Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD
William Shaw, Ph.D,; 1998/303 pages/ISBN 0-9661238-0-8
Teach Me Language
Lorelei Dake; ISBN 0-9657565-0-5
Psychoses and Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Childhood and Adolensence
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, edited by Fred R. Volkmar, M.D.;
1996/306 pages/ ISBN 1-882103-01-7
Winning Cooperation From Your Child: A Comprehensive Method to Stop Defiant and
Aggressive Behavior in Children
Author: Kenneth Wenning; 1996/144 pages/ISBN 0-7657-0058-1
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Vol. 22. No 4, 1992, pp 459-481 - Classification of Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Some Concepts and Practical Considerations.
Abstract: "Classifications have to meet a variety of purposes. Clinical and research needs are different and there is much to be said for separate clinical and research schemes. Care is needed to ensure that classifications provide an appropriate medium for teaching about diagnosis and do not cause difficulties when used as a "passport" to resources. Principles of classification are considered in relation to the need to take course, as well as symptomatology, into account, and with respect to the neuropsychiatric interface. The value of a multiaxial approach is noted. The pros and cons of autism and pervasive developmental (PDD) as an overall descriptive term, of lumping or splitting, and of different choices with respect to PDD subcategories are discussed."
Vol. 22. No 4, 1992, pp 525-549, - Pervasive Developmental Disorders: From DSM-III to DSM-III-R.
Abstract: "The present paper provides a brief history of the development of the DSM-III-R (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1987) section on Pervasive Developmental Disorders. It describes the process by which the contents of the text and criteria for Autistic Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified were decided and gives the reasons for the changes from DSM-III (APA, 1980) categories and criteria. The paper concludes with a short discussion of critical diagnostic issues."
Vol. 23. No 1, 1993, pp 79-90 - Differentiating Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified From Autism and Language Disorders.
Abstract: "Features useful in distinguishing children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) from those with autism or language disorder were developed from a retrospective chart review using groups of children with PDD-NOS and MA- and sex-matched autistic and language-disordered groups. Charts were reviewed using a list of 80 items compiled from various sources. Items that had adequate interrater reliability and significantly discriminated the PDD-NOS cases from the language-disordered or autistic cases were then evaluated using a second set of cases and signal detection methods. Fewer items significantly discriminated cases with autism from those with PDD-NOS as compared to cases with language disorder. Clinical implications are discussed."
Vol. 23. No 2, 1993, pp 229-241 - Subclassification of Children with Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Questionnaire Based on Wing's Subgrouping Scheme.
Abstract: "A questionnaire (the Wing Subgroups Questionnaire, or WSQ) for subclassifying children with autism into one of Wing's three hypothesized subgroups was developed, and the validity of this measure was assessed. Forty parents of children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS) completed the questionnaire. Results indicated that the questionnaire has adequate external criterion-referenced validity with similar subgroup ratings made by clinicians, and good internal consistency. Furthermore, results revealed three distinct and separate subgroups corresponding to Wing's subclassification scheme. Other analyses suggested that Wing assignment based on the WSQ was independent of chronological age and age equivalent for social and daily living skills, but not independent of diagnosis of autism vs. PDDNOS, IQ, severity of autism, sex, receptive language mental age, and age equivalents for communication skills. Finally, a discriminant analysis indicated that, of all the dependent variables examined in the present study, the clinicians' Wing assignment was the best predictor of Wing assignment was the best predictor of Wing assignment based on the parent-completed WSQ. These findings provide support for Wing's classification system, and suggest that the WSQ is a valid and useful tool for subclassifying individuals with autism."
Vol 23., No. 2, 1993, pp 361-377 - Assessing the Relationship Between Affective Responsivity and Social Interaction in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
Abstract: "An investigation of children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) was conducted using a new instrument, the Kiddie-Infant Descriptive Instrument for Emotional States (KIDIES). The KIDIES rates several affective and behavioral dimensions based on facial, vocal, gestural, and postural cues. The study's goals were to determine whether the KIDIES could detect individual differences in responsivity among the PDD subjects; to ascertain the KIDIES' sensitivity in identifying group differences between PDD subjects and control children with other developmental disorders. Children were videotaped during episodes with three partners: the mother, a familiar female teacher, an unfamiliar male doctor. Episodes were scored using the KIDIES. PDD subjects were most severely impaired during the Mother episode in comparison to the controls. Equally as striking was the within-episode heterogeneity among PDD subjects. During the teacher episode, PDD subjects were twice as variable in interpersonal response as the controls."
