Maintaining dental health is vital as it contributes to the psychological well-being of an individual and the overall systemic health through preventing chronic diseases. Unfortunately, poor oral health has been identified as a common trend in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There is limited research regarding the barriers that result in rates of increased dental manifestations in patients with ASD compared to neurotypical individuals. This study strived to identify the barriers that contribute to poor oral health in individuals with ASD in order to establish interventions to break those barriers and improve overall dental health in the Autism community. A descriptive, mixed methods study design was utilized that included 10 participants: adults with ASD (n=4), parents of children with ASD (n=4) and dental professionals (n=2). The ASD population were asked to complete a questionnaire that asked about home/office dental care, dental issues and anxiety, sensitivity to external stimuli in a dental office, physical challenges and parafunctional habits. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with dental professionals regarding their experience and training in treating patients on the Autism Spectrum. Three of the four parents reported that their child had high levels of anxiety regarding dental visits. Only one adult with ASD reported flossing on a regular basis, and bruxism was reported by all adults with ASD and all but one parent as an area of concern. Interviews with the two dentists revealed that families of individuals with ASD face financial barriers and reported infrequent visits from adults with ASD. Additionally, both dentists received minimal training in working with special populations. Further research is needed to improve the frequency of dental visits in adults with ASD, which can lead to an overall increased quality of life. Additionally, more training and guidance should be provided to dental offices on working with patients with ASD.

In order to provide equal education to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Swedish upper secondary English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms, support must be provided that adapts to their strengths and needs regarding reading comprehension. Multiple studies show that many upper secondary students with ASD in Sweden do not meet the knowledge requirements for passing grades in English, and require support in reading comprehension. Through a systematic research review based on ten studies regarding reading comprehension for L2 students as well as students with ASD, this paper aims to investigate what current research says regarding how L2 students with ASD process text and also explores scaffolding tools and teaching methods used for developing reading comprehension. Further the findings are discussed in regard to the Swedish educational context. The results from the reviewed studies found four factors that can affect the reading comprehension of L2 students with ASD; namely: 1) individualistic problem-solving strategies, 2) working memory and main idea comprehension, 3) forms of scaffolding and teaching methods as well as 4) language proficiency. The discussion sheds light on how the way in which these four factors interplay when teaching reading comprehension to L2 students with ASD is relevant for teachers as it identifies the strengths of students with ASD through a resource perspective. Adaptations that could be implemented based on the results, align with Swedish policy documents. Thus, future interventional studies that combine the four factors found in the results could be significant for teachers working with EFL students with ASD.

