Special Needs News - Dementia in Down Syndrome, Fitness of Kids with Autism & Early Diagnosis of ADHD - 30 September 2014

High risk of early onset dementia in people with Down's Syndrome

People with Down Syndrome are twice as likely to get dementia than the general population, according to researchers from Trinity College Dublin.  Researchers also report that people with Down Syndrome get dementia at a much younger age than the general population. For those with Down Syndrome the average age for the onset of dementia is 55 in comparison to 65 and over in the general population.

"This is the first time in history we have ever had a population of people with an intellectual disability who have reached old age and this is something that we should celebrate. However, there are a number of very serious health concerns that we need to better understand in this population. Unless we can address some of these challenges older people with ID are likely to live a poor quality of life as they grow older and ageing in poor health is an empty prize," said principal investigator Professor Mary McCarron.

These findings are part of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).   The report is titled "Advancing Years, Different Challenges: Wave 2 IDS-TILDA, Findings on the ageing of people with an Intellectual Disability".

Kids with autism less active than peers, but just as fit

Credit:  Chicago's North Shore on Flickr

Researchers at Oregon State University measured the physical activity and fitness levels of 29 children. Seventeen of the children had autism spectrum disorder and 12 did not.  The children's movements were calculated using accelerometers.  Their fitness levels were measured using testing commonly used in schools. 

Researchers found that the children with autism were more sedentary than those without the disorder.  However, the children with autism's fitness levels were comparable to their peers in all areas except strength.

The study, "Physical Activity and Physical Fitness of School-Aged Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders" is published in the journal Autism Research and Treatment.

Study shows need for early diagnosis of ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) negatively affects young children's school performance and social skills according to a study from the Children's Attention Project in Australia. Researchers studied 400 children ages 6 to 8.  As part of the research, the children were screened for ADHD.  One hundred seventy-nine children had ADHD and the rest did not. 

The children with ADHD performed worse than their peers on all "functional domains" including mental health, academic performance and peer problems.

Credit:  Woodleywonderworks on Flickr

"Already at this stage, which is relatively young, it's very clear the children have important functional problems in every domain we registered," said study lead author Dr. Daryl Efron.  "On every measure, we found the kids with ADHD were performing far poorer than the control children."

In addition, although the children met the screening criteria for ADHD, 80 percent had not been diagnosed with the disorder. Dr. David Fassler, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont College of Medicine called this finding "striking."

"I fully agree with the authors' conclusion that the results of the study underscore the need for earlier recognition and treatment of ADHD in young children," Fassler said.

The study "Functional Status in Children With ADHD at Age 6–8: A Controlled Community Study" is published in the journal Pediatrics.


Sources:

Longitudinal report shows challenging reality of ageing with an intellectual disability

Children with autism are more sedentary than their peers, new OSU study shows

ADHD Can Hamper School Performance as Early as 2nd Grade, Study Says

Functional Status in Children With ADHD at Age 6–8: A Controlled Community Study