Autism Awareness

Autism AwarenessAutism Awareness

““We should acknowledge differences, we We should acknowledge differences, we should greet differences, until difference should greet differences, until difference makes no difference anymore.” –Adela A. makes no difference anymore.” –Adela A. AllenAllen

DSM-IV-TR DiagnosisDSM-IV-TR Diagnosis(a.k.a. Autism Spectrum (a.k.a. Autism Spectrum Disorders)Disorders)

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

ChildhoodDisintegrative

Disorder

Rhett’s Disorder

AutismAsperger’sSyndrome

PervasiveDevelopmental

Disorders

Federal Definition of Federal Definition of AutismAutism

Autism means a developmental disability Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3, that adversely generally evident before age 3, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. IDEA, 1997experiences. IDEA, 1997

Characteristic: May Characteristic: May looklook

like:like: Difficulty with social Difficulty with social

interaction and developing interaction and developing relationshipsrelationships

Hard to get/maintain joint Hard to get/maintain joint attentionattention

Doesn’t spontaneously share Doesn’t spontaneously share interestsinterests

Becomes upset or anxious in Becomes upset or anxious in social setssocial sets

Difficult to engage in typical Difficult to engage in typical classroom activitiesclassroom activities

Flat affect/narrow range of Flat affect/narrow range of facial expressionfacial expression

May have aversion to contactMay have aversion to contact Preference for adult Preference for adult

interactioninteraction Lack of respect for social Lack of respect for social

spacespace

Characteristic: May lookCharacteristic: May looklike:like:

Poor verbal and nonverbal Poor verbal and nonverbal communication skillscommunication skills

Language delayed or absentLanguage delayed or absent Does not initiate interaction Does not initiate interaction

with otherswith others Limited eye contactLimited eye contact Unusual speech: repetition Unusual speech: repetition

(echolalia); pitch; peculiar (echolalia); pitch; peculiar voice characteristics; voice characteristics; monotonemonotone

Comprehension; literal vs. Comprehension; literal vs. implied meanings lostimplied meanings lost

Misses social cues such as Misses social cues such as gestures, verbal intonation gestures, verbal intonation expressions, body languageexpressions, body language


Unreasonable patterns of Unreasonable patterns of behaviorbehavior

May insist on doing things the May insist on doing things the same way or ordersame way or order

May need certain objects in May need certain objects in close proximityclose proximity

They get “stuck”; lack They get “stuck”; lack flexibility in thinking; one track flexibility in thinking; one track mindmind

Difficulty in adapting use of Difficulty in adapting use of tool (rulers used to measure tool (rulers used to measure not as straight edge)not as straight edge)

Difficulty transitioning from Difficulty transitioning from one activity to anotherone activity to another


Stereotyped and Stereotyped and repetitive motor repetitive motor activitiesactivities

Flapping handsFlapping hands RockingRocking SpinningSpinning Turning lights on and Turning lights on and

offoff Lining up toys, rather Lining up toys, rather

than using them for than using them for their intended their intended purposepurpose


Apparent limited range of Apparent limited range of interests and an interests and an apparent lack of apparent lack of imaginative playimaginative play

May only “play” with one May only “play” with one preferred toy or objectpreferred toy or object

May engage in May engage in imaginative play but imaginative play but looks differentlooks different

May create imaginary May create imaginary world for world for escape/enjoymentescape/enjoyment

Refuses to participate in Refuses to participate in activities he does not activities he does not find interestingfind interesting


Preoccupation with Preoccupation with objectsobjects

May appear to prefer May appear to prefer objects to peopleobjects to people

May focus on May focus on numbers; lint on rug; numbers; lint on rug; electrical outlets; electrical outlets; license plates; flags; license plates; flags; trains; dinosaurs; trains; dinosaurs; shades; lights; etc.shades; lights; etc.


Oversensitivity and/or Oversensitivity and/or undersensitivity to sensory undersensitivity to sensory information that may affect information that may affect reactions to touch, smell, reactions to touch, smell, pain, sight, or hearing.pain, sight, or hearing.

No response to voice or No response to voice or soundssounds

Hands over earsHands over ears Startles or stiffens to touch; Startles or stiffens to touch;

prefers firm pressureprefers firm pressure Refuses foods with various Refuses foods with various

texturestextures May appear not to feel painMay appear not to feel pain Becomes very excited or Becomes very excited or

withdrawnwithdrawn May no seem to know where May no seem to know where

his body is in spacehis body is in space Motor planning issuesMotor planning issues


Exhibits uneven development Exhibits uneven development of skills (splinter skills)of skills (splinter skills)

May use language at a higher May use language at a higher level of development than level of development than their level of comprehensiontheir level of comprehension

May read earlyMay read early May be able to perform May be able to perform

certain math skills but may certain math skills but may not understand the purposenot understand the purpose

Difficulty generalizing new Difficulty generalizing new skills acquiredskills acquired

Spells out words but may not Spells out words but may not understand the meaning of understand the meaning of the themthe them

Obstacles to overcome:Obstacles to overcome:

RigidityRigidity Limited affect to eye contactLimited affect to eye contact Getting/maintaining joint attentionGetting/maintaining joint attention Limited social knowledgeLimited social knowledge ObsessionsObsessions Over/under sensitivity to sensory informationOver/under sensitivity to sensory information Difficulty with communicationDifficulty with communication Volatile emotional regulationVolatile emotional regulation

Challenging Behaviors….Challenging Behaviors….