Introduktion: Autismspektrumtillstånd (AST) är en komplex neurologisk funktionsnedsättning som börjar tidigt i livet, under spädbarnsåldern eller i barndomen. De största utmaningarna för individer med AST ligger inom områden för social interaktion och kommunikation med andra människor, samt repetitivt beteendemönster. Syfte: Att utforska föräldrars erfarenheter och upplevelser av att vara förälder till ett barn med autismspektrumtillstånd (AST). Metod: En beskrivande allmän litteraturöversikt med kvalitativ ansats gjordes enligt Friberg (2017). Litteraturöversikten baserades på 10 vetenskapliga originalartiklar. Teoretisk referensram var Antonovskys teori, känsla av sammanhang, KASAM.  Resultat: I resultatet presenteras tre kategorier: Brist på kunskap och förståelse, beskriver föräldrars erfarenheter av diagnosprocessen. Hälsa och autismens påverkan på familjen, beskriver föräldrars hälsa och upplevelser i det vardagliga livet. Välbefinnande, beskriver föräldrars sätt att kunna återhämta sig och få respit.  Slutsats: Denna studie visade att föräldrar till barn med AST upplever stor stress och arbetsbelastning, både psykiskt och fysiskt, vilket beskrivs i studien som osynligt för samhället. I studien framkommer det att inom hälso- och sjukvården är det svårt att få en tidig diagnos, på grund av brist på kunskap och förståelse hos vårdpersonalen och när diagnosen väl var fastställd kunde det vara svårt för vissa föräldrar att hantera situationen. Föräldrar i studien upplevde utmaningar i olika miljöer, inklusive hemmet, offentliga platser, hälso- och sjukvården samt skolan. Studien visade på samhällets brist på förståelse för AST och dess stereotypa syn på barns beteende, vilket bidrar till att föräldrar känner sig dömda, missförstådda och isolerade. Trots detta har majoriteten av föräldrarna en stor motståndskraft (resiliens) och flera föräldrar i studien beskrev att ha ett barn med AST bidrog till att de har fått en ökad personlig utveckling, en mer jordnära livssyn på livet samt en glädje för barnets framsteg i livet. / Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological impairment that begins early in life, during infancy or childhood. The greatest challenges for individuals with ASD lie within the areas of social interaction and communication with other people, as well as repetitive behavior patterns.  Aim: To explore parent’s experiences and perceptions of being a parent to a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: A descriptive literature review with a qualitative approach was conducted according to Friberg (2017). The literature review was based on ten original scientific articles. Antonovsky’s theory, sense of coherence, SOC was used as the theoretical framework. Results: The results are presented in three categories: Lack of knowledge and understanding, which describes parent’s experiences of the diagnostic process. Health and the impact of autism on the family, which describes parent’s health and experiences in everyday life. Well-being, which describes parent’s ways of being able to recover and get respite.  Conclusion: This study demonstrated that parent’s of children with ASD experience significant stress and workload, both mentally and physically, which is often invisible to society. The study reveals that within healthcare, it is often challenging to get an early diagnosis due to a lack of knowledge and understanding among healthcare professionals. Once the diagnosis is established, it can be difficult for some parent’s to handle the situation. The parent’s in this study experienced challenges in various environments, including the home, public places, health care, and school. The study highlights society’s lack of understanding of ASD and stereotypical views on children’s behavior which contribute to parent’s feeling judged, misunderstood, and isolated. Despite this, most parent’s demonstrate a resilience for adversity, an enhanced personal growth, a more realistic perspective on life, and a joy for their children’s achievements in life.

Abstrakt Bakgrund: Ungefär en procent av världens barn har autismspektrumtillstånd, en funktionsnedsättning med brister i kommunikation, interaktion, perception och beteende. Barnets behov och beteende skapar utmaningar i familjelivet. Föräldraskapet kan vara krävande med svårigheter att prioritera och hitta en balans i vardagen. Syfte: Att belysa föräldrars erfarenheter av att leva med barn som har autismspektrumtillstånd. Metod: En litteraturstudie baserad på tolv kvalitativa studier. Databassökning genomfördes i Cinahl, Psycinfo och Pubmed. För att analysera studierna användes Fribergs femstegsmodell. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre huvudkategorier: Livet blir aldrig detsamma, Vardag på bristningsgränsen och Pressad tillvaro. Samt tio underkategorier: Ett chockartat besked, Utlämnad i vårdens händer, Kunskapens avgörande roll, Barnets behov går först, Börda som tynger ned, Kämpa med ekonomin, I ett utsatt läge, Oro för framtiden, Relationen skakas om och Vikten av stöd. Konklusion: Föräldrar beskrev att kunskapen om autismspektrumtillstånd var låg. Vardagen påverkades socialt, känslomässigt och ekonomiskt. För att se helhet och arbeta personcentrerat bör sjuksköterskor reflektera över sin medvetenhet och förståelse för människors olika kunskap, bakgrund och kultur. / Abstract Background: Approximately one percent of the world's children have autism spectrum disorders, a disability with deficits in communication, interaction, perception and behavior. The child's needs and behavior create challenges in family life. Parenthood can be demanding with difficulties in prioritizing and finding a balance in everyday life. Aim: To illuminate parents' experiences of living with children who have autism spectrum disorder. Methods: A literature study based on twelve qualitative studies. Database search was carried out in Cinahl, Psycinfo and Pubmed. Friberg's five-step model was used to analyze the studies. Results: The result of the analysis presents in three main categories: Life will never be the same, Everyday life on the breaking point and Existence under pressure. As well as ten subcategories: Shocking information, Left in the hands of healthcare, The decisive role of knowledge, The child's needs come first, Burden that weighs down, Struggles with economy, In a vulnerable position, Worry about the future, Ordeals in the relationship and The importance of support. Conclusion: Parents described that knowledge about autism spectrum conditions was low. Everyday life was affected socially, emotionally and financially. Nurses should work person-centred and have a holistic view, reflect on their awareness and understanding of people's different knowledge, background and culture.

