Month: November 2018

Higher Plasma Concentration of Food-Specific Antibodies in Persons With Autistic Disorder in Comparison to Their Siblings

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Specific IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies to food antigens in 35 participants with autistic disorder and 21 of their siblings in the Republic of Macedonia were examined. Statistically significant higher plasma concentration of IgA antibodies against alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, casein, and gliadin were found in the children with autistic disorder. Plasma concentrations of IgG antibodies against alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and casein in participants with autistic disorder were significantly higher. IgE-specific antibodies (alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, casein, and gluten), as well as plasma concentration of total IgE, also were statistically significantly higher in the participants with autistic disorder. Gender differences were found for select IgA, IgG, and IgE (but not for total IgE) food-specific antibodies (kU/L) in the participants with autistic disorder and their siblings.

Keywords: autistic disorder,diet,family

Stress that parents of autistic children and parents of children with cerebral palsy face with

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Natasha Mateska1, Vladimir Trajkovski2

1unemployed special educator

2University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Introduction: Autism is a diagnose that affects every member of the family in different ways. Parents should focus a bigger part of their attention toward the autistic child, which can cause a stressful effect in the family as well as outside the family.

Aim of the study: To determine the stress that parents of autistic children face with compared to parents of children with cerebral palsy.

Methodology: The entire sample includes 90 respondents, of which 45 parents of autistic children and the rest 45 parents of children with cerebral palsy. The survey was conveyed using a questionnaire and methods of descriptive and comparative analysis were used. The comparison of the groups of surveyed was analyzed by using χ2 test and Fisher Exact test. The differences that were taken into consideration were on the level of significance p<0.05.

Results: Parents of autistic children compared with parents of children with cerebral palsy, statistically show significant difference for following variables: support from close community (χ2=7.57, df=1, p=0.006), stigmatization by family and community (χ2=5.4, df=1, p=0.02), isolation by the community (χ2=10.3, df=1, p=0.001), change in the relationship between spouses (χ2=7.53, df=1, p=0.006).

Conclusion: The parents of autistic children are faced with bigger stress in managing the everyday activities and control of life, compared with parents of children with cerebral palsy.

Key words: stress, parents, autism, cerebral palsy

Citation: Mateska N, Trajkovski V. Stress that parents of autistic children and parents of children with cerebral palsy face. Book of abstracts ‡ 9th International Scintific Conference – „Special Education and Rehabilitation Today“. Belgrade, September 25-27, 2015; 31.

Plasma concentration of immunoglobulin classes and subclasses in children with autism in the Republic of Macedonia: retrospective study.

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Croatian Medical Journal [01 Dec 2004, 45(6):746-749]
Type: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov’t, Journal Article

Abstract

AIM: To examine plasma concentration of IgA, IgM, IgG classes, and IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 subclasses in children with autism. METHODS: Infantile autism was diagnosed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria. Plasma samples were collected from 35 autistic subjects, and their 21 siblings (biological brothers and sisters) who served as healthy controls. Plasma samples were separated by centrifugation and stored at -20 degrees C until the determination. Plasma immunoglobulin classes (IgM, IgA, IgG) and subclasses (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) were determined using a nephelometer. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations (mean+/-standard deviation) of IgM and IgG in autistic children (1.36+/-0.31 g/L and 13.14+/-1.27 g/L, respectively) were significantly higher (p=0.031 and p=0.023, respectively) in comparison with their healthy brothers or sisters (1.20+/-0.15 g/L and 12.39+/-0.96 g/L, respectively). Children with autism had significantly higher plasma concentrations of IgG4 (p<0.001) compared to their siblings (healthy brothers or sisters). Plasma concentration of IgA, IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 were similar in autistic children and their healthy brothers or sisters. Increased plasma concentration of IgG1 was found (p=0.027) in autistic males (8.06+/-2.40), as compared with their healthy brothers (5.24+/-4.13 g/L). Plasma concentrations of IgG (14.28+/-3.66 g/L), and IgG1 (9.41+/-2.20 g/L) in autistic females were increased (p=0.012 and p=0.021, respectively) in comparison with IgG (11.07+/-2.07) and IgG1 (6.37+/-3.38 g/L) in their healthy sisters. CONCLUSION: Children with autism have increased plasma concentration of immunoglobulines. Increased immunoglobulines in children with autism could be a result of impaired development of the immune system, and/or genetic factors connected with defense mechanism in these children.