Obtain attention, a need or a want from Obtain attention, a need or a want from another individualanother individual

Avoid or escape from a situation or an Avoid or escape from a situation or an activityactivity

What can you do?What can you do?

Essentially, learning means a change in your Essentially, learning means a change in your thinking, a change in your feeling, a change in thinking, a change in your feeling, a change in your behavior. Learning means that change your behavior. Learning means that change takes place in the mind, in the emotions and in takes place in the mind, in the emotions and in the will. --Howard G. Hendricksthe will. --Howard G. Hendricks

Positive Behavior Positive Behavior Supports…..Supports…..

What are positive What are positive behavior supports?behavior supports?

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is a systems approach to preventing and responding to is a systems approach to preventing and responding to classroom and school discipline problems. PBIS classroom and school discipline problems. PBIS develops school-wide systems that support staff to develops school-wide systems that support staff to teach and promote positive, appropriate behavior in all teach and promote positive, appropriate behavior in all students. By reducing behavioral problems, PBIS students. By reducing behavioral problems, PBIS creates and maintains safe learning environments creates and maintains safe learning environments where teachers can teach and students can learn.where teachers can teach and students can learn.

Create a positive Create a positive environment….environment….

Organized classroomOrganized classroom Clutter-freeClutter-free Be aware of your Be aware of your

sensory environmentsensory environment Be nurturingBe nurturing Use of visual schedulesUse of visual schedules Create motivating tasks Create motivating tasks

that have an endthat have an end

Minimize down timeMinimize down time Be prepared for Be prepared for

transitionstransitions Provide choice & controlProvide choice & control Well defined rulesWell defined rules Use simple, concise Use simple, concise

instructionsinstructions

Determining an Determining an intervention program…intervention program…

Analyze the purpose of the behaviorAnalyze the purpose of the behavior Obtaining vs. avoidanceObtaining vs. avoidance Determine appropriate responseDetermine appropriate response Facilitate, prompt, or shape the desired Facilitate, prompt, or shape the desired

responseresponse Reward appropriate behaviorsReward appropriate behaviors

Basic Rules to follow….Basic Rules to follow….

Be consistentBe consistent All staff members are trained and using the All staff members are trained and using the

same intervention approach within the entire same intervention approach within the entire school environmentschool environment

Family is aware and on boardFamily is aware and on board Reward all constructive, positive behaviorReward all constructive, positive behavior Do not react to or reward challenging behaviorDo not react to or reward challenging behavior Use calm, firm voice Use calm, firm voice Do not be afraid to distract the student until you Do not be afraid to distract the student until you

are able to re-engage them in the original taskare able to re-engage them in the original task

The goal is to obtain…The goal is to obtain…

If the child is using negative behavior to If the child is using negative behavior to obtain an object or an activity, determine obtain an object or an activity, determine whether it is possible to give him what he whether it is possible to give him what he wants. If so, how can you get him to wants. If so, how can you get him to constructively work for it or ask for it?constructively work for it or ask for it?

The goal is to avoid…The goal is to avoid…

If the child is using the negative behavior If the child is using the negative behavior to avoid a task, do not permit him to to avoid a task, do not permit him to succeed. Ignore the behavior and work succeed. Ignore the behavior and work through the task, but be sure the task is through the task, but be sure the task is appropriate for the child. appropriate for the child.

A child may need to be removed from an A child may need to be removed from an activity to regain self-control, but he must activity to regain self-control, but he must be placed back in the original situation be placed back in the original situation he was trying to avoid to complete it.he was trying to avoid to complete it.

Aggressive Aggressive Behaviors…Behaviors…Please refer to your CPI training or a Please refer to your CPI training or a staff member who has CPI training staff member who has CPI training in your building.in your building.

What if I think a child has What if I think a child has ASD?ASD?

Don’t panic or jump to conclusionsDon’t panic or jump to conclusions Remember that the level of autism often changes over Remember that the level of autism often changes over

the course of developmentthe course of development Do not use the “A” word in sharing concerns with the Do not use the “A” word in sharing concerns with the

parentsparents Speak to parent’s describing only what you seeSpeak to parent’s describing only what you see Refer parents to physician who is qualified to diagnoseRefer parents to physician who is qualified to diagnose Listen, support, encourageListen, support, encourage Do not pushDo not push At school level, begin BLAST process if necessary and At school level, begin BLAST process if necessary and

talk with your special education personneltalk with your special education personnel

The secret to The secret to happiness is a good happiness is a good sense of humor and a sense of humor and a bad memory.bad memory.

Education

Autism Awareness