| 1. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Autism before diagnosis : crying, feeding and sleeping problems in the first two years of life
- 2013
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Ingår i: Acta Paediatrica. - : Wiley. - 0803-5253 .- 1651-2227. ; 102:6, s. 635-639
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim To chart early registered regulatory problems (RP) in a representative group of young children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods The target group comprised 208 preschool children with ASD, whose records from the Child Health Centres (CHC) were reviewed regarding numbers of consultations for excessive crying, feeding and sleeping problems. The records from an age- and gender-matched comparison group were obtained from the same CHCs as those of the index children Results Significant differences between the ASD and comparison groups were found for each domain studied and when domains were collapsed. Two or more consultations had occurred in 44% of the children in the ASD group and in 16% of the comparison group (p<0.001). No correlations were found with regard to gender, later severity of autism, cognitive level or degree of hyperactivity. Conclusion Regulatory problems (RP) were much more common in children who later received a diagnosis of ASD. Children with many RP in infancy require attention from CHC and paediatric services and need to be followed with regard to development and family support.
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| 2. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina
(författare)
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Autism spectrum disorders - first indicators and school age outcome
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Studies of early indicators, diagnostic stability and outcome at mid-school age in children referred early in life for a suspected autism spectrum disorder (asd) have been few. Aims: To examine early indicators of asd and eight-year stability of asd diagnoses, comorbidity, cognitive levels and overall clinical profiles, in children diagnosed with asd in preschool age after receiving early intervention. Methods: A community-based cohort of 208 preschool children with asd were followed prospectively. Records from Child Healthcare Centers were reviewed regarding regulatory problems (rp) during infancy. When the children were about 11 years, parents of 128 of the children participated in the Autism-Tics, ad/hd and other Comorbidities (a-tac) Telephone Interview. A subgroup of 50 children with asd who had had borderline intellectual functioning (bif) – were targeted for a new cognitive test. Another subgroup of 17 children who had “grown out of autism” (i.e. had no longer met diagnostic criteria for asd at a previous follow-up) were separately targeted for followup. Parental telephone interviews in these subgroups also included the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and a semi-structured interview regarding the child’s daily functioning. Results: Early rp had been significantly more common in children later diagnosed with asd. Approximately 90% of children with an early diagnosis of asd still met criteria for asd at midschool age. A similar rate also had combinations of other developmental/neuropsychiatric disorders; attention problems, speech-/language diiculties and/or learning problems. Co-occurring disorders were particularly prevalent in children with asd and intellectual disability. Half of the children in the group still met criteria for bif, 20% had mild id (intellectual disorder), while 30% had cognitive results in the average iq range. The vast majority of the children who had “grown out of autism” still had major problems at follow-up, and some of them had indications of again meeting full criteria for a diagnosis of asd. Conclusion: Early rp should be considered a possible marker for asd. Almost all children with a preschool diagnosis of asd had remaining neurodevelopmental problems eight years later, findings that support the concepts of essence (Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations) and Autism Plus. The results underscore the need for follow-up assessments, educational adaptations and longer-term parental support targeted to this patient group.
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| 3. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Children with borderline intellectual functioning and autism spectrum disorder : developmental trajectories from 4 to 11 years of age
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. - 1176-6328 .- 1178-2021. ; 13, s. 2519-2526
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Studies on autism have tended to focus either on those with intellectual disability (ie, those with intellectual quotient [IQ] under 70) or on the group that is referred to as high-functioning, that is, those with borderline, average or above average IQ. The literature on cognition and daily functioning in autism spectrum disorder combined specifically with borderline intellectual functioning (IQ 70-84) is limited. Methods: From a representative group of 208 preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, those 50 children in the group with borderline intellectual functioning at ages 4.5-6.5 years were targeted for follow-up at a median age of 10 years. A new cognitive test was carried out in 30 children. Parents were interviewed with a semi-structured interview together with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (n=41) and the Autism-Tics, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and other comorbidities inventory (A-TAC) (n=36). Results: Most children of interviewed parents presented problems within several developmental areas. According to A-TAC and the clinical interview, there were high rates of attention deficits and difficulties with regulating activity level and impulsivity. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales composite scores showed that at school age, a majority of the children had declined since the previous assessment at ages between 4.5 and 6.5 years. Almost half the tested group had shifted in their IQ level, to below 70 or above 84. Conclusion: None of the children assessed was without developmental/neuropsychiatric problems at school-age follow-up. The results support the need for comprehensive follow-up of educational, medical and developmental/neuropsychiatric needs, including a retesting of cognitive functions. There is also a need for continuing parent/family follow-up and support.
