Healthcare ASD Case Study 2022

Running head: HEALTHCARE
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Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Introduction
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is known as a condition associated with brain
development. This disorder tends to cause problems in social interaction and communication.
The term ‘spectrum’ in Autism Spectrum Disorder explains the broad range of symptoms and
criticality (Campisi et al., 2018). The diagnosis of ASD is typically conducted during
childhood on the basis of extensive behavioural assessments by clinical experts in the domain
of child psychiatry, psychology orby the clients in behavioural and developmental
paediatrics. However, the new diagnostic criteria in DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders) and ICD-11 have suggested three principles in outlining the
diagnostic framework within the social dimension namely, social-emotional exchange; non-
verbal communicative behavioural patterns utilized for social communication in addition to
the challenges in developing as well as continuing relationships (El Achkar & Spence, 2015).
The following paper will provide an overview of ASD and its characteristics based on the
existing diagnostic classification.
Discussion
Clinical Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASD is seen as an early-onset disorder. The average age of diagnosis is likely to be
around 3.1 years of age and the clinical analysis of ASD is conducted with inordinate
certainty by age 3. According to studies, before the age of 3.1 years, challenges in
establishing social communication tend to be present but the characteristic behaviours and
limitations possibly will not evidently appear until about 3 years of age (Delobel‐Ayoub et
al., 2017). The grouping of instructions for services in primary intervention programs as well
as school with superior public responsiveness as well as instructions for screening has
resulted in earlier identification. However, in order to receive a diagnosis of ASD, an

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individual must exhibit challenges in utilization or understanding and operationalizing. Wide-
range of investigation on ASD have claimed that qualitative social challenges are the most
common and particular characteristics of ASD (Welch, Ghaderi & Swenne, 2015).
Comprehensive investigation have been chiefly imperative in introducing the idea of triad of
dearth such as social, language understanding, creative play which are likely to outspread
further than classic autism. These factors also tend to extend it characterizing levels of
criticality of social deficits arising from detachment to unresponsiveness to being active
resulting in peculiar socially-directed behavioural patterns.
Meanwhile, studies focusing on social behaviours and complications in ASD are
wide-ranging and unlike majority of the neurobiological investigation, it is well-recognized in
its reliability across studies (Campisi et al., 2018). On the other hand, by drawing relevance
to clinical principles, empirically significant mechanisms that pass through age as well as
growth to trigger these distinctive patterns of behaviour have been a challenge. Significant
proportion of these theoretically vital constructs explained as social insufficiencies like the
theory of mind, collaborative attention and social motivation are remarkable in their presence
at particular ages and in some individuals. However, these characteristics do not tend to be
apparent at early in children or does not be present in significant numbers of in adults.
On the other hand, empirically confirmed dimensions within social communication
which specifically distinguish ASD from other forms of disorders tend to vary significantly
based on the comparison population as well as the developmental level of individual with
ASD. According to Young, Oreve and Speranza (2018), by drawing comparison of children
receiving experimental diagnoses of ASD with children receiving other diagnoses other than
ASD but showed tendencies of ASD social reciprocity, only differentiated on the
characteristics of social communication behavioural patterns related to facial expressions,
communicating shared enjoyment in addition to eye contact as well as gestures. On the

