What is Autism?

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What is Autism?
Part 1

• Presented by Candace Vielma

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Change Her World Video

• Opening Video

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Autism

• Not a single unified condition
• Several features, signs, and characteristics
• Lifelong Disability (Recovered vs Cured)
• Neurological, biogenic, and possible
  environmental factors that come into play
• Developmental disability that usually appears in
  the first 3 years of life (this is the most
  important part of autism awareness)

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Accompanying Problems

• Sensory problems highly attuned or even painfully
  sensitive to certain sounds, smells, textures,
  tastes, and smells
• Mental Retardation
• Seizures

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Autism-continued

• Prevalence or Chances of it being an Epidemic
• Over 2 Centuries ago first documentation
• First Diagnostic tool in 1987
• Categorized in Special Education in 1992
• Broadening in the DSM-IV in 1994
• Diagnosis is based on 3 domains
• Communication
• Socialization
• Repetitive behaviors/routines

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Autism-Under the Umbrella

• Pervasive Development Disorders
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Aspergers Syndrome
• Pervasive Development Disorder-NOS

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Impairments in Socialization DSM-IV 2

• Eye to eye gaze, facial expression, body
  postures, and gestures to regulate social
  interaction
• Lack of social empathy
• Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment
• Failure to develop peer relationship

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Impairments in CommunicationDSM-IV 1

• Delay or total lack of spoken language
• Impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain
  conversation with others
• Stereotype and repetitive use of language
• Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play

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Restricted Repetitive and Stereotyped
BehaviorsDSM-IV 1

• Preoccupation with one or more interests that is
  abnormal either in intensity or focus
• Inflexible difficult to make a change in daily
  routine or breaking rituals
• Persistent preoccupation with objects or parts

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Techniques to Know When Educating Those with
Autism/Aspergers
Part 2
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Functions of Behaivor

• Foundations
• All behavior is learned
• Behavior serves a function
• Environments impact behavior
• Skill deficits impact problem behavior
• Team approach is critical
• The student-teacher relationship matters

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ABCs of Behavior

• Antecedent-What happens before the behavior?
• Behavior-What does the student do?
• Consequences-What happens after the behavior?
• All ABCs need to be documented to help reduce
  or increase the specific behavior.

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These are pocket cards, one will be passed around
to make copies..or you can go to the web and
access it. Very handy! www.behaviorconcepts.com
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Types of Behaviors

• Socially Mediated Positive (To Gain)
• Something that is delivered by another person
  after behavior that makes the behavior more
  likely to occur.
• Attention, Activities, Tangible items.
• They want these items listed above but do it
  inappropriately!
• Tips Give lots of attention, never give
  attention for problem behavior, and teach a
  replacement behavior. Easier said then done but
  always refer to these tips.

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Continued.

• Socially Mediated Negative (To Escape)
• The withdrawal of something that is aversive by
  another person after a behavior that makes the
  behavior more likely to occur.
• Escape/Removal of unperformed demand
• Avoid or Postpone unperformed demand
• You place a demand (to follow specific
  instructions) and they are non-compliant.
• Tips Reduce the demands (meet you halfway),
  decrease the effort, quicken the pace of
  instruction, let them feel successful, and give
  choices. Never allow the child to escape or
  avoid the demand (but do try to lessen the
  demand), and teach a replacement behavior.

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Continued.

• There can be a combination at times, however, try
  to find the behavior that occurs first and begin
  to brainstorm on the tips I listed in more
  detail
• If you chart these behaviors you have a better
  chance of extinction and increasing appropriate
  behaviors.
• Always start with a baseline chart to see if
  interventions you use work after baseline data is
  collected.
• Immediate, immediate, immediate Consequences!
• Reinforcement procedures for doing correct
  behavior and extinction (ignoring) for
  inappropriate behaviors.

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Use Excel or the Sheet I am handing out.

• If you use Excel your data starts out like
  thisand then you click on the chart wizard
  icon, then select line charts.