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| 4. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Children with borderline intellectual functioning and autism spectrum disorder: developmental trajectories from 4 to 11 years of age
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1178-2021. ; 13, s. 2519-2526
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Studies on autism have tended to focus either on those with intellectual disability (ie, those with intellectual quotient [IQ] under 70) or on the group that is referred to as "high-functioning", that is, those with borderline, average or above average IQ. The literature on cognition and daily functioning in autism spectrum disorder combined specifically with borderline intellectual functioning (IQ 70-84) is limited. Methods: From a representative group of 208 preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, those 50 children in the group with borderline intellectual functioning at ages 4.5-6.5 years were targeted for follow-up at a median age of 10 years. A new cognitive test was carried out in 30 children. Parents were interviewed with a semi-structured interview together with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (n=41) and the Autism-Tics, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and other comorbidities inventory (A-TAC) (n=36). Results: Most children of interviewed parents presented problems within several developmental areas. According to A-TAC and the clinical interview, there were high rates of attention deficits and difficulties with regulating activity level and impulsivity. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales composite scores showed that at school age, a majority of the children had declined since the previous assessment at ages between 4.5 and 6.5 years. Almost half the tested group had shifted in their IQ level, to below 70 or above 84. Conclusion: None of the children assessed was without developmental/neuropsychiatric problems at school-age follow-up. The results support the need for comprehensive follow-up of educational, medical and developmental/neuropsychiatric needs, including a retesting of cognitive functions. There is also a need for continuing parent/family follow-up and support.
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| 5. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Preschool to School in Autism : Neuropsychiatric Problems 8 Years After Diagnosis at 3 Years of Age
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of autism and developmental disorders. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0162-3257 .- 1573-3432. ; 46:8, s. 2749-2755
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The study presents neuropsychiatric profiles of children aged 11 with autism spectrum disorder, assessed before 4.5 years, and after interventions. The original group comprised a community sample of 208 children with ASD. Parents of 128 participated-34 with average intellectual function, 36 with borderline intellectual function and 58 with intellectual disability. They were interviewed using the Autism-Tics, AD/HD and other Comorbidities interview. Criteria for a clinical/subclinical proxy of ASD were met by 71, 89 and 95 %, respectively. Criteria for at least one of ASD, AD/HD, Learning disorder or Developmental Coordination Disorder were met by 82, 94 and 97 %. More than 90 % of children with a preschool diagnosis of ASD have remaining neuropsychiatric problems at 11, despite early intervention.
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| 6. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of autism in children born to Somali parents living in Sweden: a brief report.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0012-1622 .- 1469-8749. ; 50:8, s. 598-601
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a geographical area of Stockholm, with a relatively large Somali immigrant population, parents as well as teachers in special schools and staff at habilitation centres have raised concerns over whether children with a Somali background are over-represented in the total group of children with autism. The aim of the study was, therefore, to investigate the prevalence of autism in children with parents from Somalia, living in Stockholm county, and to compare the prevalence in children of Somali background with that in the non-Somali group. We reviewed the records of 17 children (13 males, four females), born between 1988 and 1998 (age range 7-17y) and with a Somali background, who had a diagnosis of autistic disorder or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS) and were registered at either of the two autism habilitation centres for school-aged children. The prevalence of autistic disorder or PDDNOS was found to be three to four times higher than in the non-Somali group (0.7% vs 0.19%). All children also had learning disability.* Our findings warrant further investigations of possible aetiological factors behind the increased prevalence of autistic disorders in children of Somali origin found in this area in Sweden.
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| 7. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of autism in children of Somali origin living in Stockholm: brief report of an at-risk population.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0012-1622. ; 52:12, s. 1167-1168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This work was a follow-up study (birth years 1999–2003) of the prevalence of autism in children of Somali background living in the county of Stockholm, Sweden. In a previous study (birth years 1988–98), the prevalence of autismassociated with learning disability* was found to be three to four times higher among Somali children compared with other ethnicities in Stockholm. We examined all records of children of Somali background, born from 1999 to 2003, registered at the centre for schoolchildren with autism and learning disability. The census day was 31 December 2009. The prevalence of autismand PDDNOS (with learning disability) was 0.98% (18 ⁄ 1836) in the Somali group and 0.21% (232 ⁄ 111 555) in the group of children of non-Somali origin (p<0.001). The increased prevalence remained and was now between four and five times higher in children of Somali background. A clinical observation was that more than 80%, in addition to autismand learning disability, had a profound hyperactivity. The findings accord with many other studies reporting higher prevalence rates of autism in children of immigrantmothers.We discuss the need for further research of underlyingmechanisms.
