Autism and ADHD Diagnostic Criteria

Developmental Disorders Case Study
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Developmental Disorders Case Study
Autism and ADHD Diagnostic Criteria
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is defined as a neurodevelopment disorder that can begin in childhood. Some of its symptoms include inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (Ayano et al., 2020). According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 5th edition, the symptoms must be seen to have persisted and affected the quality of academic, social, and occupational functioning (Ramtekkar, 2017). ADHD patients exhibit deficits in organization, impulse control, and attention which may contribute to functional impairment that increases with age.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is described as a serious condition with the ability to impair how an individual communicates and interacts with others. ASD can be divided into two categories with the first category showcasing people who have persistent deficits in initiating and sustaining social communication and interaction. According to Young et al. (2020), the persistent deficit needs to be attributed to clinically significant impairment in the family, education, or any other area of functioning. The second category consists of people who showcase repetitive, restricted, and inflexible patterns of interests and activities. DSM-5 indicates that for a proper diagnosis of ASD to be given a patient must exhibit at least six out of 12 symptoms from three areas; social, communication, and behavioral (Wiggins et al., 2019). The symptoms may exhibit in early childhood and be accompanied by speech delay.
Gaining Makala’s Trust
The first step will be to secure a quiet room whereby the physical examination will be conducted. I will endeavor to dim the light and regulate the room temperature to present a relaxing environment. Makala already exhibits some signs of ASD which may showcase her reluctance to be touched by any equipment. Al-Beltagi (2021) indicates that environmental adaptations such as dim lighting can help children with ASD gain trust and be less anxious. Autistic children are usually stressed by intimate touch thus as a nurse practitioner I need to begin by visual inspection before I can physically assess Makala. I will also try to experiment on Makala’s mother to show Makala what I intend to do. Seeing the examination being done on someone familiar may help her to gain trust in the process. I will also reward any positive behavior in Makala to encourage cooperation.
 Testing for ASD
I will begin by reviewing any of Makala’s previous health records. However, if there are no records, I will interview the mother to get a better understanding of the condition. I will ask open-ended questions on reasons for referral, birth history, developmental and behavioral history, and medical history with a focus on ASD difficulties. Brian et al. (2019) indicate that a history of developmental disability will evaluate ASD learning difficulty, genetic conditions, and behavioral problems. I wi...