ORCIDs linked to this article

Source: https://europepmc.org

A multimodal intervention for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders: ‘ReAttach’

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Paula Weerkamp-Bartholomeus, Ph.D.1, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Trajkovski2

1ReAttach Therapy Institute, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, e-mail: info@reattach-therapy-institute.com

2Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Philosophy, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” Blvd. Goce Delchev 9A, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, e-mail vladotra@fzf.ukim.edu.mk

 Abstract

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication and restricted and repetitive interests/behaviors, which has considerable impact on daily life functioning. ReAttach is an intervention based on attachment, arousal regulation and training multiple sensory integration processing.

Aim: investigate the effectivity of ReAttach in terms of improvement of daily life functioning.

Method: Eight therapists were trained to perform ReAttach with a group of participants (N=58). Comparison of the mean scores on the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was conducted with a paired sample t-test.

Results: In this study we have explored the potential of 5 sessions of ReAttach to significantly improve the ATEC scores of participants diagnosed with ASD within a short period of time. The results revealed significant decreases of problems (p<0.001) in the subscales: I. Speech (t=9.96, df=57, p=0.000), II. Sociability (t=13.72, df=57, p=0.000), III. Sensory Cognitive Awareness (t=11.91, df=57, p=0.000), IV. Health / Physical / Behavior (t=11.64, df=57, p=0.000) and total scores of the ATEC (t=15.23, df=57, p=0.000).

We made comparison of mean total scores in various diagnosis within the whole ASD group: Autistic disorder (N=6, age M=18.67, SD±6.92, males were 100%) t=4.78, df=5, p=0.005; Asperger syndrome (N=24, age M=27.75, SD±12.88 males were 70.83%)  t=10.56, df=23, p=0.000; PDD-NOS (N=24, age  M=22.17, SD±11.68, males were 83.33%), t=9.26, df=23, p=0.000; ASD and Intellectual Disability (N=4, age M=26.75, SD±16.17, males were 75%) t=4.40, df=3, p=0.022.

Conclusions: This study confirms that ReAttach has a positive impact on daily life functioning. Practical research confirms the hypothesis that this intervention has a positive effect on various developmental areas described in the ATEC. The results further suggest that people within the entire range of ASD can benefit from ReAttach and the method itself might provide important clues to efficient ASD treatment.

Keywords: autism, innovation, treatment

Citation: Weerkamp Bartholomeus P, Trajkovski V. Multimodalna intervencija za decu i odrasle sa autističnim spektrom poremećaja: „Reattach“. Zbornik rezimea ‡ IV stručno-naučni skup sa međunarodnim učešćem „Aktuelnosti u edukaciji i rehabilitaciji osoba sa smetnjama u razvoju“. Beograd, 24-25 oktobar, 2015; 19.

#AUTISM PCP – A hollistic approach of person-centred planning for people with Autism

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AUTISM PCP‘ is an innovative cross-sectoral partnership project with strong European

added value; as such, ‘AUTISM PCP’ addresses important horizontal as well as sectoral priorities

for the European Union, such as ‘social inclusion, adult learning policies and Early School

Leaving (ESL).

The main objectives of  ‘AUTISM_PCP’ are:

– Empowerment of individuals at risk of social exclusion and more specifically empowerment of ASC

individuals

– Strengthening of the overall effort for social inclusion and integration of ASC individuals at

mainstream education & society at large

– Enhancing competences of professionals and all those individuals, such as family members & relatives, etc., involved in the life of ASC individuals

– Raise awareness  to the general public with regards to social inclusion of pupils with Autism

Source: http://www.autismholistic.eu/

WHAT CAN REATTACH DO FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM?

