The Diagnostic Difficulties Chronic pain is quite common in autism , yet it is often unrecognised (and undiagnosed). The diagnosis of chronic pain in autistic individuals poses unique and intricate challenges due to various factors. Overlap of autism symptoms with pain signs The overlap between autism symptoms and pain indicators can lead to the misinterpretation of pain signals. Careful consideration and comprehensive assessments are necessary to differentiate pain-related b

After examining sensory perception in autism in the first book , the newly released second instalment focuses on communication and language in autism. Communication is a two-way process, and it takes two people to mess up a conversation. Not all the problems are caused by autistic children. Non-autistic people have a lot to learn about the ways autistic individuals use verbal and non-verbal language to communicate. Autistic children do not lack the desire to talk to others bu

Challenges in diagnosing Diagnosing Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) can be difficult as individuals with this disorder often resist admitting any flaws or seeking help. Their inflated ego and lack of insight into their behaviour can make diagnosis a challenge. On the other hand, diagnosing ASD can be complex due to its wide range of symptoms, varying presentations, and overlaps with other conditions. ASDs without intellectual disability are often diagnosed late in lif

Overlapping symptoms and differences Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and ASD are two distinct condition. However, they share certain symptomatology that can lead to difficulties in differentiating between the two. NPD Note : The term "narcissism" comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a guy who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. While the concept has been around for centuries, it wasn't officially recognized as a personality disorder until the 2

Overlaps, prevalence and comorbidity Overlapping symptoms It is now recognised that ASD and personality disorders (PDs) have a variety of factors in common. However, the exact nature of the relationship between ASD and the PDs remains unclear. Differentiating between ASD in adolescence and adulthood and PDs can often be challenging due to the similarity in symptomatology. For instance: -      PDs belonging to cluster A, such as schizoid or schizotypal, exhibit odd behaviours

Is there a hidden connection? Personality Disorders (PDs) and ASDs are distinct yet interconnected psychiatric disorders/ psychological conditions. Despite fundamental differences in their symptomatology and diagnostic criteria, both disorders share certain overlapping characteristics. Firstly, it is important to establish the defining features of PDs and ASDs. Personality Disorders   are characterised by enduring patterns of thoughts, emotions, and inflexible, maladaptive, o

Distinct features and diagnostic challenges of psychosis in autis m Although there is a considerable overlap in symptoms, it is important to recognize that autism and psychosis are distinct conditions . Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for these two conditions to co-occur, and their comorbidity rates are significantly higher compared to the general adult population. Intriguingly, significant associations were found between autistic traits and probable psychosis and psychotic

Prevalence and comorbidity Comorbidity , or the coexistence of two or more disorders, is common in both autistic individuals and people with psychotic disorders. Psychosis and bipolar disorder are two commonly occurring psychiatric disorders that affect autistic individuals throughout their lives (Ghaziuddin & Ghaziuddin 2021; Foss-Feig et al. 2021; Jutla et al. 2021; Vaquerizo-Serrano et al. 2021; Bitsika et al. 2021). In fact, the prevalence of these disorders is significan

Overlapping symptoms and differences Psychosis Psychosis is not a diagnosis in and of itself but rather a cluster of symptoms present in...

Similarities and differences in conceptualisation, diagnosis and research Similarities: ASD and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions that manifest themselves at different stages of life (two opposite ends of life span, i.e., childhood and old age) (Nadeem et al. 2021; Khan et al. 2016; Rhodus et al. 2020). According to the present trend, they both can be described as neurodivergent conditions. In fact, include both ASD and dementia

Overlaps in biological pathways, clinical features and behavioural expression Although Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and ASD are etiologically distinct conditions , there is growing evidence of significant overlaps in biological and neurological features, and behavioural expression of ASD and AD (and related dementias). Studies also suggest that there are common neurological pathways in both ASD and dementia, particularly involving the immune system and synaptic signaling. A gene

- Hello, where are you? - I am at home. - At home? Where? - I have one home, in England. Why? What’s happened? - Why did you leave without saying ‘goodbye’? It was great when you and your daughter came to see me. We visited friends and had fun. I was preparing your farewell party, but you left. You could have said goodbye… Thus began my conversation with my childhood friend (B.). We have be

In autism, there is laughing/giggling and ‘laughing/giggling’. There can be numerous reasons to laugh, which are difficult to understand by ‘outsiders’: Of course, autistic individuals laugh when they are happy , or if they find something funny. However, they often laugh to release fear, tension and anxiety . What is very difficult for their parents to comprehend (and accept) is that they might laugh or giggle non-stop when someone is crying. This may be one of their defensiv

Let’s start with linguistics: The way we label things around us means a great deal. Let’s look at the widely used terms in an ‘autistic way’, i.e., literally (without adding any personal connotation – neither positive, nor negative) – each word in this section has its dictionary meaning. - Autism Spectrum : Spectrum is defined as ‘the entire range of particular type of thing, arranged by degree or quality, etc.’; it is used to classify something in terms of positio

“[After the assessment] I was surprised to learn that most of [the infantile reflexes] were still present and uninhibited in me at the age of almost thirty in spite of having learned to compensate for and cover them up. One which was still present was an infantile reflex that babies have to assist them in passing out of the womb! It was also found that I had different infantile reflexes present in different quarters of my body and that some were partially inhibited and some n

Why motor problems are a sign of ASD and how identifying them at a young age can lead to better results for the child.