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contrary, children receiving other diagnoses other than ASD but showed tendencies of ASD
social reciprocity have characteristics of more interactive skills like posing relaxation or
occupy attention with peers (Welch, E Ghaderi & Swenne, 2015). By drawing relevance to
these findings, it can be analysed that nonverbal social-communication might be particularly
distinctive. However, it has not been simulated in efforts to classify different social factors. In
addition to this, other deficits observed in autism may or may not be exclusively social but
tend to exhibit major effects on social connections (Richard, Scheffer & Wilson, 2017). For
instance, children experiencing ASD show lower rate of attention towards people as
compared to objects and give very less time when not controlled, thus does any activity
which illustrate some determination or focus. Thus, these findings demand for additional
cognitive theories in order to bring about dimensions of social insufficiencies across growth
(Young, Oreve & Speranza, 2018).
Restricted, repetitive characteristics in ASD
Apart from social communication, repetitive behavioural patterns and interests (RRB) are
seen as critical characteristics of ASD. As per studies, repetitive behavioural patterns and
interests (RRB) is seen as a highly varied domain which incorporates stereotyped as well as
repetitive behavioural patterns along with, verbal as well as nonverbal, engrossed or
extremely restricted interests besides infrequent responses towards sensory input (Welch,
Ghaderi & Swenne, 2015). However, in contrary to the dimension of social reciprocity or
interaction, research of RRBs from few of the significant diagnostic mechanisms have further
been constantly produced minimum level of two and at certain points in three distinguishable
subdomains or dimensions within the greater aspect of RRB. As per studies of Young, Oreve
and Speranza (2018), these separate dimensions have different trajectories all through the
stage of childhood and adolescent period, varied associations with cognitive disability and
different patterns all through gender categories.

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Characteristics as per DSM IV
In current diagnostic classification of the DSM IV5 and the ICD6, autism is theorized as the
chief category in a grouping of disorders, the persistent developmental or autism spectrum
disorders (ASD). As per clinical studies, all these factors are characterized by comparable
reciprocal social as well as communication scarcities in addition to severe formalized
securities beginning in early childhood (de la Osa et al., 2016). On the other hand, additional
disorders in this group involve Asperger syndrome and Rett syndrome in addition to
disintegrative disorders. Studies have mentioned that people suffering from Asperger
syndrome which is presently defined in the DSM IV are likely to experience autistic social
dysfunction, however minus the intellectual hindrance or language delay (Jiujias, Kelley &
Hall, 2017).. In addition, Rett syndrome which is generally caused due to mutations in the
MECP2 gene is considered to be autistic characteristics in one of its segments (Christensen et
al., 2018). On the other hand, patients experiencing disintegrative disorder show normal
development during the initial 4 to 5 years of life and eventually experience a period of
breakdown.
Linkage with Epilepsy
Majority of patients experiencing ASD tend to suffer from intellectual disability. In
addition to epilepsy, the connection between ASD and intellectual disability has been primary
reason which persuaded clinical researchers to consider autism as biologic condition rather
than perceiving it as a psychogenic disorder triggered by social conditions as well as stressful
life occasions. According to studies, epilepsy has its occurrence in almost 30% of cases
related to traditional autism, especially in the preschool years or during puberty (Wigham et
al., 2015). However, the most typical types of seizures encompasses of complex partial type.
The incidence of autistic characteristics is likely to be higher in the epileptic syndromes of
childhood, like Landau-Klefner syndrome.

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Conclusion
ASDs are extremely common as compared to general assumptions and have been
occurring in almost 1% of the population. It has been found that majority of patients
experiencing ASD are primarily referred for diagnosis to paediatricians as well as family
practitioners. Even though, usual cases can be easily diagnosed, milder cases in addition to
the ones experiencing comorbid psychiatric disorders tend to pose critical challenges.

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Profile of an individual based on knowledge and understanding of the
characteristics of
Autism
Name: Nancy Carter
Age: 16 years old
Disorder- Autistic Spectrum Condition and Epilepsy
Experiences-
ASD is affecting her ability of perceiving situations and people in effective manner.
For instance, in responding to social situations she shows direct behavioural patterns which
have often led her to involve in challenging situations. Even when a curiosity in social
interaction subsists, ASD of Nancy tends to show deficit of the necessary skills to develop a
social encounter successfully.
Nacny experiences ASD and learning disabilities. However, in the perspective of casual
observers, people suffering from ASD experience socially distance and avoidance. She puts
immense efforts for attaining her self-regulating lifestyles. Through range of approaches of
speech therapies, she improved her speech disability. Nancy is assumed to be uninformed of
her unusual characteristics in addition to to lack self-insight in a more general sense.
As per studies, considering the unique characteristics of individuals with ASD, it might be
expected that their personality profile related to the distinctive range of characteristics
typifying their distinctive patterns of thoughts, feeling as well as behaving exhibit major
differences as compared to the modal personality profile of typically developing individuals
(Mukaetova-Ladinska & Stuart-Hamilton, 2016).
However, on the affirmative side, perceiving things differently from mainstream perspectives
have aided her to develop and attain unique understanding.

