Developmental, learning and communication disorders

Question 1

Characteristics of pervasive developmental disorders

Answer 1

Impaired social skills
Language/communication difficulties
Restricted behaviour

Question 2

Difference between DSM IV and DSM V regarding autism diagnosis

Answer 2

DSM IV has autism, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified separately
DSM V has autism spectrum disorder which encompasses all the DSM IV diagnoses

Question 3

Key features of autism spectrum disorder

Answer 3

Deficits in social communication and social interaction
Restricted repetitive behaviours, interests, and activities

Question 4

Age of onset of childhood autism

Answer 4

<3 years

Question 5

Male:female ratio of autism

Answer 5

4:1

Question 6

Percentage of children with an autistic sibling who have autism

Answer 6

2-15%

Question 7

Percentage of children with two autistic siblings who have autism

Answer 7

25-30%

Question 8

Heritability of autism

Answer 8

90%

Question 9

Percentage of children with autism who have Fragile X syndrome

Answer 9

1-4%

Question 10

Percentage of children with autism who have tuberous sclerosis

Answer 10

2%

Question 11

MRI findings in childhood autism

Answer 11

Larger brain volumes
Early acceleration in growth
Increase in size of lateral and 4th ventricles
Cerebellar hypoplasia

Question 12

Maternal illness during pregnancy that is associated with autism

Answer 12

Rubella

Question 13

Percentage of people with childhood autism who are unable to live independently as adults

Answer 13

60%

Question 14

Autism intervention that involves 40 hours/week input and is based on operant conditioning, imitation and reinforcement

Answer 14

Applied behavioural analysis (ABA)

Question 15

Licensed medication in the UK for autism and associated aggressive behaviour

Answer 15

Risperidone

Question 16

Difference between childhood autism and Asperger’s syndrome

Answer 16

IQ normally within normal limits in Asperger’s syndrome
No delays in language development with Asperger’s syndrome
Age appropriate self care skills in Asperger’s syndrome

Question 17

Mechanism of inheritance of Rett syndrome

Answer 17

X linked dominant

Question 18

Gene associated with Rett syndrome

Answer 18

MECP2

Question 19

Sex affected by Rett syndrome

Answer 19

Female (usually lethal in males)

Question 20

Age at which microcephaly develops in Rett syndrome

Answer 20

6-18 months

Question 21

Age at which developmental skills plateau in Rett syndrome

Answer 21

6-12 months

Question 22

Characteristic features of Rett syndrome

Answer 22

Stereotypical hand movements including hand wringing
Loss of previously acquired speech
Psychomotor retardation
Ataxia

Question 23

Percentage of children with Rett syndrome who have epilepsy

Answer 23

75%

Question 24

Alternative name for childhood disintegrative disorder

Answer 24

Heller’s syndrome

Question 25

Age at which symptoms begin in childhood disintegrative disorder

Answer 25

2-3

Question 26

Areas in which children may lose skills in childhood disintegrative disorder

Answer 26

Language Social behaviour Bowel or bladder control Play Motor skills

Question 27

Percentage of school aged children with learning disorders

Answer 27

5%

Question 28

Four categories of learning disorders in DSM IV

Answer 28

Reading disorder Mathematics disorder Disorder of written expression Learning disorder not otherwise specified

Question 29

Percentage of school aged children with dyslexia

Answer 29

4%

Question 30

Tools used to measure reading ability

Answer 30

Weschler Objective Reading Dimension (WORD) Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)

Question 31

Percentage of school aged children with disorder of written expression

Answer 31

2-8%

Question 32

Prevalence of stuttering in the general population

Answer 32

1%

Question 33

Peak age of onset of stuttering

Answer 33

5

Question 34

Percentage of children with stuttering who do not stutter by adulthood

Answer 34

50-80%

Question 35

Environmental risk factors for development of autism

Answer 35

Premature birth Perinatal hypoxia Maternal vitamin D deficiency High paternal age Maternal valproate exposure Maternal obesity Birthweight <1500g Maternal SSRI use

Question 36

Common comorbidities among children who stutter

Answer 36

Social anxiety School refusal Other anxiety symptoms

Question 37

Most common psychiatric comorbidities of Asperger's syndrome

Answer 37

Depression Anxiety

Question 38

Type of learning disorder most common in females

Answer 38

Developmental learning disorder with impairment in mathematics

Question 39

Percentage of children with reading difficulties

Answer 39

5%

Question 40

Percentage of children with autism who have ADHD

Answer 40

30-50%

Question 41

Element of autism spectrum disorder which does not change over time despite intervention

Answer 41

Ritualistic and repetitive behaviours

Question 42

Developmental disorder where irregular respiration is a common complication

Answer 42

Rett syndrome

Question 43

Male:female ratio of Asperger's syndrome

Answer 43

9:1

Question 44

Sex predominance for dyslexia

Answer 44

Male

Question 45

Comorbid condition most often found alongside dyslexia

Answer 45

ADHD

Question 46

Concordance rate of autism in MZ twins

Answer 46

60%

Question 47

Most common type of seizures seen in autism

Answer 47

Tonic clonic

Question 48

Percentage of children with autism who have epilepsy

Answer 48

22%

Question 49

Sex predominance for seizures in autism

Answer 49

Female

Question 50

Age at which seizures in autism usually start

Answer 50

>10 years old

Question 51

Ability common in autism where people are able to recognise repeating patterns easily in stimuli

Answer 51

Hypersystemisation

Question 52

Symptom often seen in autism where people are able to describe individual parts of an object but not see it as a whole

Answer 52

Central coherence theory

Question 53

Male:female ratio of reading difficulties

Answer 53

2:1

Question 54

Type of empathy more usually impaired in autism spectrum disorder

Answer 54

Cognitive empathy

Question 55

Percentage of people with ASD who have a learning disability

Answer 55

30%

Question 56

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