There is more to good health than just a physically healthy body: a healthy person should also have a healthy

mind. Two sides of the same coin. The mind and body share a great deal with each other, but present a different face to the world around us. If one of the two is affected in any way, then the other will certainly also be affected. Just because we think about the mind and the body separately, it does not mean that they are independent of each other. Just as the physical body can fall ill, so too the mind. Mental health affects us all. ow we think and feel about ourselves and our lives

impacts on our behavior and how we cope in tough times. Today, we the level II nursing affiliates of !ather "aturnino #rios #niversity will present a mini$%&' presentation entitled (&utism "pectrum )isorder with profound Mental 'etardation* with a theme of (people with disabilities are just like you*. +e choose this case to be presented and studied because our client,s case has captured our interest since her case differs from the cases present in the center. &lso, our client attends her session regularly and it is the first time that our client will be the subject for a mini$%ar presentation. The term -autism spectrum- is often used to describe disorders that are currently classified as disorders. It is a neurological disorder which causes developmental disability. The term (spectrum* refers to a continuum of severity or developmental impairment. %ervasive syndrome, .hildhood developmental disintegrative disorders disorder, 'ett include autism, &sperger syndrome and %ervasive

)evelopmental )isorder /ot 0therwise "pecified. These disorders are typically characteri1ed by social deficits, communication difficulties, stereotyped or repetitive behaviors and interests, and2or cognitive delays. &lthough these diagnoses share some common features, individuals with these disorders are thought to be -on the spectrumbecause of differences in severity across these domains. .lassifications: Autism is characteri1ed by delays or abnormal functioning before the age of three years in one or more of the following domains: 345 social interaction6 375 communication6 and 385 restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Asperger syndrome can be distinguished from autism by the lack of delay or deviance in early language development. 94: &dditionally, individuals with &sperger

syndrome do not have significant cognitive delays. &n individual with &sperger syndrome typically demonstrates obsessive interest in a single topic or activity. 0ther symptoms include repetitive routines or rituals, peculiarities in speech and language, inappropriate affect or social behavior, problems with non$verbal communication, and clumsy or uncoordinated motor movements. 97: ;ecause of these difficulties, individuals with &sperger<s )isorder often have trouble interacting with others.

Childhood disintegrative disorder is characteri1ed by significant regression or loss of functioning after at least two years of typical development. 94: & child who is affected with this condition may lose communication skills, nonverbal behaviors, motor functioning, and2or skills that have already been learned

Rett syndrome appears only in females and is characteri1ed by multiple deficits after a period of normal functioning after birth. 94: &t onset, 'ett<s )isorder is characteri1ed by deceleration of head growth, loss of purposeful hand skills, loss of social engagement and language, and poor physical coordination.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS characteri1ed by milder symptoms of autism or symptoms in only one domain

is

considered -subthreshold autism- and -atypical autism- because it is often

&utism "pectrum )isorder 3&")5 is a proposed revision to the )iagnostic and "tatistical Manual of Mental )isorders = 3)"M$=5, which will be released in May 7>48. This new diagnosis will encompass current diagnoses of &utistic )isorder, &sperger<s )isorder, .hildhood )isintegrative )isorder, and %ervasive )evelopmental )isorder /ot 0therwise "pecified. 'ather than categori1ing these diagnoses, the )"M$= will adopt a dimensional approach to diagnosing disorders that fall underneath the autism spectrum umbrella. It is thought that individuals with &")s are best represented as a single diagnostic category because they demonstrate similar types of symptoms and are better differentiated by clinical specifiers 3i.e., dimensions of severity5 and associated features 3i.e., known genetic disorders, epilepsy and intellectual disability5. &n additional change to the )"M includes collapsing social and communication deficits into one domain. Thus, an individual with an &") diagnosis will be described in terms of severity of social communication symptoms, severity of fi?ated or restricted behaviors or interests and associated features. 'eviews tend to estimate a prevalence of @ per 4,>>> for autism spectrum disorders as a whole,however prevalence rates vary for each of the developmental disorders in the spectrum. &utism prevalence has been estimated at 4$7 per 4,>>>, &sperger syndrome at roughly >.@ per 4,>>>, childhood disintegrative disorder at >.>7

