral Y Cirugía Bucal, 18(6), 862–868. http://doi.org/10.4317/medoral.19084
Autism spectrum disorders are a class of developmental disorders that impair social skills, behavior, and communication (Center for Disease Control). ASDs are considered ‘spectrum’ disorders because each patient has a unique experience in the nature and severity of their symptoms (Center for Disease Control). Under the umbrella of ASDs, there are three types of disorders, including Autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Center for Disease Control). Autistic disorder is the most severe of the three, and patients exhibit significant problems with language, communication, and behavior (Center for Disease Control). Furthermore, people with Autistic disorder often have some intellectual impairment (Center for Disease Control). Asperger Syndrome is a milder form of autistic disorder where patients have some developmental delays, but their language and intellect are not affected (Center for Disease Control). The mildest of the ASDs is the pervasive developmental disorder. These patients usually don’t meet all of the criteria for autistic disorder, but do show some signs of social and communication problems (Center for Disease Control). The number of children diagnosed with ASD is growing, and currently 1 in 88 children fall somewhere on the spectrum (Mari-Bauset et al., 2013). Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism, and while the exact cause of these disorders is unknown, both genetic and
Autism is a complex developmental disability. It is a result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges
Today, we are seeing a rising increase in the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. What once used to be a rare disorder is now commonly recognized in the medical field as well as in the community. Not only is autism a health issue in itself, but many health issues come along with the disorder. This paper will discuss the description of the population, the top health issues and their relevance, and interventions and outcomes that can help reduce these health issues in this specific population.
Autism: It is a complex neuro – behavioral condition which is characterized by difficulty in communicating, forming relationships, usage of language, basic social skills, understanding concepts, repetitive behavior etc. Also, called ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) the severity or the degree of the same may vary from an individual to an individual. Autism may be summed up as a developmental disability manifesting itself during the first 3 years of a person’s life. It may be relevant to mention that NO two individuals with Autism will have exactly the same symptoms – would range from mild to severe.
Working with children with autism and their families is an important issue. According to the U.S. Department of Education, identification of children with autism increased 79% from 1993-1997. This increase is not proportional to other disabilities, since the increase in identification of all disabilities from the same period was only 9.5% (National Center for Education Statistics, 1998). Over 500,000 people in the U.S. have some form of autism or pervasive developmental disorder, making it one of the most common developmental disabilities (Autism Society of America, 1999). Yet many professionals in healthcare and education do not have the knowledge or preparation to work with this growing population (Autism Society of America, 1999; Hart, 1993; Jordan & Powell, 1995; Muskat & Redefer, 1994).
The scientific definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a sever disorder of brain function marked by problems with social contact, intelligence and language, together with ritualistic or compulsive behavior and bizarre responses to the environment. With the newly release DSM-5 (2013), disorders previously referred to as early infantile autism, childhood autism, Kanner’s autism, high-function autism ,
Having good dental hygiene is a vital component of daily living, however, for many children with autism having good dental habits can be challenging. You want your autistic child to brush their teeth independently, but this is not always so easy. Depending on where a child is on the spectrum, teaching normal day to day tasks can be very difficult for both the parents and the child. It’s not surprising that many autistic children have fair to poor dental health.
In 2013, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) broadly launched the Research Domain Criteria project (RDoC). The purpose of RDoC is to provide a working framework to advance dimensional approaches of classifying psychopathology on the basis of observable behaviors and neurobiological measures (National Institute of Mental Health, 2013). Reflecting on the last thirty years, incredible progress has been made in understanding brain-behavior relationships in numerous mental disorders. The continued interdisciplinary work of geneticists, cognitive and affective neuroscientists, and behavioral researchers has not only expanded our knowledge of biological causal and maintenance factors, but has also provided the field with a strong
Autism spectrum disorder is a general term for the complex neurological diseases that affect brain development. The common characteristics of the disease are difficulties in social interactions, speech communication and repetitive sounds and movements. In May of 2013, the DSM-5 diagnostic manual placed all autism disorders under one umbrella known as ASD or autism spectrum disorders. This merged all of the sub-types like Asperger syndrome, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (autism speaks, 2014). Common characteristics of autism are intellectual disability, challenges in motor coordination, attention span
This article contained a great deal of information regarding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and dental treatment. In order for dental professionals to treat those with autism effectively, they must have knowledge and comfort with what they do. This includes understanding the prevalence of ASD, the signs and symptoms of autism, and being aware of the patients’ needs of every aspect of an appointment.
Dental Services-everyone needs dental care. However, people with autism tend to have oral aversion, which makes receiving dental care challenging. Many also have trouble with receptive language, so they don’t understand what will be done to them, even if explained prior to the
The goal of this literature search finds the relation between dental health and autistic children. After a search on many medical databases, 15 articles has matched this topic. The words: dental health, autism spectrum disorder, autistic children, oral manifestation were used as keywords. The following presents a brief summary of information were found in those articles.
Scientifically, autism and autism spectrum disorder, also known as ASD, are commonly used names for difficult disorders that have to do with brain development. Disorders like these are grouped by someone’s difficulty in social interaction, repetitive behaviors, and nonverbal communication. To the people who are diagnosed with this disorder and the families it affects; it is so much more than just science.