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Let’s take a few minutes to explain the impact of the multimodal approach of ReAttach:

  • ReAttach trains Multiple Sensory Integration Processing
  • ReAttach trains coherent concepts
  • ReAttach trains complex social cognitive skills and we start at a very low entry level
  • Our therapists use cognitive bias modification to practise new neuropsychological patterns and new thinking strategies that might be very useful in situations that are quite complicated

 

This results in:

  • The ability to learn from new experiences (problems with transfer disappear)
  • The ability to understand social concepts and read the non-verbal cues and social rules and behaviours that are not explicitly explained
  • Self-awareness and behaviour control
  • Improvement of executive functioning
  • Sensory overload decreases or disappears because sensory information can be processed quicker and better in a coherent way (by multiple sensory integration processing)
  • The development of new skills such as: imagination, expressing emotions, showing empathy, theory of mind, mentalization, reading your own body signals

 

With pre-verbal children or adults with autism ReAttach can achieve this:

  • Multiple Sensory Integration Processing
  • Coherent concepts of the self and others
  • Differentiation between the self and others
  • Echolalia changes into communication addressing to the self and the other
  • Exploration and play.

In the Netherlands we already provide the ReAttach for Autism intervention in institutions for Mental Health, private practises and institutions for people with cognitive disabilities. In WTA March 2015 a case study was published in Dutch.

The method has been presented at the World Autism Organisation Conference in 2014 and 2016 and at the Autism Challenges and Solutions Conference in Moscow, April 2016.

The practical research has been published in Clinical Neuropsychiatry, a peer-reviewed journal for treatment evaluation. It has been rewarded with a nomination of the Clinical Neuropsychiatry Award.http://clinicalneuropsychiatry.org

Prof Dr Vladimir Trajkovski has presented this autism research paper in Belgrade last year and represents us in the Balkan region.

In Prof Dr Michael Fitzgerald’s book Autism Recent Advances there is a chapter on ReAttach about a case study with a patient with Asperger syndrome. http://www.intechopen.com/books/autism-spectrum-disorder-recent-advances/reattach-the-exciting-development-of-a-promising-intervention-for-autism-spectrum-disorders

Availability

International training courses are scheduled to deliver the ReAttach for Autism in the upcoming year to: Belgium (Gent, Leuven, Antwerpen), Singapore, United Kingdom (London), Germany (Keulen, Mannheim, Muenster), Italy (Rome), Vancouver BC, Australia (Sydney, Melbourne,) and New York.

For more information you may contact ReAttach Therapy Institute
info@reattach-therapy-institute.com

Source: AutsimEye

FAMILY ANALYSIS OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN CLASSES AND SUBCLASSES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISTIC DISORDER

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. 2009 Nov; 9(4): 283–289.
PMCID: PMC5603683
PMID: 20001993

Abstract

Autistic disorder is a severe neurodevelopment disorder characterized by a triad of impairments in reciprocal social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and a pattern of repetitive stereotyped activities, behaviours and interests. There are strong lines of evidence to suggest that the immune system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of autistic disorder. The aim of this study was to analyze quantitative plasma concentration of immunoglobulin classes, and subclasses in autistic patients and their families. The investigation was performed retrospectively in 50 persons with autistic disorder in the Republic of Macedonia. Infantile autistic disorder was diagnosed by DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria. Plasma immunoglobulin classes (IgM, IgA, and IgG) and subclasses (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4) were determined using Nephelometer Analyzer BN-100. Multiple comparisons for the IgA variable have shown statistically significant differences between three pairs: male autistic from the fathers (p = 0,001), female autistic from the mothers (p = 0,008), as well as healthy sisters from the fathers (p = 0,011). Statistically significant differences found between three groups regarding autistic disorder (person with autistic disorder, father/mother of a person with autistic disorder, and brother/sister) independent of sex belongs to IgA, IgG2, and IgG3 variables. Multiple comparisons for the IgA variable have shown statistically significant differences between children with autistic disorder from the fathers and mothers (p < 0,001), and healthy brothers and sisters from the fathers and mothers (p < 0,001). Comparison between healthy children and children with autistic disorder from the same family should be tested for immunoglobulin classes and subclasses in order to avoid differences between generations.

Keywords: autistic disorder, immunoglobulin classes, immunoglobulin subclasses, family analysis
Source: PMC