Autism Spectrum Disorder- ASD

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Autism Spectrum Disorder- ASD

• Karyn Anspach
• Lutheran Special Education Ministries

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What is ASD??

• Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder have an
  impairment in their ability to
• Understand and use non-verbal and verbal
  communication
• Understand social behavior
• Think and behave flexibly
• Made-up of subgroups
• Well-known subgroups include
• Autism
• Aspergers
• Many have a mixture of features from different
  subgroups

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COMMON FEATURES OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

• Although these features may be common in ASD, not
  every child will demonstrate these features
• Generally, well developed gross and fine motor
  skills
• Unique mechanical ability
• Special or unusual interests
• Rote Memory skills - detailed lists, dates,
  schedules, scenes from movies, songs, etc.
• Cognitive Impairment
• Unusual response to sensory stimuli
• Distractible or high activity level
• Unusual mood swings
• Self-injurious behaviors
• Insistence on sameness
• Limited food preference
• Sleep disturbances
• Lack of danger awareness
• Depression
• Seizures
• Various levels of anxiety

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Current Facts About ASD

• Incidence / prevalence is 1150 children are
  being identified
• Michigan is 4th in the nation with the highest
  number of students diagnosed with ASD
• ASD is a lifelong developmental disability
• Occurs in more males than females (approximately
  8/10)
• It is hereditary with a genetic link
• May appear within the first 2-3 years of life
• May have sensory delays

• Poor short term and working memory
• 50-80 have a co-existing disability
• There is no known cure
• May or may not have a cognitive impairment
• Atypical functioning in various parts of the
  brain
• Speech-language delays
• Socialization delays
• May have fine and gross motor delays

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Three Areas of Development Affected by Autism
Spectrum Disorder
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COMMUNICATION

• Delay, loss or lack of verbal language
• Difficulties initiating and sustaining
  conversations
• Stereotyped / repetitive language (echolalia,
  pronoun reversal, jargon, commercials, books,
  movies)
• Poor or limited expressive, receptive and
  pragmatic language skills
• Monotone or limited variability in vocal
  inflection
• Poor, limited or lack of nonverbal communication
  (point, gesturing)
• Difficulty with humor, figurative language or
  metaphors
• Pronoun reversal or speaking in the third person
  sense

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SOCIALIZATION

• Difficulty with non-verbal social cues (eye
  contact, facial expressions, body space, body
  posture, gestures)
• Difficulties or lack of social and emotional
  reciprocity (taking in consideration of the other
  persons feelings, may not notice / respond
  person is losing interest)
• Impaired perspective taking (considering another
  persons point of view, assume people are
  interested in what they have to say i.e.
  Intricate parts of a space ship or engine)
• Difficulty or lack of spontaneous seeking to
  share enjoyment or interests with other people
• Difficulty initiating and maintaining
  relationships with peers and sometimes adults.
  (Better relationships with adults than peers)
• Lack of pretend or imaginative play
• Limited in the ability to use toys symbolically
  (baton as a magic wand)
• Difficulty with play and games - rote pattern,
  repetitive, rigid, inflexible
• Difficulty with sensory input that interferes
  with the ability to respond and participate with
  social interactions (sight, tactile, auditory)

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BEHAVIOR

• All encompassing preoccupation with stereotyped
  patterns of interest that are intense in focus
  (color interests, cartoon characters, Sega)
• Inflexible adherence to routines or rituals
  (distress at change, dressing routine, driving
  rituals, specific path to walk)
• Self stimulating behaviors - hand flapping,
  finger flicking, tapping, whole body movements,
  repeating phrases
• Persistent preoccupation with objects (pipes
  under a sink, wheels on a toy car, TV Guide
  books)
• Difficulty with play skills - rigid, routine,
  understanding the rules, not being a winner
• Self aggression - picking at skin or hair,
  causing harm to own body
• Aggression towards others - related to sensory
  and social difficulties
• Lack of varied, developmentally appropriate,
  spontaneous, make believe play or social
  imitative play (lining up blocks, spinning tires,
  fixated on certain games, videos, build same Lego
  structure over and over)
• Their strong willfulness may appear to be lack
  of compliance but is not
• High anxiety and stress especially when change
  occurs, unpredictable, new situation, or not
  enough time to process

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The Goals of Educational Programming for
Students with ASD

• Independent Functioning
• Socialization Skill Development
• How do we put it all together?
• Integrate academic, behavior, social, and
  communication into the educational plan.