Theory of Mind (ToM) has repeatedly been defined as the ability to understand that others believe their own things based on their own subjective interpretations and experiences, and that their thoughts are determined independently from your own. In this study, we wanted to see if individual differences in ToM are capable of causing different perceptions of an individual's interactions with human like robotics and highlight whether or not individual differences in ToM account for different levels of how individuals experience what is called the "Uncanny Valley phenomenon" and to see whether or not having a fully developed theory of mind is essential to the perception of the interaction. This was assessed by inquiring whether or not individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) perceive robotics and artificially intelligent technology in the same ways that typically developed individuals do; we focused on the growing use of social robotics in ASD therapies. Studies have indicated that differences of ToM exist between individuals with ASD and those who are typically developed. Comparably, we were also curious to see if differences in empathy levels also accounted for differences in ToM and thus a difference in the perceptions of human like robotics. A robotic image rating survey was administered to a group of University of central Florida students, as well as 2 surveys - the Autism Spectrum Quotient (ASQ) and the Basic Empathy Scale (BES), which helped optimize a measurement for theory of mind. Although the results of this study did not support the claim that individuals with ASD do not experience the uncanny valley differently than typically developed individuals, there were significant enough results to conclude that different levels of empathy may account for individual differences in the uncanny valley. People with low empathy seemed to have experienced less of an uncanny valley feeling, while people with higher recorded empathy showed to experience more of an uncanny valley sensitivity.

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may not be meeting the recommended amounts of physical activity (PA) or obtain a sufficient amount of sleep, however, few studies have objectively compared PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep quality between typically developing (TD) youth, and youth with ASD. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare levels of PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep quality between youth with ASD and TD youth. Twenty-three children with ASD and 12 TD children wore the Actigraph GT9X accelerometer over seven days and nights to assess activity and sleep. Youth with ASD had significantly greater levels of sedentary behavior (p=.02), and had less sleep efficiency compared to TD youth (p=.0001). Additionally, TD youth were more likely to achieve the recommended levels of PA compared to youth with ASD (p=.003). Results suggest that youth with ASD have poorer health habits compared to TD youth. Interventions should be developed to target health behaviors in youth with ASD.

Introduction: Patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show more symptoms of ADHD. Since there are more adverse events caused by psychostimulants compared to non-psychostimulants, the use of a non-psychostimulant such as atomoxetine might prove more beneficial for younger patients and/or those with comorbid ADHD. Objective: The aim of this thesis is to determine the efficacy and tolerability of atomoxetine in ASD patients presenting with ADHD, by examining (a) differences in ADHD symptoms for participants receiving atomoxetine versus those receiving placebos, and (b) risk differences in adverse events between these participants. Methods: An electronic search of both PubMed.gov and ClinicalTrials.gov were conducted. To be deemed eligible, studies had to (a) be randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials comparing atomoxetine with a placebo, (b) administer atomoxetine for at least 1 week, and (c) include data on either ADHD outcomes or adverse events. Effect sizes for ADHD outcomes were calculated using Cohen's d, whereas risk differences were calculated for adverse events. For each of these two meta-analyses, effect sizes were aggregated across studies using a random effects method. Results: Overall ADHD outcomes were better for participants who received atomoxetine than for participants who received placebo, =0.297. Participants who received atomoxetine also demonstrated better outcomes in terms of attention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms, =0.345 and 0.393, respectively. Though there were more adverse events for patients taking atomoxetine than placebo, the results were not statistically significant. Discussion: This thesis extends the findings of previous meta-analyses of pharmacological treatments for ASD and ADHD, while addressing the concerns raised in the critique of existing meta-analyses presented in this thesis, e.g., limited studies, length of treatment weeks, and dichotomization of data. It provides evidence that atomoxetine improves ADHD symptoms, with an overall frequency of adverse events that did not sufficiently differ from placebo beyond chance.

