The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
IntroductionAutistic individuals may show several psychiatric co-occurrences, including Feeding and Eating Disorders (FEDs). Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) consists of avoidance or restriction in food intake, leading to significant weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and ma...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| author | Sara Passarini Sara Passarini Silvia Guerrera Maria Picilli Maria Picilli Elisa Fucà Laura Casula Deny Menghini Sabine Pirchio Valeria Zanna Giovanni Valeri Stefano Vicari Stefano Vicari |
| author_facet | Sara Passarini Sara Passarini Silvia Guerrera Maria Picilli Maria Picilli Elisa Fucà Laura Casula Deny Menghini Sabine Pirchio Valeria Zanna Giovanni Valeri Stefano Vicari Stefano Vicari |
| author_sort | Sara Passarini |
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| description | IntroductionAutistic individuals may show several psychiatric co-occurrences, including Feeding and Eating Disorders (FEDs). Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) consists of avoidance or restriction in food intake, leading to significant weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and marked interference with psychosocial functioning. Both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ARFID are characterized by the two main features of cognitive rigidity and sensory sensitivity, which may complicate differential diagnosis. There is a notable lack of information on the manifestation of ASD-ARFID co-occurrence, as well as tailored assessment tools and practice, and therapeutic approaches.Case descriptionThis report provides a detailed description of L., a young girl with a late diagnosis of ASD who also developed unspecific depressive mood disorder and ARFID in co-occurrence. After the diagnosis of ASD, L. underwent multiple evaluations to address emerging psychiatric co-occurrences and symptom exacerbation, and in order to develop the most effective integrated treatment.ConclusionThe case of L. expands the knowledge on the phenotype of Autistic females and exemplifies how delayed diagnosis may exacerbate functioning differences and increase the camouflage phenomenon. Additionally, it underscores the importance of improving tailored evaluation, combined treatment plans, with both cognitive-behavioral therapy and drugs, and monitoring the evolving patterns of Autistic manifestations and associated psychiatric co-occurrences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5b7bdd4234bf425baf20bc5850a3d217 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-5b7bdd4234bf425baf20bc5850a3d2172025-01-24T11:14:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-01-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.14475621447562The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake DisorderSara Passarini0Sara Passarini1Silvia Guerrera2Maria Picilli3Maria Picilli4Elisa Fucà5Laura Casula6Deny Menghini7Sabine Pirchio8Valeria Zanna9Giovanni Valeri10Stefano Vicari11Stefano Vicari12Psychology Unit, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyChild and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, ItalyPsychology Unit, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyChild and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyPsychology Unit, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyChild and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyChild and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyChild and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, ItalyLife Sciences and Public Health Department, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, ItalyIntroductionAutistic individuals may show several psychiatric co-occurrences, including Feeding and Eating Disorders (FEDs). Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) consists of avoidance or restriction in food intake, leading to significant weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and marked interference with psychosocial functioning. Both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ARFID are characterized by the two main features of cognitive rigidity and sensory sensitivity, which may complicate differential diagnosis. There is a notable lack of information on the manifestation of ASD-ARFID co-occurrence, as well as tailored assessment tools and practice, and therapeutic approaches.Case descriptionThis report provides a detailed description of L., a young girl with a late diagnosis of ASD who also developed unspecific depressive mood disorder and ARFID in co-occurrence. After the diagnosis of ASD, L. underwent multiple evaluations to address emerging psychiatric co-occurrences and symptom exacerbation, and in order to develop the most effective integrated treatment.ConclusionThe case of L. expands the knowledge on the phenotype of Autistic females and exemplifies how delayed diagnosis may exacerbate functioning differences and increase the camouflage phenomenon. Additionally, it underscores the importance of improving tailored evaluation, combined treatment plans, with both cognitive-behavioral therapy and drugs, and monitoring the evolving patterns of Autistic manifestations and associated psychiatric co-occurrences.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1447562/fullautism spectrum disorderfeeding and eating disordersfood selectivitydepressive moodsensory profile |
| spellingShingle | Sara Passarini Sara Passarini Silvia Guerrera Maria Picilli Maria Picilli Elisa Fucà Laura Casula Deny Menghini Sabine Pirchio Valeria Zanna Giovanni Valeri Stefano Vicari Stefano Vicari The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Frontiers in Psychiatry autism spectrum disorder feeding and eating disorders food selectivity depressive mood sensory profile |
| title | The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder |
| title_full | The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder |
| title_fullStr | The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder |
| title_short | The challenge of a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: co-occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies. a case report of a young Autistic female with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder |
| title_sort | challenge of a late diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder co occurring trajectories and camouflage tendencies a case report of a young autistic female with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder |
| topic | autism spectrum disorder feeding and eating disorders food selectivity depressive mood sensory profile |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1447562/full |
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