Download Downloadable pp - Autism Task Force

Basic Information About
Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD)
Lorien Quirk, M.Ed., BCBA
Mt. Diablo Unified School District
2013
What is autism spectrum disorder
(ASD)?
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Brain development disorder affecting
communication, behavior, and social awareness
Includes: autism, Asperger’s syndrome, Rett’s
syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and
PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental delay—no
other specified)
Cause is unknown but there is a 90% link through
heredity. Environmental variables are becoming
increasingly prominent in correlational data.
Three times more males than females
Can be diagnosed as early as 18 months old (but
people are creating tools to find signs earlier than
that)
Current rate is 1 case in 88 children (includes all
ASD)
The incidence of Autism is increasing 10-17%
annually
Characteristics of autism spectrum
disorders (ASD)
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Limited eye contact
– People with autism tend
to avoid making direct
eye contact with other
people
– The skill of making eye
contact typically must be
taught to these students
– Making eye contact may
be aversive to these
students—if they avoid
eye contact it’s not
because they are being
rude or disobedient!
Characteristics of ASD cont’d
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Different methods of communication
– Students with ASD may not use spoken words
to communicate, but some do
– Some students may repeat what you say
without meaning the words (echolalia)
– Some students use sign language or pictures
to communicate
– Some students gesture or move your hand to
communicate
– Some students have not yet learned a sociallyacceptable way to communicate, which may be
a motivation of some inappropriate, or
“problem” behavior
Characteristics of ASD cont’d
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Different level of social
skills
– May not respond to
natural cues
– Possibly lack common
manners
– May not follow verbal
directions
– May not know the
correct way to behave
in different school
environments
– May play with items
that are not age or
socially-appropriate
– Lack of awareness of
other people in the area
Characteristics of ASD cont’d
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May need instruction in safety
skills
– May not know what
materials and equipment
may be dangerous
– May not have street or
parking lot safety skills
– May engage in unsafe
behavior with other
students
– May not know how to
request wants and needs
– Cannot be left
unsupervised EVER
– Note: it is best to assume
that students with ASD do
not have any safety skills
and to assist them
accordingly
Characteristics of ASD cont’d
 Unique
sensory needs
– May engage in self-stimulatory behavior
(like flapping hands, scratching,
bouncing, jumping, biting self, making
noises, playing with objects, staring)
– May not like to be touched by other
people or be close to other people
– May be sensitive to environmental
factors like temperature, smells, noise
level, time of day, clothing, etc.
Characteristics of ASD cont’d
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Difficulty transitioning
– Stopping one task
and starting a new
one may be a
challenge
– Student may not
attend to verbal
directions to
transition
– Student may resist
changing activities
– Getting on and off the
bus is a huge
transition
The Spectrum of Autism
“Severe/
Intensive”
“Classic”
“High
functioning”
PDD-NOS
Asperger
Syndrome
A Disclaimer…
Just like all of us, individuals with ASD
are unique and may not fit into any
one of these categories. This
information is merely a foundational
guideline to understanding the
(eternal) range of ASD. No one
wants to be tied to a label.
The most important thing is identifying
the individual, not the disability.
A Closer Look: “Severe/Intensive”
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Characterized by the following:
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Minimal/no functional communication
Poor/no eye contact or interest in others
Minimal life or independent living skills
High frequency, intensity, duration problem
behaviors (including self-stimulatory)
Need high levels of prompting and repeated
practice to learn new skills
Can be any age, but if younger, the prognosis
is better (“early intervention”)
May also have an intellectual disability (but
challenging to assess)
May have motor impairments/sensory issues
A Closer Look: “Classic”
Can be represented across the spectrum,
but most commonly in the “middle” range.
 Characterized by:
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– Some functional communication skills
– Minimal eye contact or interest in others
except to get needs met
– Highly routine-oriented
– Engage in self-stimulatory behavior, repetitive,
rituals
– Acquires new skills best through trial-based
instruction
– Needs programming to generalize skills
– May engage in maladaptive behavior
– May have motor impairments/sensory issues
A Closer Look: PDD-NOS
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Autism itself is considered a developmental delay,
but a person with PDD-NOS, may not appear the
same way as a person with “classic” autism.
Characterized by:
– Communication delay
– Functional skills delays
– May be able to acquire skills in a more typical
fashion
– May show more rapid progress
– May be more socially inclined, interested in
others
– May engage in maladaptive behavior
A Closer Look: “High functioning”
Not a clinical term, so difficult to define
 Frequently confused with Asperger
Syndrome
 Characterized by:
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– Need for sameness, routine (similar to
“Classic”)
– Ability to engage in academic-based learning;
may have average intelligence
– Good functional communication skills, possibly
with some delay
– Impairments in social functioning, lack of
interest in others; difficulty functioning in
society
– Possible co-morbidity with other disorders,
ADHD, anxiety, OCD
– May engage in maladaptive behavior
A Closer Look: Asperger Syndrome
At the moment, considered to be on the
autism spectrum, but diagnostic criteria
may change in the near future to separate
this out.
 Characterized by:
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– No communication delay
– Restricted interests
– Lack of social awareness, lack of ability to
navigate the social world
– Awkward or “weird”
– Possible co-morbidity with OCD, anxiety
– May engage in maladaptive behavior
– Average to above average intelligence