RESUMO
In recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of comorbidity between ASD and epilepsy in the pediatric population. Children with ASD and epilepsy often exhibit greater impairments in executive functions such as cognitive flexibility, planning, inhibition, and emotional control, as well as in language dimensions such as phonology, semantics, morphosyntax, and pragmatics. These impairments can significantly impact their maturation and development. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the executive functioning and language skills of 150 participants, divided into three groups: one with ASD only, another with epilepsy only, and the third group with both ASD and epilepsy. The study utilized the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-2) and Neuropsychological Evaluation of Executive Functions in Children (ENFEN) to assess executive functions, and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals 5 (CELF-5) to evaluate language skills. The results indicated that participants with this comorbidity had lower scores in both executive functioning and language skills compared to children with only ASD or epilepsy. The presence of epilepsy significantly limits the executive and linguistic performance of children with ASD, negatively affecting language acquisition, functionality, and the ability to carry out basic life activities independently.
RESUMO
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy are increasingly prevalent comorbidities in our society. These two disorders are often accompanied by other comorbidities, such as sleep disorders, significantly impacting the quality of life of individuals with ASD and epilepsy. To date, clinical approaches have primarily been descriptive in nature. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between ASD, epilepsy, and sleep disorders, exploring neurobiological dysfunctions and cognitive alterations. A total of 22 scientific articles were selected using a systematic literature review following the criteria established using the PRISMA model. The selected articles were gathered from major databases: Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria specified that study participants had an official diagnosis of ASD, the article precisely described the evaluation parameters used in the study participants, and individual characteristics of the sleep disorders of the study participants were specified. The results indicate, firstly, that the primary cause of sleep disorders in this population is directly linked to abnormal serotonin behaviors. Secondly, significant alterations in memory, attention, and hyperactivity were observed. In conclusion, sleep disorders negatively impact the quality of life and neurocognitive development of the pediatric population with ASD and epilepsy.
RESUMO
Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy pose significant challenges for early diagnosis during childhood. Current scientific literature does not reflect robust action protocols that allow for a detailed screening of difficulties in this population, especially in areas such as language, cognition, and sensory profile. Additionally, detecting epilepsy before the age of 4 is established as a major current public health challenge in our society. Objective: The aim was to evaluate a patient exhibiting symptoms compatible with both ASD and epilepsy, determining the linguistic, cognitive, and sensory profile through a clinical assessment protocol. Furthermore, the objective included establishing a diagnosis of ASD. Method: This single-case study (N = 1) presents the evaluation of a 7-year-old patient with suspected ASD, experiencing a decline in linguistic and cognitive competencies following a documented epileptic episode. Evaluation was conducted using instruments such as CELF-5, PROLEC-R, WISC-V, ENFEN, PS-2, ADI-R, and ADOS-2. Results: Following assessment of language, cognition, sensory aspects, and behaviors associated with ASD, the diagnosis of ASD was confirmed in the patient, along with impairments in expressive and receptive language, executive functioning, and alterations in the sensory profile. Conclusion: Diagnosing ASD and epilepsy, as well as their evaluation, is a complex process requiring interdisciplinary assessment involving a detailed exploration of all functional competencies in individuals with this comorbidity. Future studies should focus on creating and improving existing protocols to develop optimal and effective evaluation strategies for assessing this population during childhood.
