Diagnostic, Clinical, Psychopathological, Psychological Aspects of the Examination of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Objective: recently, much attention has been paid to the problem of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in childhood. Despite the abundance of psychometric approaches to the diagnosis of autism in childhood, questions remain about the validity of their use in everyday practice. In recent years, works began to appear in the United States calling into question the practice of mandatory use of the “gold standard” methods for diagnosing ASD. Russia has many years of experience in multidisciplinary cooperation of medical psychologists and clinicians in child psychiatric practice, which makes it possible to more accurately determine the depth and severity of autistic manifestations, as well as to determine the dynamics of a child’s development, which will make it possible to provide targeted effective assistance. Aim: to develop diagnostic, clinical-psychopathological, psychological approaches to the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in childhood.Patients and methods: the sample consists of 254 patients aged 4–17 years (average age 7.3 years) with different forms of ASD according to ICD-10 (heading F84). The patients were examined by clinical-psychopathological, clinical-dynamic, clinical-follow-up, psychological methods.Results: the study made it possible to define the profiles of six main forms of ASD from a clinical and psychological standpoint: Asperger’s syndrome (F84.5); childhood autism dysontogenetic (F84.0); childhood psychosis (F84.02); Kanner’s syndrome (F84.01), syndromic atypical autism (F84.11),and atypical childhood psychosis (F84.12).Conclusion: the results obtained are presented in a multidisciplinary aspect, which allows the most accurately diagnose one form or another of autism spectrum disorders and to develop personalized routes of patient management.

Clinical and Neuropsychological Features of Subcortical Structures Cerebral Organization in the Development of Autism Spectrum Mental Disorders in Children

“…В случае тяжелого, злокачественного течения АДП с формированием резистентности к психофармакотерапии кататонические расстройства значительно выражены и плохо поддаются коррекции [16]. Помимо ведущей кататонической симптоматики для обеих форм характерны психопатоподобные расстройства и компульсивные влечения (трихотилломания, онихофагия, сосание пальцев, удерживание стула), нарушение пищевого поведения (поедание несъедобного, избирательность в еде по какому-либо принципу -цвету, составу, консистенции), отказ от горшка с нарушением опрятности, расстройства сна [27]. Ведущими элементами в структуре отношения к болезни ребенка родители выделяют: сложности ребенка в двигательной и моторной сферах, отсутствие осмысленной речи, приводящее к невозможности ведения диалога, чрезмерную активность или пассивность, необычное для своего возраста поведение [23].…”