Date Demand/Academic Demand/Non-Academic Transition Preferred Activity Removed
March 12th 1 1 3 4
March 13th 0 3 1 6
March 14th 0 2 1 4
March 15th 1 2 3 6
March 16th 0 2 2 0
March 17th 0 2 1 2
March 18th 3 4 1 5
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(No Transcript)
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Brain Facts/Development on ASD

• A more severe form is called autism, the milder
  form is referred to as Aspergers syndrome.
• Those with Aspergers syndrome have an average to
  above average intelligence.
• Studies show children with ASD have greater
  difficulty recalling verbal information.
  Difficulty in auditory processing.
• Many major brain structures are implicated in
  ASD, faster brain growth (infancy to 14 month)
  calculates greater impairment.

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Continued

• Serotonin (neurotransmitter) has the most
  empirical evidence for a role in ASD, 25 of
  people with ASD have elevated levels of
  serotonin.
• Theory of Mind Hypothesis Failure to construe
  the mental states of others.if Im angry,
  everyone is angry..if George is sad it must be
  because he also had a bad lunch.
• Difficult in predicting other peoples feelings.
• Difficult with simple behaviors (i.e. playing
  games with others).

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Continued..

• In reference to Theory of Mind, these mirror
  neurons are not transmitting to allow re-creation
  of the experience of others within ourselves.
• This starts with imitation skills (i.e. smiling)
• Later with emotions and empathizing
• Researchers also suspect that mirror neurons play
  a role in our ability to develop articulate
  speech.

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MRI studies have shown that many major brain
structures are implicated in ASD.
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Strategies to Consider

• Support verbal information with visual aids.
• Model the action you want students to use, and
  maintain the behavior with visual cues.
• Avoid using vague questions, Why did you do
  that?
• Avoid using idioms, Save your breath.
• Use cooperative learning groups, but teach
  appropriate social responses to use in these
  activities.

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Support Discipline Strategies

• Have a cool off (time-out) area for discipline
  when needed, and make sure the area is not more
  appealing than the curricular activity.
• Explicitly teach the rules of social conduct
  (i.e. role play, model, social stories).
• Protect them from teasing and being bullied.
• Have a strategy ready in case the student cannot
  cope due to overstimulation or confusion.
• Teach them how to meet someone, how to recognize
  when someone will not talk to them, and to tell
  when someone is teasing them.

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Additional Tips

• It helps tremendously if you warn student prior
  to a transition, an event, or simply having
  expectations during a particular activity please
  visually or auditory warn student several times
  before it occurs.
• A finish later folder.
• A check list for routines (i.e. morning or
  packing up).
• Written directions (i.e. logging in computer,
  playing a game, etc..)

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Continued..

• A visual calendar for at home and at school
  regarding up-coming events.
• Folder for assignments to be completed and
  completed assignments.
• For repetitive questioning, having a written
  response.
• Incorporate their high interests into their
  academics.
• Allow time for processing, teach them how to say,
  Give me a minute please.

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Continued..

• Students who are driven by rule following, teach
  them that they are in charge of themselves and no
  one else.
• Social Stories (ppt. is a very useful tool)
• Click Here for Example of the Rule Police
• Refer to handout
• Comic Strips
• Video Modeling
• Refer to handout

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Websites and Up-coming Trainings

• http//www.buildingblox.net/teachershare.html
• http//www.frsd.k12.nj.us/autistic/Social20Storie
  s/1social_stories.htm
• http//www.polyxo.com/visualsupport/
• Trainings Typically Held at YOUR District
• Advanced ppt. for Online Instruction
• Camera Education
• Movie Maker
• Photo Story

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Autism Hope After Diagnosis Video

• Closing Video

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References

• Alba, V. (2008, November). Presentation given at
  UNT, Denton, Texas.
• Bitters, D. (2007, September). Presentation given
  at UNT, Denton, Texas.
• Callahan, K. (2008, March). Presentation given at
  UNT, Denton, Texas.
• Five For Fighting Change Her World. (2008).
  Retrieved June 26, 2008 from What Kind of World
  Do You Want Web site http//www.whatkindofworlddo
  youwant.com/videos/view/id/408214
• Nichols, S. (2007, August). Presentation given at
  LISD, Lewisville, Texas.
• Autism Hope After Diagnosis. (2008). Retrieved
  June 26, 2008 from Talk About Curing Autism Web
  site http//www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/video/h
  ope-video.htm
• Thompson, C. (2007, August). Presentation given
  at LISD, Lewisville, Texas.
• Sousa, D.A. (2001).