The Effects Of Feeding Disorder On Children With Pervasive Developmental Disorder Essay

Autism is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before age three and can cause delays or problems in many different skills that develop from infancy to adulthood. Disorders included in the Autism Spectrum are Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Rett’s syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder are among the list of related disorders, but are not included in this spectrum. There are no treatments bio-medically,

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder with psychological, physiological, developmental, and cultural components. The disorder is commonly characterized by binge eating followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, fasting, and the misuse of diuretics, laxatives or enemas. Patients properly diagnosed with bulimia nervosa endure many psychological and physiological problems. In order to alleviate these problems for the patient, usually some type of intervention is required. Considering the financial costs to the patient who seeks treatment, it is important to

When compared to their peers, children with ASD are nearly four times more likely to experience gastrointestinal disturbances. These disturbances include chronic constipation and/or diarrhea. Some experts propose that the toxins created by abnormal gut bacteria trigger or exacerbate the symptoms of autism in certain children.

Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) is a collection of disorders characterized by gross deficits in many areas of cognitive, emotional, and social development which results from severe and pervasive impairment of social interaction and communication skills. One out of every ten children in the U.S. is affected by a PDDSs disorders. (Chad & Raymond, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to examine the historical background and the neurological basis to the disorder, providing up-to-date information on the full range neuropsychological assessment, and Psychological Treatment and finally as the efficacy of the Neuropsychological Assessment/Treatment and Psychological assessment and treatment available to help children

Pica disorder is defined as the persistent ingestion of substances that are non-nutritive. The name for this harmful disorder comes from a latin word meaning “magpie,” which implies that the people with this disorder will eat anything, even when there is no nutritional value. This disorder is qualified as an eating disorder as well as a mental health disorder, making it very interesting to research in medical laboratories. Often occurring in young kids, pica disorder can lead to devastating results including death. This disorder has doubled in hospital stays from 1999-2009, which makes it a disorder to watch out for in the hospital because of the little knowledge people know about this disease (Brynie 2011).

Gluten is found in many grains and food starches. Casein is found in milk, products containing, and it can be added to non-milk products. Researchers have found that some children with ASD cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which break down into substances that act like drugs in their body. As with any drug, these substances alter an autistic child’s view on their environment (Cornish 2002). With new research geared toward the intervention of ASD through diet changes, parents are now taking steps to remove gluten and casein from their child’s diet. As another form of early intervention, parents are also encouraged to focus on stopping various behaviors.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder, which is characterized and diagnosed by social interaction and communication impairment and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and language.1 It is a debilitating and life-long disorder that affects health, relationships, and learning of affected children.2 It describes a continuum of mixed characteristics on main impairments in social and communicative abilities together with the presence of repetitive behaviors.3 It affects an estimated 1 in 110 children with an increasing incidence.1 Treatments vary in their effectiveness for treating children with ASD. Studies on the gluten-free and/or casein-free (GFCF) dietary intervention, which eliminates all

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Anorexia Nervosa are disorders classified as “eating and feeding disorders” in the DSM-V. An eating disorder is most commonly defined as “any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits.” Unfortunately, eating and feeding disorders are seldom recognized as extremely prevalent or in desperate need of help. According to the Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

Johnson, Handen, Zimmer, Sacco, and Turner (2010) executed a randomized and controlled study to examine the efficacy of a GFCF diet on children with ASD. They hypothesized that a GFCF diet would improve ASD symptoms and behaviors in children. The 22 children participating in this study were all preschool aged (3 – 5 years) with ASD diagnoses. The children were randomly assigned to a GFCF diet or a “healthy diet.” There were 8 children in the treatment group and 14 in the control. To further enhance the experiment, children in both groups were given changes to their diets in an attempt to control for structure. However, the parents were aware which group their child was in. The study design included an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule to evaluate each child for a baseline ASD diagnosis. From there, dependent measures were acquired before the start of treatment and at the end of 3 months of treatment. The 3 dependent measures were the Mullen Scales of Early Learning AGS Edition, Child Behavior Checklist, and Direct Behavior Observation Measure. Parents were also counseled by nutritionist on how to maintain a balanced diet for their children on the GFCF diet to supplement for the lack of calcium and vitamin-D.

Most children with autism hate the way some foods feel in their mouths and so they will not eat the food. This can cause the majority of problems, since most of them cannot speak, the parents cannot tell what is wrong with them and therefore cannot help them. A lot of children with autism are malnourished, meaning they are not getting the nutrition they need to grow properly. This also can affect their learning abilities and it can cause breathing problems. When one is malnourished the immune system cannot function properly and will have a harder time trying to fight off diseases. One will become more susceptible to

In the midst of the children with feeding difficulties are those with autism spectrum disorders. There has been little research done describing the specific feeding issues associated with autism spectrum disorders. Of the studies that actually do examine this area, there are several limiting factors such as small sample size, lack of comparison groups, inadequate information of foods available at home, and lack of knowledge of co-morbid medical factors that may affect eating.

However, it is likely to be more difficult to manage in children who are developmentally hindered and is the most prevalent eating disorder in people with developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, pica is often unrecognized and underreported in the United States and its correct prevalence and etiology is unknown. There is no specific way to prevent pica. However, careful attention to eating habits and close guidance of children known to put things in their mouths may help catch the disorder before complications can occur. Currently, there are no medical treatments specifically for Pica but behavioral strategies are considered the most effected treatment. Multidisciplinary methods with physicians, psychologists, and social workers are suggested for successful treatment. Some behavioral strategies include sensory reinforcement, antecedent manipulation, overcorrection, differential reinforcement of other or incompatible behaviors, self-protection devices that prohibit placement of objects in the mouth, and training in discrimination between edible and nonedible

Parents and caregivers should be aware of the unique hunger cues of their child and respond appropriately. In some phases, infants may eat more often than usual. This is referred to as cluster feeding and describes when a baby shifts from feeding every 2 or 3 hours to feeding every hour or feeding in spurts. Cluster feeding is most common during the evening hours and in young babies; however, older babies who are approaching a growth spurt or developmental changes may also cluster feed. Understanding a baby’s stomach capacity, especially during the first 10 days of life, helps to explain why cluster feeds may

“A pediatric feeding disorder is a condition in which a child does not eat enough to provide adequate nutrition, calories, or hydration. Behavior deficits or excesses that inhibit the intake may result in an infant or child being characterized as failure to thrive (FTT)”("What is a Feeding Disorder? | Does your child have one?"). To diagnose and treat a pediatric feeding disorder a speech pathologist must perform an evaluation to figure out the appropriate treatment (Parr 2016). Signs and symptoms of a feeding disorder in a child include a child being a picky eater, gaging, choking, and vomiting during meals ("What is a Feeding Disorder? | Does your child have one?"). These children may also refuse to eat, and have difficulty gaining weight

Children with sensory deficits fixate on what they enjoy. A child with autism may only eat certain foods such as chicken nuggets, pizza, or mac and cheese. Diet in a child’s life is very important. A child that only eats certain things may experience some nutritional deficits. To be healthy, we need to introduce a variety of foods to their diet. All children are picky eaters at some point, but sensory deficit children exceed this phase. (Morris, 1999) “Children with sensory-based feeding difficulties frequently limit the types of food and liquid that they are willing to eat. Problems with sensory regulation and sensory defensiveness lead toward many