Study Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It is characterized by repetitive and restricted behavioral patterns and marked verbal and non-verbal communication deficits. The disorder often appears early in childhood, with the severity of the symptoms differing across individuals. The impacts of the illness are lifelong (Hodges et al., 2020).
Signs and Symptoms According to the DSM-5-TR
What are the signs and symptoms of ASD per DSM-5-TR: Description of the signs and symptoms of ASD. The DSM-5 -TR identifies and outlines the manifestations of various autism disorders (Hodges et al., 2020).
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Differential Diagnoses
ASD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. Due to symptoms overlap, it can sometimes be confused with other psychiatric illnesses. It is important to rule out these conditions before making a definitive ASD diagnosis (Hodges et al., 2020).
- Genetic Syndromes with Similar Manifestations as ASD
- Tuberous sclerosis complex
- Williams-Beuren syndrome
- Timothy syndrome
- Down syndrome
- Noonan syndrome
Environmental and Metabolic Conditions
- Hypothyroidism
- Exposure to organophosphates
- Aminoacidurias
- Seizure disorders
Psychiatric Disorders
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- Mood disorders
- Intellectual developmental disorder
- Language disorders
- Social communication disorder
- Selective mutism
- Anxiety disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Personality disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Incidence
The incidence of ASD remains high in the developed countries. Per the CDC estimates, one in every 36 children in the United States is autistic. The global prevalence has been on an upward trend since 1990 (Li et al., 2022).
Development and course
- Developmental hypothesis
- Impaired neural connectivity
- Impaired migration of the neurons
- Imbalance in excitation-inhibition refluxes
- Impaired synaptogenesis
- Course
ASD is complex, and the affected person presents with different symptoms. The symptoms often start early in life. Brain studies have revealed an early overgrowth of the white and gray structures, followed by a regression.
Prognosis
- Description of favorable prognostic features such as higher cognitive skills by the second birthday, increased verbal intelligence revealed by a test, and a general decrease in repetitive behaviors.
- Predictors of poor prognosis, such as difficulties in executive functioning.
Considerations Related to Culture, Gender, and Age
- Cultural considerations, such as the perception of ASD across cultures. This includes health-seeking behavior for ASD and how families relate to children with ASD.
- Gender and age considerations for ASD. This includes apparent variations in the incidence of the disease across genders.
- Pharmacological Treatments and Side Effects
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline, valproic acid, and venlafaxine can be used to address disruptive behavior. Side effects include GI disturbances and headaches.
- Valproic acid is equally effective in treating repetitive behavior. Side effects may include stomach ache and diarrhea.
- Clonidine is effective in managing hyperactivity. Common side effects include dizziness, constipation, and erectile dysfunction.
- Nonpharmacological Treatments
There are several focus-based interventions for ASD (Aishworiya et al., 2022). These include:
Behavioral Therapy
- Educational and behavioral interventions
- Applied Behavioral Analysis
- Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
- Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions (EIBI)
- Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
- Verbal Behavioral Intervention (VBI)
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children (TEACCH)
Developmental Models
- Denver Model
- The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
- The developmental individual difference (DIR)
- The Relationship developmental intervention (RDI)
- The Responsive Teaching (RT)
Diagnostics and Labs
No lab tests or clinical imaging are effective in diagnosing ASD (Hilt & Nussbaum, 2016).
Comorbidities
ASD may be associated with several psychiatric disorders.
- Anxiety disorder
- Attention deficit hyperactive disorder
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Legal Considerations
- Informed consent should be obtained from the clients before initiating therapy. Likewise, caregivers should allow all autistic patients the right to make decisions regarding their care decisions (Appel, 2024).
Ethical Considerations
- Caregivers to make decisions that support the wellness of autistic patients.
- Justice: Healthcare providers to treat patients with ASD fairly, without discrimination (Appel, 2024).
- Pertinent Patient Education Considerations
- Education on the disease process
- Education on the available therapies
- Education on the implications of each therapeutic modality
References
Aishworiya, R., Valica, T., Hagerman, R., & Restrepo, B. (2022). An update on psychopharmacological treatment of autism spectrum disorder. Neurotherapeutics, 19(1), 248–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-022-01183-1
Appel, J. M. (2024). Ethical and legal aspects in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder. FOCUS the Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry, 22(2), 184–188. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20230032
Hilt, R. J., & Nussbaum, A. M. (2016). DSM-5® pocket guide for child and adolescent mental health. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Hodges, H., Fealko, C., & Soares, N. (2020). Autism spectrum disorder: definition, epidemiology, causes, and clinical evaluation. Translational Pediatrics, 9(S1), S55–S65. https://doi.org/10.21037/tp.2019.09.09
Li, Y., Chen, Z., Li, X., Gu, M., Xia, N., Gong, C., Zhou, Z., Yasin, G., Xie, H., Wei, X., Liu, Y., Han, X., Lu, M., Xu, J., & Huang, X. (2022). Epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders: Global burden of disease 2019 and bibliometric analysis of risk factors. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.972809
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Question
Study Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD)
Hello, i will post the disorder once I get it. Please follow all rubrics. Thank you.
Abnormal brain development or damage at an early age can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. Within this group of disorders, some are resolvable with appropriate and timely interventions, either pharmacological or nonpharmacological, while other disorders are chronic and need to be managed throughout the lifespan.

Study Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD)
For this Assignment, you will develop a study guide for an assigned disorder and share it with your colleagues. In sum, these study guides will be a powerful tool in preparing for your certification exam.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
To Prepare
Your Instructor will assign you to a specific neurodevelopmental disorder from the DSM-5-TR.
Research your assigned disorder using the Walden Library. Then, develop an organizational scheme for the important information about the disorder.
The Assignment
Create a study guide for your assigned disorder. Your study guide should be in the form of an outline with references, and you should incorporate visual elements such as concept maps, charts, diagrams, images, color coding, mnemonics, and/or flashcards. Be creative! It should not be in the format of an APA paper. Your guide should be informed by the DSM-5-TR but also supported by at least three other scholarly resources.
Areas of importance you should address, but are not limited to, are:
Signs and symptoms according to the DSM-5-TR
Differential diagnoses
Incidence
Development and course
Prognosis
Considerations related to culture, gender, age
Pharmacological treatments, including any side effects
Nonpharmacological treatments
Diagnostics and labs
Comorbidities
Legal and ethical considerations
Pertinent patient education considerations
By Day 7 of Week 8
You will need to submit your Assignment to two places: the Week 8 Study Guide discussion forum as an attachment and the Week 8 Assignment submission link. Although no responses are required in the discussion forum, collegial discussion is welcome. You are encouraged to utilize your peers’ submitted guides on their assigned neurodevelopmental disorders for study.
Access the Study Guide Forum (or click the Next button).
submission information
Before submitting your final assignment, you can check your draft for authenticity. To check your draft, access the Turnitin Drafts from the Start Here area.
To submit your completed assignment, save your Assignment as WK8Assgn+last name+first initial.
Then, click on Start Assignment near the top of the page.
Next, click on Upload File and select Submit Assignment for review.