Introduction: Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate poor health-related behaviors, such as nutrition, compared to their typically developed (TD) counterparts. With the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and mandatory stay-at-home orders, such health-related behaviors may be complicated and there is a need to focus on feasibility and acceptability of in-person and remote-based nutrition programs. Methods: Eleven high school students with ASD were recruited to participate in a modified nutrition program utilizing Zoom software during COVID-19. The duration was once a week for four weeks, and concepts reviewed included shopping for healthy food on a budget, introducing non-perishable but nutritious food items, and food preparation safety measures. Results: Ninety-seven percent of participants attended the remote-based nutrition program, while 87% attended the in-person nutrition program. While in-person demonstrated benefits including face-to-face interaction and hands-on cooking, the remote-based component demonstrated a high degree of feasibility and acceptability. Half of the students felt their health-related behaviors were negatively impacted by COVID-19 but reported that the implementation of the remote-based nutrition program positively impacted their nutrition choices. Conclusion: The enforcement of health-related behaviors in adolescents with ASD is significant especially during disaster-related situations. Future research should focus on efficacy and intertwining methods of in-person and remote-based learning of a nutrition or other health-related behavioral interventions in this population.

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with communication, problems with social interactions, and repetitive patterns. A greater proportion of children with ASD tend to experience nutritional difficulties and feeding issues compared to neurotypical (NT) children; however, limited research has been examined that compares nutritional behaviors between children with ASD and NT youth. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in gastrointestinal issues, weight concerns, and mealtime behaviors in youth with ASD and NT youth. Data was utilized from the 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health which consisted of items related to children’s health and well-being. Parent-reported variables on dietary behaviors, child weight concerns, mealtime behaviors, and food insecurity were compared between children with ASD and NT youth using chi-square analyses. Results: A total of 868 (weighted sample of 2,068,404) children with ASD and 28,441 (weighted sample of 72,451,623) NT children were included in the analysis. A greater percentage of parents of children with ASD reported weight-related concerns about their child (pp=0.57). Conclusion: Children with ASD experience more nutrition-related difficulties than NT youth although there were no differences in family mealtime patterns. Future research should examine food insecurity in families of children with ASD and its relationship with nutritional difficulties in this population.

Syftet med studien är att jämföra tidigare forskning med praktiska erfarenheter som verksamma lärare i årskurs 4-6 har av att anpassa sin undervisning inom SO-ämnena för elever med autism, för att tillföra kunskap till studenter, verksamma lärare och andra pedagoger. Studien är en kvalitativ intervjustudie med semistrukturerade intervjuer. I studien intervjuas fyra lärare, varav tre arbetar på samma skola. Studiens resultat visar att lärarna utgår från relationen med eleverna när de väljer undervisningsmetod eftersom alla elever är olika, och man behöver utgå från varje individs behov och intressen. Metoder som används av lärarna är bland annat bildstöd, kooperativt lärande, teknologibaserad undervisning genom ipad eller dator, repetitioner och rutiner. Dessutom diskuteras läroplanen och kunskapskraven i relation till elever med autism, och resultatet visar att deltagarna i studien anser att kraven är alldeles för höga och att elever med autism inte kan nå upp till dem.