Transcript Putting The Pieces Together Part 1

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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
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Under the Umbrella
Medical
Community
may
diagnose as
PDD
Schools
may
label as
ASD
Aspergers Syndrome
Rett’s Disorder
Autism
PDD-NOS
Childhood
Disintegrative
Disease
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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
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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.
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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.
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There appears to be a
strong genetic component.
• Identical twins
• Parent-child
• Siblings
• Grandparent - grandchild
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Autism is considered
a life long disability,
but with interventions
and supports many
individuals can lead
normal to nearnormal lives.
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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
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Under the Umbrella:
Asperger’s Syndrome:
High functioning form of
autism.
Language skills develop
but there are impairments
in social interaction and
social communication.
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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”.
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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.
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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.
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Characteristics
of
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Age of Onset/ Development
Social
Communication
Behavioral Characteristics
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Characteristics
unique to
Asperger’s
Syndrome
Asperger’s Syndrome is a
“high functioning” form
of Autism
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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
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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
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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”.
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Underlying Characteristics
affecting functioning:
Sensory Processing
Theory of Mind
Executive Functioning
Learning Styles
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Sensory Issues
Many students with Autism and
Aspergers Syndrome have
sensory issues.
Hypersensitive
Hypersensitive -Extremely sensitive
Hyposensitive --
Average
Weak or Non-existent
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Hyposensitive
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.
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refers to the ability
to “mind read” to
figure out what
others are
thinking, feeling
and doing.
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Students with Autism
Spectrum Disorders
have difficulty noticing
and interpreting the
social, verbal and
nonverbal cues that
enable us to mind read.
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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.
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Difficulties with
“Theory of Mind”
may lead to …….
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Difficulties
recognizing another
person’s specific
point of view, and
recognizing that
others actually have
viewpoints that are
separate and apart
from their own.
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Difficulty in
predicting other’s
behavior, leading
to avoidance
and/or fear of
other people.
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Difficulty in
reading the
intentions of others
and understanding
the motives of their
behavior.
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Difficulty in
understanding
emotions - their
own and those of
others - perceived as
a lack of empathy.
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Difficulty
understanding that
behavior affects how
others think or feel,
perceived as a lack
of conscience or
motivation to please.
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Difficulty in
explaining their
own behavior.
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Difficulty taking
into account what
other people know
or can be expected
to know, exhibited
by pedantic or
incomprehensible
language.
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Inability to read
and react to the
listener’s level of
interest in what is
being said.
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Inability to
anticipate what
others might
think of one’s
actions.
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Inability to
deceive or to
understand
deception.
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Limited sharing
of attention,
leading to unique
and unusual
references.
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Lack of
understanding of
social interaction,
leading to difficulties
with turn-taking, poor
topic maintenance in
conversation, and
inappropriate use of
eye contact.
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Difficulty
understanding “pretend”
and differentiating fact
from fiction.
Individuals with ASD
prefer concrete facts.
They have difficulty
dealing with nuances
and shades of gray.
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Executive Functions
Executive functioning is the ability
of the mind to do all the things that it
takes to “keep your 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
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DETOUR
Bridge
Closed
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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.
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Motivation
Competitive motives are
usually absent for the ASD
student.
They may be perceived as
lacking pride and shame.
May have no desire to “stand
out” or be different.
May not respond to “typical”
reinforcers.
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Imitation
May have difficulty copying
actions and generalizing the
copied actions to other
settings.
May parrot/echo words and
actions but not internalize the
meaning.
Impairment in imitation may
range from subtle to severe.
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Attention
Focus of attention is often
narrow and/or obsessive.
Focus is on specifics and not
general concepts.
They may see
the trees
but not the
forest.
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Memory
Is likely to be episodic.
Events are not stored in the
context in which they
occurred.
Lists of facts may be stored
without a meaningful
framework to link them.
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Sequencing
Difficulty following
sequences.
May be able to match a
sequence but unable to go
beyond the model, to abstract
the rule or principle on which
it is based.
Changes in the sequences of
events may be stressful.
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Problem Solving
May learn a set of responses for
a set situation. May have a set
of strategies, but not be aware
they possess them or are unable
to select a strategy for a new
situation. May not know
how to ask for help when it is
needed.
Academic Example:
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+23
48 + 23 = 71
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Tim has 48 stamps, he collected 23 more.
How many does he have now?
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Don’t assume that because a
behavior is exhibited in a
relatively simple and supported
environment, that the student is
capable of executing and selfmonitoring that same behavior
in a more complex and less
protected “real” world
environment.
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All of these
difficulties affect a
child’s ability to
interact socially in the
classroom, and in the
school environment.
These deficits
influence behavior and
the ability to benefit
from the curriculum.
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There are many
different strategies that
can be individualized
to meet the needs of
the ASD student.
Putting the Pieces
Together- Part 2
will address different ASD
strategies
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Putting the Pieces Together
Part 1
Presentation By:
Donna Bennett and Donna Hudson
West Central Joint Services
Ellen Mahan
Blue River Special Education Coop
Glenda Pate and Lucy Wieland
Old National Trail Special Ed. Coop
Janet Upchurch and Nancy Zimmerman
RISE Special Services
June 2001
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Resources
Attwood, Tony - Asperger’s Syndrome: A
Guide for Parents and Professionals
(book and/or video)
Cumine, Leach, and Stevenson - Asperger
Syndrome: A Practical Guide for
Teachers
Grandin, Temple - Thinking in Pictures
Siegal, B. - The World of the Autistic
Child: Understanding and Treating
Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
Indiana Resource Center for Autism
Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
Indiana University
2853 East 10th St, Bloomington, IN 47408
812-855-6508
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