Vol 23, No. 4, 1993, pp 579-591 - Sex Differences in Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
Abstract: "Assessed differences in sex ratio, severity of associated mental retardation, and various metrics of severity of autism in autistic, PDD-NOS, and developmentally disordered (non-PDD) cases. Males with autism were more frequent than females, particular at higher IQ levels. The three clinical groups differed, in expected ways, in the various measures of severity of autism with the PDD-NOS cases being intermediate between the strictly diagnosed autistic group and the non-PDD developmental disordered group. Sex differences were primarily confined to IQ; sex differences in other metrics of severity of autism were not prominent. Implications for future research are discussed."
Vol 24, No. 6, 1994, pp 703-717 - Parent and Teacher Agreement in the Assessment of Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
Abstract: "Although it is well known that informants often disagree about the degree of psychopathology in children, this issue has not been systematically evaluated in children with autism. The objective of this paper is to estimate the extent of agreement between parents and teachers on the assessment of autistic symptoms and adaptive behavior skills. We assessed 83 children, 4-6 years of age, with a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). Parents and teachers rated each child on each measure. While there was good agreement between informants on the VABS, teachers tended to rate the PDD children higher than parents. In contrast, thee was virtually no agreement on the ABC. High levels of stress experienced by parents appeared to be associated with parents reporting more autistic behaviors and less adaptive skills than teachers. As with other child psychiatric disorders, caution must be exercised in combining information from several informants."
Vol 24, No. 3, 1994, pp 315-329 - Cohesive Discourse in Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
Abstract: "Investigated the use of cohesive links to create a reciprocal conversation in individuals with autism, Asperger syndrome, and a control group of children and adolescents with nonspecific social problems. All subjects engaged in a 10-minute conversation with an examiner that touched on various topics. The conversation was audiotaped, transcribed, and coded blindly for several types of cohesive links. Compared to controls, the higher functioning autistic group referred less to a previous stretch of the conversation and more to an aspect of the physical environment. The Asperger group, on the other hand, was very similar to the controls except they made more unclear references that were difficult to interpret. Implications of these findings for understanding the communicative failure of subjects with pervasive developmental disorder are discussed."
Vol 24, No. 5, 1994, pp 631-645 - Increasing Opportunities for Requesting in Classrooms Serving Children with Developmental Disabilities.
Abstract: "Evaluated an intervention package for increasing requesting opportunities in special education classrooms. Five teachers, serving 26 children with moderate to severe disabilities, received in-service training, consultation, and feedback on the use of three strategies designed to create opportunities for requesting (i.e., missing item, interrupted chain, delayed assistance). Observations were conducted in a multiple-baseline across classrooms design to record the number and types of opportunities provided by each teacher. During baseline, few opportunities for requesting were observed. The number of opportunities for requesting and the number of correct student responses increased during intervention. Opportunities continued to be provided during generalization and follow-up sessions. The study demonstrated an effective strategy for helping teachers incorporate opportunities for functional communication into the natural environment."
Vol 25, No. 5, 1995, pp 481-493 - Efficacy of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium in the Treatment of Autism: A Methodology Review and Summary of Outcomes
Abstract: "Pauling's orthomolecular hypothesis appeared in 1968, stating that some forms of mental illness and disease are related to biochemical errors in the body. Vitamin therapy is believed to be a means of compensating for such errors. There have been a few empirical studies on vitamin therapy in individuals with autism. This article presents a critical analysis of the 12 published studies located through an extensive computerized search. Studies were systematically evaluated to provide an objective assessment of empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of vitamin treatment. The majority of studies report a favorable response to vitamin treatment. However, interpretation of these positive findings needs to be tempered because of methodological shortcomings inherent in many of the studies. For example, a number of studies employed imprecise outcome measures, were based on small samples and possible repeat use of the same subjects in more than one study, did not adjust for regression effects in measuring improvement, and omitted collecting long-term follow-up data. Recommendations are offered to assist researchers in designing future investigations."