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Characteristics of Nancy
Nancy is characterized by inferior self-understanding and evidences inaccurate self-
view. However, researchers have very rarely evaluated self-views of individuals with ASD.
On the other hand, theory as well as research on autism suggests that individuals with ASD
tend to exhibit self-insight because of these deficiencies (Collins, Runswick-Cole, Mallett &
Timimi, 2016). Nancy has shown certain level of deficiencies in three primary capacities
related to the ability to introspect on her internal thoughts as well as feelings; the capability to
utilize concepts as well as language critical for establish self-knowledge in addition to the
ability of involving into social communications which can progress self-knowledge by means
of the opportunity to adopt the views of others towards her.
People with ASD experience severe challenges in grasping or gathering the
perceptions, thoughts, approaches, intents, drives, opinions, outlooks of other typically
developing individuals (Gangadharan, Bhaumik & Gumber, 2016). Thus, ASD experiencing
people like Nancy re perceived to display lack of immediate understanding with their own,
even requiring supposing them from their individual behavioural patterns in the similar
severity with the rule-based approach which they apply to others. Such a deficit is regarded as
‘mind-blindedness’ (Cockerham & Malaia, 2016).
On the other hand, Nancy shows lack of conceptual inability that is the ability to utilize the
meta-representational ideas required for understanding as well as shaping their introspections.
As a result, Nancy has always been characterized by alexithymia. The term alexithymia
actually explains the meaning of “having no words for emotions”. Moreover, people suffering
from this disorder shows high challenges in expressing their emotional knowledge and
involvement irrespective of exhibiting typical emotional responses in other contexts.
Nancy also has tendency of behaving in shy manner and gets detached from social contact. In
consequence she shows incompetence of understanding social indications of other typically

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developing individuals and thus lacks adequate means for increasing knowledge regarding
them through the knowledge which others tend to mirror about them and their behaviour.
On a positive side, Nancy has ability of truly responding to the sensory input which surrounds
her. Thus, she has achieved the supreme of mindfulness, even if she fails to establish
communication base to articulate her perceptive and state of mind to others. Meanwhile,
research claiming that individuals with ASD tend to report their psychiatric signs to be less
austere as compared to actual conditions; it has been assumed that individuals with ASD will
display an affirmative bias in relation to parent assessments of their personality. In total, these
different measures of agreement and predisposition provide a complete test of the amount to
which individuals with ASD display reduced self-insight in relation to other individuals
(Horwitz et al., 2016).
Future Directions-
Nancy is getting treated with person-centred thinking approach. This approach is directing
and supporting her hold person-centred values in addition to a belief that as an individual
she must have regulation in certain areas. Person-centred planning is grounded on the
individual and is supreme for individuals experiencing the autism spectrum. Planning tools
possibly will need to be modified and vocabulary frequently needs to be changed in order to
help person understand the approach (Gangadharan, Bhaumik & Gumber, 2016). It is
indispensable that the person’s favoured methods of communicating must be taken into
consideration to help them serve decisive role in the planning process.
These areas must take into account people who are supporting her, ways in which they
engage with her, their level of responsiveness towards her needs and making decisions about
her lives. This approach is helping her to empower herself, try different activities as well as
develop new rapports. This approach is further helping her to engage into independent
decision making activities.

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References
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