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The Autistic Spectrum. What is autism?. Autism is a lifelong developmental difference that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.
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What is autism? • Autism is a lifelong developmental difference that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. • They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. With the May 2013 publication of the new DSM-5 diagnostic manual, these autism subtypes will be merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD.
It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. • Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning differences and need a lifetime of specialist support.
Triad of Impairment • difficulty communicating or expressing their own emotional state. • difficulty using the right words in the right situation • taking everything that is said literally.
What causes autism • Scientists aren’t certain about what causes AS, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role. • Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with the difference • Studies of people on the autistic spectrum have found irregularities in several regions of the brain.
Prevalence • Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 88 American children as on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. • Careful research shows that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness.
People with autism may also experience over- or under- sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.
Asperger Syndrome - Clay Marzo: Just Add Water • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKRIRZEV4B4
Both children and adults with autism also tend to have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking and feeling. Subtle social cues such as a smile, wave or grimace may convey little meaning. To a person who misses these social cues, a statement like “Come here!” may mean the same thing, regardless of whether the speaker is smiling and extending her arms for a hug or frowning and planting her fists on her hips. Without the ability to interpret gestures and facial expressions, the social world can seem bewildering.
Many persons with autism have similar difficulty seeing things from another person's perspective. Most five year olds understand that other people have different thoughts, feelings and goals than they have. A person with autism may lack such understanding. This, in turn, can interfere with the ability to predict or understand another person’s actions.
Perspective Taking • To better understand how we take perspective in a group environment, Michelle Garcia Winner developed the “The Four Steps of Perspective Taking” to help all of us (adults and students), understand the process through which we share space effectively. Imagine you are in an elevator while you think of each of these four steps:
Step 1 of Perspective Taking When you come into my space, I have a little thought about you and you have a little thought about me.
Step two of Perspective Taking I wonder “why are you near me?,” “what is your purpose for being near me?” “Is it because you are just sharing the space, do you intend to talk to me or do you intend to harm me?” I have to consider all these things in order to keep me safe around people as well as to predict what will happen next.
Step 3 of Perspective Taking Since we have thoughts about each other, I wonder what you are thinking about me?
Step 4 of Perspective Taking To keep you thinking about me the way I would like you to think about me, I monitor and possibly modify my behaviour to keep you thinking about me the way I want you to think about me.
These Four Steps of Perspective Taking are what is expected every student does across the school day while sitting in a classroom, on the playground or just hanging out. Social regulation is at the heart of social participation and we each participate socially just when we are in the presence of others, even when we are not talking to them!
Communication Some mildly affected children exhibit only slight delays in language or even develop precocious language and unusually large vocabularies – yet have difficulty sustaining a conversation. Some children and adults with autism tend to carry on monologues on a favourite subject, giving others little chance to comment. In other words, the ordinary “give and take” of conversation proves difficult. Some children with AS with superior language skills tend to speak like little professors, failing to pick up on the “kid-speak” that’s common among their peers.
Communication • Another common difficulty is the inability to understand body language, tone of voice and expressions that aren’t meant to be taken literally. For example, even an adult with autism might interpret a sarcastic “Oh, that's just great!” as meaning it really is great.
Repetitive Behaviours • Unusual repetitive behaviours and/or a tendency to engage in a restricted range of activities are another core symptom of autism. Common repetitive behaviours include hand-flapping, rocking, jumping and twirling, arranging and rearranging objects, and repeating sounds, words, or phrases. Sometimes the repetitive behaviour is self-stimulating, such as wiggling fingers in front of the eyes.
There is no cure for ASDs. Therapies and behavioural interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvement. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that meet the specific needs of individual children. Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.
Inclusion Faculty must have an understanding of how autism may present itself in the individual student: individual profile of the student School must be able to provide or outsource needed therapies if possible: SALT, O/T, etc. Need to educate students in their understanding of AS and how to include and communicate with these individuals: building bridges of understanding between those with AS and socially typical students When there is a will there is a way!
References • http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/autism-and-asperger-syndrome-an-introduction/what-is-autism.aspx • I am Special by Peter Vermeulen • www.socialthinking.com Michelle Garcia Winner • www.autismspeaks.com