per 4,>>>, and %))$/0" at 8.A per 4,>>>. These rates are consistent across cultures and ethnic groups, as autism is considered a universal disorder. +hile rates of autism spectrum disorders are consistent across cultures, they vary greatly by gender, with boys being affected far more freBuently than girls. The average male$to$female ratio for &")<s is C.7:4, affecting 4 in A> males, but only 4 in 84= females. !emales, however, are more likely to have associated cognitive impairment. &mong those with an &") and mental retardation, the se? ratio may be closer to 7:4. +hile a specific cause or specific causes of autism spectrum disorders has yet to be found, many risk factors have been identified in the research literature that may contribute to the development of an &"). These risk factors include genetics, prenatal and perinatal factors, neuroanatomical abnormalities, and environmental factors. There is no cure for autism, nor is there one single treatment for autism spectrum disorders but there are ways to help minimi1e the symptoms of autism and to ma?imi1e learning. D D D ;ehavioral therapy and other therapeutic options Educational and2or school$based options Medication options Intellectual disability, also known as mental retardation, is a term used when there are limits to a person,s ability to learn at an e?pected level and function in daily life. Fevels of intellectual disability vary greatly in children G from a very slight problem to a very severe problem. .hildren with intellectual disability might have a hard time letting others know their wants and needs, and taking care of themselves. Intellectual disability could cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than other children of the same age. It could take longer for a child with intellectual disability to learn to speak, walk, dress, or eat without help, and they could have trouble learning in school. Intellectual disability can be caused by a problem that starts any time before a child turns 4H years old G even before birth. It can be caused by injury, disease, or a problem in the brain. !or many children, the cause of their intellectual disability is not known. "ome of the most common known causes of intellectual disability G like )own syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile I syndrome, genetic conditions, birth defects, and infections G happen before birth. 0thers happen while a baby is being born or soon after birth. "till other causes of intellectual disability do not occur until a child is older6 these might include serious head injury, stroke, or certain infections.

The signs and symptoms of mental retardation are all behavioral. Most people with mental retardation do not look like they have any type of intellectual disability, especially if the disability is caused by environmental factors such as malnutrition or lead poisoning. The so$called -typical appearance- ascribed to people with mental retardation is only present in a minority of cases, all of which involve syndromic mental retardation. .hildren with mental retardation may learn to sit up, to crawl, or to walk later than other children, or they may learn to talk later. ;oth adults and children with mental retardation may also e?hibit some or all of the following characteristics: D D D D D D )elays in oral language development )eficits in memory skills )ifficulty learning social rules )ifficulty with problem solving skills )elays in the development of adaptive behaviors such as self$help or self$ care skills Fack of social inhibitors .hildren with mental retardation learn more slowly than a typical child. .hildren may take longer to learn language, develop social skills, and take care of their personal needs, such as dressing or eating. Fearning will take them longer, reBuire more repetition, and skills may need to be adapted to their learning level. /evertheless, virtually every child is able to learn, develop and become a participating member of the community. In early childhood, mild mental retardation 3IJ =>G@K, a cognitive ability about half to two$thirds of standard5 may not be obvious, and may not be identified until children begin school. Even when poor academic performance is recogni1ed, it may take e?pert assessment to distinguish mild mental retardation from learning disability or emotional2behavioral disorders. %eople with mild M' are capable of learning reading and mathematics skills to appro?imately the level of a typical child aged K to 47.They can learn self$care and practical skills, such as cooking or using the local mass transit system. &s individuals with mild mental retardation reach adulthood, many learn to live independently and maintain gainful employment. Moderate mental retardation 3IJ 8=GCK5 is nearly always apparent within the first years of life. "peech delays are particularly common signs of moderate M'. %eople with moderate mental retardation need considerable supports in school, at home, and in the community in order to participate fully. +hile their academic potential is limited, they can learn simple health and safety skills and to participate in simple activities.