Vol 25, No. 5, 1995, pp 495-502 - Life Events and Depression in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Abstract: "To determine the role of life events in the occurrence of depression in children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), we compared 11 patients (DSM-III-R; 9 male; 2 female; M age: 11.0 years; M full-scale IQ: 75.3) with PDD and depression, with an age- and sex-matched control group of patients with PDD without depression (DSM-III-R' 9 male; 2 female; M age: 9.8 years; M full-scale IQ: 60.6). Information was collected about the occurrence of unpleasant life events in the 12 months prior to the onset of depression. Depressed children experienced significantly more life events in the 12 months prior to the onset of depression. Exit events such as bereavement were more common in the depressed group. Findings suggest that, as in the general population, significant life events, particularly those with a negative impact, may contribute to the occurrence of depression in children with PDD. Future studies should explore the role of both biologic factors and environmental stressors in the onset of depression in this population."
Vol 25, No. 6, 1995, pp 561-577 - Empirically Derived Subtypes of Pervasive Developmental Disorders: A Cluster Analytic Study
Abstract: "A cluster analytic study was conducted to empirically derived behaviorally homogeneous subtypes of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Subjects were clustered based on a broad range of behavioral symptoms which characterize autism. Behavioral variables were measured using several of the standardized psychometric instruments most commonly employed in assessing autistic individuals. The cluster solution indicated the presence of four distinct groups. Validity checks generally confirmed significant between-group differences on independent measures of social, language, and stereotyped behaviors. In additions, the four-group cluster solution was compared to previously developed typological systems of PDD (i.e., subcategories based on IQ early onset, styles of social interaction, and DSM-III-R diagnosis). Results generally supported both the behavioral homogeneity of the four subgroups and also several important between-group differences. The potential utility of using cluster analyses of PDD is discussed."
Vol 27, No. 2, 1997 - pp 155-163 - CSF ß-Endorphin Levels in Patients with Infantile Autism.
Abstract: "We measured CSF levels of ß-endorphin, an opioid hormone, in 19 patients with infantile autism and in 3 patients with Rett syndrome, and compared them with control values. In infantile autism, CSF levels of ß-endorphin did not differ significantly from those of age-matched controls. There was no significant correlation between CSF levels and clinical symptoms, including self-injurious behavior, pain insensitivity, an stereotyped movement. However, CSF levels of ß-endorphin were significantly higher in the patients with Rett syndrome than in the control (p < .05). Data suggest that neurons containing ß-endorphin may not be involved in patients with infantile autism. Thus, there is no relationship between dysfunction of brain opioid and autism."
Vol 27, No. 2, 1997, pp 177-185 - Brief Report: Assessment of Development and Abnormal Behavior in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of the Revised Psychoeductional Profile.
Vol 27, No. 4, 1997, pp 397-413 - Sociosexual Knowledge, Experience, Attitudes, and Interests of Individuals with Autistic Disorder and Developmental Delay.
Abstract: "Thirty-one individuals, 15 with autistic disorder and 16 with developmental delay, male and female, were asked to select from a series of drawings depicting sexually relevant activities and to define them. In addition they were asked to describe their sexual experiences, attitudes, and interests, using a semistructured interview format. Ability to select through pointing out sexually relevant body parts or activities were not different by level of functioning, group, or gender. There were differences in providing a sociosexual label, however, with better performance for those with developmental delay and for the higher functioning. No differences were evident for sexual experiences, likely because of the considerable variability across subjects and types of activity, with some individuals reporting very many and others very few. As to attitudes, individuals with autistic disorder endorsed more sexual activities than those with developmental delay. Higher knowledge of sexuality terms and activities was inversely related to their endorsement. Literalness and perseveration were evident in the responses of some, primarily those with autistic disorder. Results are discussed for their relevance to the reliability and validity of information."
Vol 27, No. 4, 1997, pp 437-466 - Sign Language and Motor Functioning in Students with Autistic Disorder.
