Diagnostic Approaches, Comorbidity Issues and Clinical Tools in Children with ASD

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• Recognise the basic diagnostic manuals, systems for diagnosing mental disorders (DSM, ICD)
• Identify changes in diagnostic manuals in relation to ASD
• Describes and applies a science-based diagnostic approach to ASD across all age phases (Infancy and early childhood, Preschool, School age, Adults)
• Describe and apply screening tools for ASD in early childhood (General Developmental Screening, Level 1 Screening, Level 2 Screening, Level 2 Screening)
• Define the concept of comorbidity
• Identify and describe the main physical and neurological comorbidities found in ASD (epilepsy, mental retardation, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, immunological disorders, sensory disorders, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders)
• Identify and describe the main mental comorbidities (general psychiatric comorbidity, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and related disorders, mood disorders, suicidality and suicidal ideation, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, personality disorders, other mental disorders)
• Identify and describe basic behavioural disorders (disruptive disorders, impulse control and conduct disorders)
• Identify historical issues related to mental comorbidities and causal pathways for their manifestation
• Describe and apply tools for the assessment of mental comorbidities
• Identify comorbidities according to developmental stage (children and adolescents, adults)

Course Content

1. Diagnostic manuals, systems for the diagnosis of mental disorders (DSM, ICD)
2. ASD and changes in diagnostic manuals
3. Diagnostic approach to ASD (Infancy and early childhood, Preschool age, School age, Adults)
4. Screening tools for screening for ASD in early childhood (General developmental screening, Level 1 screening, Level 2 screening, Level 2 screening)
5. Introduction, Definition of comorbidity
6. Physical and neurological disorders

   6.1 Epilepsy

   6.2 Mental retardation

   6.3 Sleep disorders

   6.4 Gastrointestinal disorders

   6.5 Immunological disorders

   6.6 Sensory disorders

   6.7 Metabolic disorders

   6.8 Hormonal disorders

7. Mental and behavioural disorders

   7.1 Historical issues relating to comorbidities

   7.2 Etiological pathways for the occurrence of comorbidities in ASD

   7.3 Diagnostic tools and mental comorbidities

   7.4 Mental disorders (general psychiatric comorbidity, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and related disorders, mood disorders, suicidality and suicidal ideation, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, personality disorders, other mental disorders)

   7.5 Behavioural disorders (disruptive disorders, impulse control and conduct disorders)

   7.6 Comorbidities according to developmental stage (children and adolescents, adults)