PREVALENCE OF AUTISM AUTISTIC FEATURES AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN SUBJECTS ATTENDING SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN OUR COMMUNITY

• Published in: Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 24 - 29
• Main Authors: V., Sharda, K., Subbalakshmi N., S., Narayana, K., Samal R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: A-12, Second Floor, Sector -2, NOIDA -201301, India Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd 01.06.2012
• Subjects: Original Article; epilepsy; mental retardation; autism features; gender; autism
• ISSN: 2582-4287; 2582-4953
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1703566

Abstract Introduction: There is no one single unified theory to explain the etiology of autism. Autistic symptoms occur along a wide spectrum. Thus we studied the autistic symptoms according to gender, mental retardation and presence of epilepsy. Methods: 500 children attending different special schools were screened for autism employing DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder. Data was analysed employing suitable statistical tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Display of autistic features was significantly different among the study subjects (p value less than 0.00001). But more than 90% of the subjects had distorted speech, repetitive speech and tantrum to minor changes symptoms. Autistic males were two times greater than autistic females (50 vs. 24). Proportion of autistic subjects with loneliness and poor interaction was significantly higher in 26-50 intelligence quotients group compared to 51-80 intelligence quotients (p value equal to 0.002, 0.03 respectively). 25.67% autistic subjects were epileptic. In them, prevalence of not identifying strangers, failing to make eye contact, not understanding humor symptoms were significantly higher compared to others (p value equal to 0.018, 0.044, 0.015, respectively). Epilepsy was associated with higher number of autism symptoms (p value equal to 0.023). Conclusions: Tantrum to minor changes, distorted and repetitive speech are the most common autistic features. Risk of autism is 2 times higher in males compared to females. Aloofness and poor interaction symptoms are higher in autistic subjects with lower intelligence quotients. Epilepsy is associated with higher number of autism symptoms.