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Behavior Is Communication Dont Take it
Personally!

• Behavior is communication and serves a function!
• Watch for times when student appears stressed and
  anxious
• Avoid verbal overload
• Use visuals supports/strategies
• Avoid Sarcasm
• Problem behaviors are not the same as behavior
  problems
• Monitor your own reactions, as your anxiety
  increases so will theirs
• Be direct, tell them what needs to be done and
  what they need to do
• Ultimate goal is to improve independent
  functioning and socialization skills

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Anxiety Indicators

• May include, but not limited to
• Inappropriate laughing
• Flush appearance
• Changes in breathing patterns
• Body Language
• Clearing of the throat
• Repetitive Language topic focus/litany
• Retreating to a fantasy world (characters,
  movie, plots, etc.)
• Covering face, eyes, ears

• Excessive itching or scratching 
• Withdrawal or daydreaming
• Unusual posturing
• Unusual hand / finger movements
• Rocking
• Chewing motion or sucking on lip
• Sweating
• Aggression towards self / others

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STRATEGIES FOR THE CLASSROOM

• Visual Supports
• pictures
• written words
• choices
• classroom schedule
• personal schedule
• mini schedules
• checklists
• rules
• prompts
• labeling of objects, containers, signs, lists,
  charts, and messages

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Visual Schedule
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Visual Rules and Story
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Visual Schedule
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Visual Schedule and Rules
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Personal Schedule
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Strategies cont.

• Visual Modalities
• planners
• visuals for transitions
• organizers for a specific task
• visual structure for less structured time
• material and desk top organizer
• visual display of classroom assignments
• file cards with directions for specific tasks and
  activities or pictographs and written
  instructions for learning new information

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Visual Organizer
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Strategies cont.

• Social-Type Stories
• describes a situation, skill, or concept of
  relevant social cues
• perspectives
• social scripts
• rules
• social coaching
• common responses

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Strategies cont.

• Pre-warn the student of change use a visual
  timer, you have 5 minutes until we go to gym,
  verbal cue

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Strategies cont.

• Written Choices
• use a choice board
• offer choices in the form of pictures, words,
  post-it notes, etc.

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Strategies cont.

• Auditory
• break down oral instructions into small steps
• reduce or warn student of external sounds fans,
  loudspeakers, fire alarms, several people talking
  at once, air conditioners, bells, etc.
• Sensory Activities
• use fidgets, koosh balls, bean bags, etc

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Strategies cont.

• Structure unstructured events provide a clear
  beginning and end, (Now we will have snack Next
  we will play a game) including on the playground
• Fine Motor graphic organizers, dictate to
  scribe, take notes, highlight notes, tape
  recorder, alpha smart, other low or high tech
  devices
• Break System allow the student to take a break
  in order to prevent a melt down or to de-escalate
  anxiety, protects dignity, let others use area as
  well

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What about Peers?

• explain what you student with Autism is going
  through
• encourage peer mentoring
• involving the student in shared learning
  arrangements
• pairing the student with buddies for walking down
  the hall, on the playground, and during other
  unstructured times
• varying peer buddies across time and activities,
  to prevent dependence on one child
• arranging cross-age peer supports/buddies by
  assigning an older student to assist the student
  with Autism
• pairing students while attending special school
  events such as assemblies and clubs

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• Questions?