Describes About Learning Disabilities and Autism, Dental approach towards such kids and their management.

1. Learning disabilities
AND
Autism
Seminar by
E.SHREEPRADA
IV BDS

2. List Of Contents
 Definition
 Incidence and Etiology
 Manifestations
 Dental Care And Treatment
 Definition
 Incidence and Etiology
 Clinical Manifestations
 Management
 Learning disabilities
 AUTISM

3. Learning disabilities

4. Definition
LEARNING is the act of acquiring new ,or modifying and
reinforcing, existing knowledge, behavior, skills, values or
preferences.
DISABILITY is the consequence of an impairment that
may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional,
developmental, or some combination of these.
LEARNING DISABILITIES is the term applied to
children who exhibit a disorder in one or more of the
basic
psychological processes, involved in understanding or
using spoken or written language.

5. INCIDENCE
• Learning disabilities affect a person’s ability to read,
write, count, speak, or reason. In addition, they may
affect memory, attention, coordination, social skills, and
emotional maturity.
• Commonly affect between 3% and 15% of the
population.
• They occur four times more frequently among boys
than among girls.
Etiology
• The cause of learning disabilities remain unclear.
• Learning disabilities may run in families, indicating a
possible genetic factor.
• Physiological factors, such as minimal brain injury or
damage to the central nervous system, have been
implicated.

6. MANIFESTATIONS
• Leaning disorders commonly manifest as disorders of
thinking, listening, talking, reading, writing, spelling or
arithmetic.
• They include conditions that have been referred to as
perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain
dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
• Learning disabilities are sometimes confused with
intellectual disabilities, autism, deafness, and behavioral
disorders.
• The possibility exists that severe emotional disturbances
can develop as a result of learning disabilities.

7. Dyslexia Difficulty reading Problems reading, writing,
speaking, spelling
Dyscalculia Difficulty in math Problems doing math,
understanding time, using
money
Dysgraphia Difficulty with writing Problems with handwriting,
spelling, organizing ideas
Dyspraxia(Sensory
integration disorder)
Difficulty with fine
motor skills
Problems with hand-eye
coordination, balance and
manual dexterity
Dysphasia/Aphasia Difficulty with language Problems understanding
spoken language, poor
reading comprehension
Auditory processing
disorder
Difficulty hearing
differences between
sounds
Problems with reading,
comprehension and
language
Visual processing
disorder
Difficulty interpreting
visual information
Problems with reading,
math, maps, charts, symbols
and pictures

8. DENTAL CARE
and
Treatment
• Most children accept dental care willingly and do not
cause any unusual management problems.
• In resistant patients, analgesia, sedation or general
anesthesia may be used.
• People with severe emotional disturbances are to be
diagnosed soon and treated by regular psychiatric
counselling and group discussions for rehabilitation.

9. autism

10. Definition
AUTISM is a severely incapacitating disturbance of mental
and emotional development that causes problems in
learning, communication and relating to others.
It is also called by names
 PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER
 AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

11. Incidence
• Occurs in approximately 5 in 10,000 births.
• It is four times more common in boys.
Etiology
• It commonly occurs due to a physical disorder of the brain-
ORGANIC BRAIN DAMAGE OR DYSFUNCTIONS.
• Lack of environmental stimulation of psychological factors.
• Defective metabolic processes.

12. Clinical manifestations
• The condition manifests in the first three years of life.
• These children often have a poor muscle tone, poor coordination,
drooling, hyperactive knee jerk, strabismus and epilepsy.
• They have strict routines and prefer soft and sweetened foods-
INCREASED CARIES SUSCEPTIBILITY.
• Autistic children tend to pouch food instead of swallowing-POOR
TONGUE COORDINATION.
• MENTAL RETARDATION is evident in one-half to two-thirds
of autistic children.
• SEIZURE DISORDERS become manifested as they grow older.

13. Signs of autism
Extreme loneliness
The need for more downtime to relate to others
does not mean inability or willingness to engage
with others.
Mutism
Communicates in unexpected ways. Listen to
them. Talking isn’t the only way to speak!!
Parrot-like repetitious speech
Language disturbance

14. Difficulty with the concept of yes.
Thriving on routine is okay. Changes in routine
are not accepted quickly.
Obsessive desire for the
maintenance of sameness.
Sees beauty in things that others ignore.

15. They often exhibit an extreme
resistance to being held.
Sensory processing issues are not personality
defects.
They often show tantrums,
aggressive or destructive behavior
to fearful situations.
Some children need more support to
understand dangerous situations.
With love, guidance and teaching skills in
respectful ways that promote self advocacy,
autistic children become confident and thrive in
their own unique ways.

16. Autistic people play with toys in
ingenious and creative ways.
Autistic children express a wide
range of emotions., Just like
normal people!!

17. Management
• Phenytoin therapy may lead to gingival sequel.
• A patient and slow approach should be used.
• Use the Tell-Show-Do and positive reinforcement behavior
management techniques.
• Pre-operative sedation with muscle relaxants and nitrous oxide.
Oxygen analgesia can also be used for treatment.
• Psychotherapy and family counselling for the success of oral
hygiene programs as well as for establishing the patient-dentist
rapport.
• Use of papoose board or pedi-wrap may be necessary.
• General anesthesia in case of extensive treatment.

18. Summary
Learning disabilities are neurological conditions that
interfere with the individual’s ability to store, process,
or produce information.
Autism is the presence of abnormal and/or impaired
development that is manifested before three years of
age, characterized by abnormalities of social
development, communication and a restriction of
behavior and interest.

19. THANK YOU