What is ASD?
Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is a disorder affecting brain development. It is therefore present from birth, and persists for life. Approximately 2.3% of the population is affected.
For the child or adult with ASD, social communication and social interactions are difficult. They will have difficulty not only considering, but also understanding what another person is experiencing during a social interaction. In social interactions, people with ASD may therefore :
- Ignore another person's turn to speak ;
- Ignore another person's signs of impatience or desire to leave the discussion, for example;
- Formulate hurtful words in a clumsy but not unkind way, without realizing the impact of their words on the other person;
- Have difficulty reading and empathizing with the emotional reactions of people around them;
- Have difficulty supporting their message with facial expressions or gestures;
- Difficulty showing interest in others ;
- Have difficulty adjusting their behavior to the context.
- Have limited interest in sharing games and a clear preference for solitary activities.
- A keen interest in twinkling lights and moving water.
ASD profiles can vary greatly from one child to the next. Some will never develop language (or very little), while others may have a very elaborate language, marked by beautiful formulations and a rich vocabulary.
However, they often give the impression of tacking on ready-made phrases, with intonations in the voice that seem incompatible with the words being expressed. As a result, they leave an impression of "weirdness" in the eyes of the people with whom they interact.
People with ASD also exhibit what are known as repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. For example, children may tend to line up toys rather than play with them, or try to turn the wheels of toy cars with their finger rather than play with the toy car.
Their interests can be rigid and excessive, like the child who becomes interested in airplanes, but knows the number of seats in each type of commercial aircraft, the strength and make of the engines, and the model of plane that connects each major city.
The behaviours of people with ASD are often described as rigid and inflexible, marked by routines or habits that must be carried out rigidly and inflexibly every day.
How is ASD assessed and diagnosed ?
Traditional neuropsychological assessment is not suitable for evaluating the Autism Spectrum Disorder. It can detect the presence of indicators or probative signs, but cannot diagnose the disorder.
ASD is assessed using tests specific to this disorder. At CERC, the ASD evaluation is carried out by a neuropsychologist and another observing professional (neuropsychologist, psychologist or psychoeducator) and includes three components:
- An assessment of autistic behaviours as observed by parents throughout the child's development. When assessing an adult for ASD, we refer either to the parents, or to close relatives, in order to assess the behaviours observed by those around them in their daily lives.
- An in-office assessment of autistic behaviors with the child or adult. Our assessment protocol enables us to set up office contexts in which autistic behaviours, including mannerisms and specific interests, should appear. A rigorous grid enables us to detect and record these behaviours.
- An assessment of intellectual potential
Following the assessment, an additional session with the parents or the adult being assessed enables us to clearly explain the results and the presence or absence of an ASD diagnosis.
Is it true that vaccines can cause Autism Spectrum Disorders in children?
You may have heard the rumor that vaccines (e.g. flu or COVID) have triggered autism spectrum disorder in children previously free of such symptoms.
Fortunately, this association between vaccines and ASD is no more than a myth or a sad conspiracy theory. Hundreds of scientific articles have studied the question and concluded that there is no causal link between vaccination and ASD.
In particular, a meta-analysis by Taylor and colleagues*, involving over a million children, concluded that there was no association between vaccination and the onset of autistic symptoms.
*Taylor, L.E., Swerdfeger, A.L. & Eslick, G.D (2014). Vaccines are not associated with autism: an evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies. Vaccine, 32 (29), 3623-3629.
What interventions work for children with ASD?
Behavioral interventions at an early age often significantly reduce the symptoms of autism.
These interventions aim to teach social relationships more explicitly, equip children for social communication, develop the ability to read other people's emotions and learn expected behaviors in different contexts.
These interventions do not treat or cure ASD, but they do help to mitigate its impact and promote better social adjustment and peer group integration. ABA(Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy is one of the most established.
It is used worldwide and its beneficial effects have been well documented.
When should an Autism Spectrum Disorder be detected?
Some children show signs of ASD or developmental delays from their earliest years, attracting the attention of parents and early childhood professionals. For others, with no apparent delays in language or motor skills, symptoms may become more obvious as they enter school.
Early identification of these signs facilitates proper assessment and screening for the disorder. Our center, with its specialized ASD team and appropriate clinical tools, is dedicated to diagnosing and supporting the concerned children.
We offer support to families, providing information, resources and targeted services to promote the child's development, communication and social skills, while addressing parental concerns and assessing risk factors.
To make an appointment or if you have any questions about ASD
Our neuropsychologists
Our team of neuropsychologists in Montreal, Laval and Brossard, made up of accredited professionals, offers specialized support to individuals with neurological disorders. We develop personalized intervention plans and support families in promoting well-being and cognitive success.
