Regional Autism Advisory Council of

Southwest Ohio (RAAC-SWO)

RAAC Training Committee 2011

The Basics of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Training Series

Training Series Modules

Module One: Autism Defined, Autism Prevalence and Primary Characteristics

Module Two: Physical Characteristics of Autism

Module Three: Cognition and Learning in Autism

Module Four: Getting the Student Ready to Learn

Module Five: Structuring the Classroom Environment

Module Six: Using Reinforcement in the Classroom

Training Series Modules

Module Seven: Autism and Sensory Differences

Module Eight: Sensory in the Classroom

Module Nine: Communication and Autism

Module Ten: Communication in the Classroom

Module Eleven: Behavior Challenges and Autism

Module Twelve: Understanding Behavior in Students with Autism

Training Series ModulesModule Thirteen: Social Skills in the School

Environment

Module Fourteen: Functional Behavior Assessment

Module Fifteen: Working Together as a Team

Module Sixteen: Autism and Leisure Skills to Teach

Module Seventeen: Special Issues of Adolescence

Module Eighteen: Safety and Autism

Module Nineteen: Special Issues: High School, Transition, and Job Readiness

Training Series ModulesModule Twenty: Asperger Syndrome: Managing

and Organizing the Environment

Module Twenty-One: Asperger Syndrome: Addressing Social Skills

Autism Spectrum Disorder Defined

An Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a brain-based or neurobiological disorder of development.

ASD causes differences in the way the brain processes

ASD affects understanding and use of language to interact and communicate with people.

Big Idea

ASD is a brain-based disorder that results in differences in the way individuals understand and interact with their world.

Affects of ASD on Individuals

ASD effects:

· the way a person relates to people, events, and objects in the environment.

· the way a person responds to sensory stimuli such as pain, hearing, taste, smell, etc.

· the way a person learns and thinks.

Different Types of ASD

Autistic Disorder

Biggest Challenges:· Difficulties with social interaction.· Difficulties with communication.· Restricted interests and activities

that they like to do over and over again.

· Repetitive behaviors, such as rocking or arm flapping.

Autistic Disorder Continued

Other Characteristics: · Usually behaviors can be seen by

three years of age. · Some children develop regularly

the first years, then begin to lose their learned skills.

Asperger Syndrome

Biggest Challenges:

· Difficulty with social interactions.· Individuals appear to understand directions

even when they don’t. For example, we may think they are being uncooperative.

· Individuals like to talk a lot about things that really interest them.

Asperger Syndrome Continued

Other Characteristics:

Intelligence ranges from average to well above average, so they may appear really smart, but cannot do everyday things independently.

PDD-NOS(Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not

Otherwise Specified)

Diagnosis often made when a person does not meet the criteria for a specific diagnosis (i.e. Autism, Asperger).

· There is generally an overall impairment in communication, social interactions, and individuals may have restricted interests.

Who gets ASD?

All races, nationalities and socioeconomic groups

Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ASD

More common within families

Prevalence of ASDLeukemia 1 in 25,000

Muscular Dystrophy 1 in 20,000

Pediatric Aids 1 in 8,000

Childhood Cancer 1 in 7,000

Polio (1952 peak rate) 1 in 4,000

Hearing Impairment 1 in 900

Visual Impairment 1 in 800

Down Syndrome 1 in 800

Juvenile Diabetes 1 in 500

Cerebral Palsy 1 in 400

Autism (per Center for Disease Control (CDC) March 2011)

1 in 110

Why are more people diagnosed with autism today?

Better rules for diagnosis

Asperger Syndrome added to ASD in 1994

Increased awareness of ASD

People believe there are more services for an individual if the person has a diagnosis of ASD.

Wrong diagnosis

There are more persons with autism.

There are no two persons with autism exactly alike

“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one

person

with autism.”

Stephen Shore, Adult with Autism

Quick Facts about Autism Autism is the most common developmental disability, affecting 1 in

110 births … most recent Dec. 2010 Center for Disease Control (CDC)

study

A decade ago, the rate was thought to be 4-5 in 10,000

4 children with autism are born in the USA every hour … 35,000 per

year

Autism is 4 times more common in boys than in girls.

Autism is often under-diagnosed in children – typically diagnosed

by age 3-7

Autism Facts Continued Autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the

US, growing 10-17% per year

Cost of autism is estimated at $35-$90 billion – 90% of that is spent on adult services

Recent estimate (by Harvard) is that cost is $3.2M/person over their lifetime

The costs are expected to more than double in the next decade

For more information, see: www.autism-society.org or www.autismspeaks.org

“The greatest underserved disability group”