Abstract: "Sign language production of 14 low-functioning students diagnosed with autistic disorder was examined. Videotapes of the students signing with their teachers were analyzed for frequency and accuracy of sign location, handshape, and movement production. The location aspect of signs was produced more accurately by the subjects than either the handshape or movement aspects. Wide individual differences were evident among the students in the number of signs they produced, accuracy of sign formation, and performance on measures of motor functioning. Students' sign vocabulary size and accuracy of sign formation were highly correlated with their performance on two measures of apraxia and with their fine motor age scores."
Vol 27, No. 4, 1997, pp 467-478 - High-Dose Pyridoxine and Magnesium Administration in Children with Autistic Disorder: An Absence of Salutary Effects in a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.
Abstract: "Several reports have described salutary effects as decreased physical aggression and improved social responsiveness being associated with the administration of high doses of pyridoxine and magnesium (HDPM) in open-labeled and controlled studies of patients with autism. Despite this fact, this intervention remains controversial. A 10-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken to examine both the efficacy and safety of HDPM in autism. Twelve patients were enrolled, and 10 patients (mean age 6 years 3 months) were able to complete the study. HDPM at an average dose of 638.9 mg of pyridoxine and 216.3 mg of magnesium oxide was ineffective in ameliorating autistic behaviors as assessed by the Children' s Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS), the Clinical Global Impression Scale, and the NIMH Global Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Furthermore, no clinically significant side effects were noted during HDPM administration. A trend for a transient change on the CPRS was found that was possibly due to a placebo response. This study raises doubts about the clinical effectiveness of HDPM in autistic disorder."
Vol 27, No. 5, 1997, pp 595-603 - Brief Report: Motor Incoordination in Children with Asperger Syndrome and Learning Disabilities.
Vol 27, No. 5, 1997, pp 621-626 - Brief Report: Interrater Reliability of the Psychoeducational Profile (PEP).
Vol 28, No. 3, 1998, pp 199-210 -Timing of Social Gaze Behavior in Children with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
Abstract: "The aim of the study was to compare social initiatives and gave behavior in low-functioning children with a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), high-functioning children with a PDD, children with a language disorder, and normally developing children. Behavior of the children was observed while they watched television and performed a playful task with a parent. Compared to the high-functioning children, the low-functioning children with a PDD showed fewer social initiatives. The high-functioning children with a PDD did not differ from the non-PDD control children in the number of social initiatives and gazes. However, in children with PDD, timing of social gaze proved to be different in that they had lower levels of visual checking before but not after a declarative pointing gesture. Furthermore, they had lower levels of returning gave."
Vol 28, No. 3, 1998, pp 217-227 - Autism and Related Disorders: Epidemiological Findings in a Norwegian Study Using ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria.
Abstract: "Recent studies of the prevalence of autism have suggested higher estimates than previously described. Various diagnostic criteria for autism and related disorders have been applied, with variability in case finding methodology and characteristics of populations as well. In this study, maternal and child health clinics covering 98% of the population were used for screening pervasive developmental disorders. Extensive medical investigation was carried out on the majority of cases. In this Norwegian population of children ages 3-14 years the minimum prevalence estimate for childhood autism was 4-5 per 10,000 using ICD-10 research criteria, and did not confirm the high estimates suggested more recently. Medical disorders identified were associated with mental retardation rather than specifically with autism."
Vol 28, No. 3, pp 235-239 - Diabetes Insipidus and Ploydipsia in a Patient with Asperger's Disorder and an Empty Sella: A Case Report.
Abstract: "The paper describes a patient with Asperger disorder, Neurogenic Diabetes Insipidus (NDI) and Primary Empty Sella (ES). His response to vasopressin treatment suggested a concomitant presence of primary polydipsia. This is the first reported case of an autistic spectrum disorder associated with NDI or ES. The implications of the observed cooccurence of these relatively rare disorders are discussed in relation to diagnosis and pathogenesis."
Vol 28, No. 3, pp 257-263 - Brief Report: Interpretation of Facial Expressions, Postures and Gestures in Children with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specificed.
Want to contact me? Press here:
JJackson@pervasivedevelopmentaldisorders.com
Return to the PDD Support
Home Page