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| 8. |
- Barnevik Olsson, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Recovery from the diagnosis of autism - and then?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. - 1176-6328 .- 1178-2021. ; 11, s. 999-1005
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The aim of this study was to follow up the 17 children, from a total group of 208 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who recovered from autism. They had been clinically diagnosed with ASD at or under the age of 4 years. For 2 years thereafter they received intervention based on applied behavior analysis. These 17 children were all of average or borderline intellectual functioning. On the 2-year follow-up assessment, they no longer met criteria for ASD. Methods: At about 10 years of age they were targeted for a new follow-up. Parents were given a semistructured interview regarding the child's daily functioning, school situation, and need of support, and were interviewed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) and the Autism - Tics, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), and other Comorbidities (A-TAC) telephone interview. Results: The vast majority of the children had moderate-to-severe problems with attention/activity regulation, speech and language, behavior, and/or social interaction. A majority of the children had declined in their VABS scores. Most of the 14 children whose parents were A-TAC-interviewed had problems within many behavioral A-TAC domains, and four (29%) had symptom levels corresponding to a clinical diagnosis of ASD, AD/HD, or both. Another seven children (50%) had pronounced subthreshold indicators of ASD, AD/HD, or both. Conclusion: Children diagnosed at 2-4 years of age as suffering from ASD and who, after appropriate intervention for 2 years, no longer met diagnostic criteria for the disorder, clearly needed to be followed up longer. About 3-4 years later, they still had major problems diagnosable under the umbrella term of ESSENCE (Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations). They continued to be in need of support, educationally, from a neurodevelopmental and a medical point of view. According to parent interview data, a substantial minority of these children again met diagnostic criteria for ASD.
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| 9. |
- Fernell, Elisabeth, 1948, et al.
(författare)
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Developmental profiles in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders referred for intervention.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Research in Developmental Disabilities. - : Elsevier BV. - 0891-4222 .- 1873-3379. ; 31:3, s. 790-799
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim was to characterize the panorama of developmental disorders in 208 preschool children with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), referred to a specialized centre, the Autism Centre for Young Children (ACYC), for intervention. At the centre, a research team examined all children according to structured protocols and interviews. All available test data from their assessments prior to referral were scrutinized. The boy:girl ratio was 5.5:1. In 22% of the total group a period of regression, including speech and language, had occurred. Epilepsy had been diagnosed in 6% of the children. In 38% of the children there was a definite or highly suspected learning disability/mental retardation according to cognitive test results. About the same proportion had a developmental delay that at the time of assessment could not be definitely classified and in 23% there were clear indications of a normal intellectual function. About 40% of the group exhibited hyperactivity. Differences in expressive vocabulary and adaptive functioning were strongly related to cognitive level. About 20% of the group had AD as the dominating developmental disorder, i.e., they represented a clinical picture of "classic" autism. The majority in this group also had learning disability. Another 20%, had ASD combined with a normal intellectual level, some of these conformed to the clinical picture of Asperger syndrome. In a relatively large group (more than half) learning disability or a general developmental delay was as evident as the ASD. In a smaller group (8%) ASD criteria were questionably met. In this group attention deficits in connection with speech and language problems were prominent. The highly individual developmental profiles seen in children with ASDs have to be taken into account when planning intervention and follow-up. The children's medical characteristics also vary considerably and will be detailed in a further report.
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| 10. |
- Fernell, Elisabeth, 1948, et al.
(författare)
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Early intervention in 208 Swedish preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. A prospective naturalistic study.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Research in Developmental Disabilities. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-3379 .- 0891-4222. ; 32:6, s. 2092-2101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Early intervention has been reported to improve outcome in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Several studies in the field have been randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The aim of this study was to assess ASD outcome in a large naturalistic study. Two hundred and eight children, aged 20-54 months, with a clinical diagnosis of ASD were given intervention and monitored prospectively in a naturalistic fashion over a period of 2 years. The toddlers were considered representative of all but the most severely multiple disabled preschool children with ASD in Stockholm county. They fell into three cognitive subgroups: one with learning disability, one with developmental delay, and one with normal intellectual functioning. Data on intervention type and intensity were gathered prospectively in a systematic fashion. Intervention was classified into intensive applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and non-intensive, targeted interventions, also based on ABA principles. Children were comprehensively assessed by a research team before the onset of intervention, and then, again, 2 years later. Change in Vineland adaptive behaviour scales composite scores from intake (T1) to leaving the study (T2) was set as the primary outcome variable. The research team remained blind to the type and intensity of interventions provided. One hundred and ninety-eight (95%) of the original samples stayed in the study throughout the whole 2-year period and 192 children had a complete Vineland composite score results both at T1 and T2. Vineland composite scores increased over the 2-year period. This increase was accounted for by the subgroup with normal cognitive functioning. There was no significant difference between the intensive and non-intensive groups. Individual variation was considerable, but no child in the study was "problem-free" at follow-up. Our data do not support that children with ASD generally benefit more from the most intensive ABA intervention programs than from less intensive interventions or targeted interventions based on ABA.
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