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1. PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER Part 1: ASD Autism Spectrum Disorders: Awareness Training Module

2. Outline: Putting the Pieces Together Awareness Module for Autism Part 1: Autism Spectrum Disorders Definition Observable Characteristics Underlying Characteristics Sensory Theory of Mind Executive Functioning Learning Styles Part 2: Strategies Communication Visual Social Stories Structured environment ABA

3. Under the Umbrella Medical Community may diagnose as PDD Schools may label as ASD Aspergers Syndrome Rett’s Disorder Autism Childhood Disintegrative Disease PDD-NOS

4. Autism Continuum Measured I.Q. Severe Gifted Social- Emotional Interaction Aloof Passive Active but Odd Communication Non-verbal Verbal Motor Skills Gross Awkward Agile Fine Uncoordinated Coordinated Sensory Hypo Hyper

5. Autism Spectrum Disorders can be described as a group of brain disorders that interfere with communication and social skills. ASD appears to have a neurological/chemical basis.

6. Researchers caution that, while there are many suspected links to this condition including vaccines and unidentified toxins, little is known about the causes of autism.

7. There appears to be a strong genetic component. • Identical twins • Parent-child • Siblings • Grandparent - grandchild

8. Autism is considered a life long disability, but with interventions and supports many individuals can lead normal to near-normal lives.

9. Under the Umbrella : Autistic Disorder: Onset before age 3 Significant delays with social interaction Significant delays or differences with communication Restrictive interests or repetitive behaviors

10. Under the Umbrella: Asperger’s Syndrome: High functioning form of autism. Language skills develop but there are impairments in social interaction and social communication.

11. Under the Umbrella: PDD-NOS: This category is used when the criteria for autistic disorder are not met. However, there are severe and pervasive impairments in social interactions, communication, or stereotypical behaviors. It has also been called “atypical autism”.

12. Under the Umbrella: Rett’s Disorder: Is diagnosed only in girls. Normal prenatal and perinatal development. Normal psychomotor development for the first 5 months. Head growth ceases between 5-48 months, with loss of previously acquired skills. Poorly coordinated gait and trunk movements and severely impaired expressive and receptive language development with severe psychomotor retardation.

13. Under the Umbrella: Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: Extremely rare. When listed in DSM- IV, there were only 100 cases diagnosed. Display normal development for at least the first 2 years after birth and then display clinically significant regression in communication, motor, and social interaction skills.

14. Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders Age of Onset/ DevelopmentSocialCommunication Behavioral Characteristics

15. Age of Onset/Development Deficits usually noted by three years of age Delay in onset of first words Delay in onset of first phrases Uneven skill development

16. Social Impairments in: • Understanding social gestures • Eye contact • Social smile (reciprocal) • Showing and directing • Sharing/turn-taking • Offering/seeking comfort • Appropriate use of facial expression • Consistency of social responses

17. Social(cont..) • Imaginative play • Ability to play social games • Ability to make friends • Ability to judge social situations • Imitative social play • Interest in other children • Response to other children • Ability to “read” another’s non-verbal cues

18. Communication Impairments in: • Complexity of non-echoed utterances • Functional language (often echolalic) • Social “chat” • Reciprocal conversation • Imitation of language • Pointing to express interest • Nodding/head shaking • Auditory Processing

19. Communication(cont.) • Appropriateness of language Grammar/pronomial confusion Use of “made up expressions” Idiosyncratic language Demonstration of verbal rituals • Attention to voice modulation • Comprehension of simple language • Direct gaze • Reciprocal gaze • May be nonverbal

20. Behavioral Characteristics Individuals with autism may have: • Restricted interests • Unusual preoccupations • Repetitive use of objects • Compulsions/rituals • Unusual sensory interest • Hand/finger mannerisms • Other compulsive mannerisms, such as self-stimulatory behavior • Self-injury • Special skills

