ABSTRACT
Little research has been conducted on whether deficits in developmental functioning affect the range of core symptoms for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study represents a first attempt to determine whether developmental level has an effect on the expression of ASD symptoms in infants and toddlers. Eight hundred and fifty-three infants were evaluated with respect to the nature and extent of their ASD symptoms and developmental functioning. Young children with autism displayed a higher number of symptoms than those with PDD-NOS on all three domains of impairment (social, communication, repetitive behaviors). As expected, children without an ASD evinced far fewer symptoms than both these groups. Developmental level was not found to be a moderator for expression of ASD symptoms for the entire sample, or individual diagnostic groups. Higher developmental level was associated with lower severity of evinced ASD symptoms in the sample.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/diagnosis , Autistic Disorder/psychology , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/diagnosis , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/psychology , Intelligence , Child Development , Child, Preschool , Cognition , Communication Disorders/diagnosis , Communication Disorders/psychology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Multivariate Analysis , Neuropsychological Tests , Personality Inventory , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Psychometrics , Social Behavior , Stereotypic Movement Disorder/diagnosis , Stereotypic Movement Disorder/psychologyABSTRACT
Community Child Health Nursing Services provide support for new mothers; however, the focus has often been on individual consultations, complemented by a series of group sessions soon after birth. We describe a new model of community care for first-time mothers that centres on group sessions throughout the whole contact period. The model was developed by practicing child health nurses for a large health service district in south-east Queensland, which offers a comprehensive community child health service. Issues identified by clinicians working within existing services, feedback from clients and the need for more resource-efficient methods of service provision underpinned the development of the model. The pilot program was implemented in two community child health centres in Brisbane. An early individual consultation to engage the family with the service was added in response to feedback from clinicians and clients. The modified model has since been implemented service-wide as the 'First Steps Program'. The introduction of this model has ensured that the service has been able to retain a comprehensive service for first-time parents from a universal population, while responding to the challenges of population growth and the increasing number of complex clients placing demands on resources.
Subject(s)
Child Health Services/organization & administration , Community Health Services/organization & administration , Maternal-Child Nursing/organization & administration , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Pilot Projects , QueenslandABSTRACT
As part of a larger research project to evaluate a new model of care for first-time mothers in a community health-care setting, this study aimed to identify the preparation and information needs of first-time mothers. All first-time mothers attending a selection of community child health centers in Brisbane, Australia, who presented with no overt risk factors and with a thriving child, were invited to participate in the study. Three months after mothers entered the service, data were collected via telephone survey (N = 151). In addition, focus group interviews were conducted 7-9 months following entry to the service (n = 8). Participants reported seeking information from a variety of sources during pregnancy. Few participants felt well prepared for managing either the physical or emotional experience of early mothering or the essential maternal and child health issues and common problems in the early months. Findings suggest that current approaches to care and education may not meet the needs of first-time mothers. Different approaches are suggested to enhance women's maternal competence during the first few months of becoming a new mother.
