Repetitive and ritualistic behaviour in children with Prader-Willi syndrome and children with autism.

Greaves N, Prince E, Evans DW, Charman T.

Islington Primary Care NHS Trust, London, UK.

Summary by Jamie H. Bassel, D.C., P.C.

In this month’s Journal of Intellectual Disability Research this study reveals that people with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) display obsessive repetitive and ritualistic behavior.  This is seen as an extension from known food seeking behavior.  The study compared children with Autism with children with PWS.  In both conditions individuals display increases in recurring, inflexible and routine behavior.  Parents were asked to fill-out the Childhood Routines Inventory (CRI) questionnaire. The results revealed that both groups had similar responses.  Parents of PWS children indicated that behaviors of “collecting and storing items” occurred more frequently, whereas, autistic children were more interested in “lining up” objects, specific foods and details of the home environment.  The study concluded that the typical behavioral pattern in PWS focuses on items being “just right”, persistence of “sameness”.  There is an overwhelming relationship between children of autism and PWS and therefore proper psychological/medical management should focus on rigid behavioral patterns.   Furthermore, future studies should examine whether there is a specific gene location or neurotransmitter that addresses this behavior in both children with Autism and PWS. 

J Intellect Disabil Res. 2006 Feb;50(Pt 2):92-100.

Abstract - click here

edited: 08/19/2008