21. Miscellaneous Characteristics • 1/4 to 1/3 have epilepsy • 4 out of 5 will be boys • Girls usually have more severe characteristics • Same incident rate in all countries, socio-economic status and races • Some have poor motor skills

22. Characteristicsunique toAsperger’s Syndrome Asperger’s Syndrome is a “high functioning” form of Autism

23. Characteristics include: • Perseveration on specific topics of interest • Insistence on sameness/difficulty with changes in routine • Inability to make friends • Difficulty with reciprocal conversations • Pedantic speech • Socially naïve and literal thinkers • Difficulty learning in large groups • Low frustration tolerance • Difficulties with abstract concepts

24. Characteristics(cont.) • Problem-solving abilities tend to be poor • Vocabulary usually great; comprehension poor • Poor coping strategies • Restricted range of interest • Poor writing skills (fine-motor problems) • Selective concentration • Academic difficulties • Emotional vulnerability • Poor organizational skills

25. Characteristics(cont.) • Appear “normal” to other people • Motor clumsiness • Weaknesses often overlooked because of strengths • Often thought to be • “weird”, • “odd”, • “spoiled”, • “manipulative”, • “defiant”, and • “troublemakers”.

26. Underlying Characteristics affecting functioning: Sensory Processing Theory of Mind Executive Functioning Learning Styles

27. Sensory Issues Many students with Autism and Aspergers Syndrome have sensory issues. Hypersensitive Hypersensitive -- Extremely sensitive Hyposensitive -- Weak or Non-existent Average Hyposensitive

28. Sensory input may be: Visual Auditory Olfactory Taste Tactile Vestibular Proprioceptive Sensory input may be overwhelming to the student with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome and may lead to sensory overload and meltdowns.

29. Theory of Mind refers to the ability to “mind read” to figure out what others are thinking, feeling and doing.

30. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders have difficulty noticing and interpreting the social, verbal and nonverbal cues that enable us to mind read.

31. Components of Theory of Mind Step 1: Inferring a person’s internal mental state based upon the external behavior that they exhibit. Step 2: Predicting future behaviors based upon one’s inferences regarding mental state. Step 3: Modifying/adjusting one’s own behavior upon the judgements made.

32. Difficulties with “Theory of Mind” may lead to …….

33. Difficulties recognizing another person’s specific point of view, and recognizing that others actually have viewpoints that are separate and apart from their own.

34. Difficulty in predicting other’s behavior, leading to avoidance and/or fear of other people.

35. Difficulty in reading the intentions of others and understanding the motives of their behavior.

36. Difficulty in understanding emotions - their own and those of others - perceived as a lack of empathy.

37. Difficulty understanding that behavior affects how others think or feel, perceived as a lack of conscience or motivation to please.

38. Difficulty in explaining their own behavior.

39. Difficulty taking into account what other people know or can be expected to know, exhibited by pedantic or incomprehensible language.

40. Inability to read and react to the listener’s level of interest in what is being said.

41. Inability to anticipate what others might think of one’s actions.

42. Inability to deceive or to understand deception.

43. Limited sharing of attention, leading to unique and unusual references.

44. Lack of understanding of social interaction, leading to difficulties with turn-taking, poor topic maintenance in conversation, and inappropriate use of eye contact.

45. Difficulty understanding “pretend” and differentiating fact from fiction. Individuals with ASD prefer concrete facts. They have difficulty dealing with nuances and shades of gray.

46. ASD and Executive Functioning Skills

47. Executive Functions Executive functioning is the ability of the mind to do all the things that it takes to “keepyour mind” on the given task. Maintaining Attention Controlling Impulses Tuning out distractions Mental planning Problem Solving Thinking Flexibly Self-Monitoring Staying Goal Directed Transitioning from one task to another

48. Neurotypical Processing Center

49. DETOUR Bridge Closed Autism Processing Center

50. ASD Learning Styles Due to “Theory of Mind” and Executive Functioning difficulties, ASD students have a different perspective of the world and present different learning styles.