& person with severe or profound mental retardation will need more intensive support and supervision his or her entire life. They may learn some activities of daily living. "ome will reBuire full$time care by an attendant. &mong children, the cause is unknown for one$third to one$half of cases. )own syndrome, velocariofacial syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome are the three most common inborn causes. common are: D D !enetic conditions. "ometimes disability is caused by abnormal genes inherited from parents, errors when genes combine, or other reasons. Pro"lems during pregnancy. Mental disability can result when the fetus does not develop properly. !or e?ample, there may be a problem with the way the fetus< cells divide as it grows. D Pro"lems at "irth. If a baby has problems during labor and birth, such as not getting enough o?ygen, he or she may have developmental disability due to brain damage. D D #$posure to certain types of disease or to$ins% &odine deficiency' Iodine deficiency also causes goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. More common than full$fledged cretinism, as retardation caused by severe iodine deficiency is called, is mild impairment of intelligence. D D (alnutrition is a common cause of reduced intelligence in parts of the world affected by famine. A"sence of the arcuate fasciculus. ;y most definitions mental retardation is more accurately considered a disa"ility rather than a disease. M' can be distinguished in many ways from mental illness, such as schi1ophrenia or depression. .urrently, there is no -cure- for an established disability, though with appropriate support and teaching, most individuals can learn to do many things. owever, doctors have found many other causes. The most

)efinition of Terms: D Idiot

$ indicated the greatest degree of intellectual disability, where the mental age is two years or less, and the person cannot guard himself or herself against common physical dangers. The term was gradually replaced by the term profound mental retardation.

D D

Mongolism $ was a medical term used to identify someone with )own syndrome. 'etarded $comes from the Fatin retardare, -to make slow, delay, keep back, or hinder,- so mental
retardation means the same as mentally delayed.

&mentia $&mentia was the term used to describe an individual who developed deficits in mental
functioning early in life.

D D D D

Malnutrtion $ "chi1ophrenia .retinism &rcuate fasciculus

&s I went through some documentaries, I had encountered a line which had captured my attention. The line was (&ccept us for who we are. +e are people first and disabled last.* 'eading this Buotation makes one reali1e that no matter what or how we do it, they are made biologically a person but with special needs. The line fits with our theme (%eople with disabilities are just like you.* +hen we first see a special child what do we feel or what do we thinkL +hat if that individual is your relative or even your parent or your childL +e should face the reality that in our setting these individuals are discriminated and most likely considered as a shame or burden to the family. +e perceived that having a special child in the family will make everyone,s lives miserable. #nlike other states and countries, they have their own organi1ations for support system to these individuals. Instead of depriving them the opportunity to enjoy life they had their early stage of helping these individuals be independent when they come to their stage of maturity or adulthood. Mes, this reality is true and we cannot deny it. +e can observe this through the actions of our officials. Most of them are just too busy in their money and political affairs thus only few people are concern with this situation. This was our first time being e?posed to children with special needs. &t first we were a group of Buestion marks to how or what the process of interaction would go. Though there is only limited time given still we were thankful in learning about the life of a special child. #pon knowing the background of our client for our mini$%&' we anticipated that she was just like other kids but we were appalled when we heard her whole story. It was a nerve$breaking moment since we never e?pected the jeopardy our client underwent and we were fortunate having her as our subject for our mini$%&' presentation. E?tra care, e?tra understanding, e?tra time, e?tra patience, e?tra love and e?tra all are the special needs of these individuals. "ince we were novice we didn,t know the appropriate approach which regards to these individuals but along the interaction process we managed to understand their characters and became closer to them. &ll throughout the e?posure, I personally reali1e that these individuals, despite of their different appearance and peculiar speech and behavior they are just like us. "ome may not respond to us but we know they can hear us6 some may have difficulties understanding what we really mean but we know they are trying their best to avoid us to be disappointed. The feeling was une?plainable but the smile they drew to our faces and the happiness brought by their simple actions leaves a big part for a life$long memory.