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Health Differences Across the Lifespan 2 Study Guide • Fear/phobias, sleeping and eating disturbances, temper tantrums, and aggression • Self-injury is fairly common, especially when there is an associated severe mental retardation • Lack of spontaneity, initiative, and creativity in the organization of their leisure time • Difficulty applying conceptualizations in decision-making in work (even when the tasks themselves are well within their capacity) The specific manifestation of deficits characteristic of autism change as the children grow older, but the deficits continue into and through adult life with a broadly similar pattern of problems in socialization, communication, and interest patterns. Developmental abnormalities must have been present in the first 3 years for the diagnosis to be made, but the syndrome can be diagnosed in all age groups. Interventions The two treatments that have received the most empirical support are Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA; behavior modification) and the use of vitamin B6 with magnesium supplements. Behavior modification involves a variety of strategies (positive reinforcement, time-out) to increase appropriate behaviors, such as communication and social behavior, and to decrease inappropriate behaviors, such as self-stimulatory and self-injurious behavior. Vitamin B6 taken with magnesium has been shown to increase general well-being, awareness, and attention in approximately 45% of autistic children. Substance Abuse • Substance use: the use of a substance in a socially acceptable manner (glass of wine with dinner) • Drug misuse: using drugs for a non-medical use • Abuse: a maladaptive pattern related to a drug being used and causing a clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested by one or more of the following: o Recurrent substance abuse resulting in a failure to fulfill major roles at work, school, or home o Recurrent substance abuse in situations in which it is physically hazardous, as in a life on the line o Recurrent substance related legal problems (DWI) o Continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems Terms used in substance abused patients: • Dependence: compulsive use • Psychological dependence: “I need to sleep at night” • Metabolic tolerance: liver metabolized drug quicker • Pharmacodynamic tolerance: adaptation of cells to drugs • Behavioral tolerance: do not get the same response after prolonged use

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