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Overview
What is Autism?
Is there more than one type of Autism?
What causes Autism?
How is Autism diagnosed?
What are the characteristics of Autism?
What are the most effective approaches to treating

Autism? Is there a cure?
WHAT IS AUTISM?
Very complex, often baffling

developmental disability
First described by Leo Kanner in
1943 as early infantile autism
Auto  children are locked
within themselves.
For next 30 years, considered to
be an emotional disturbance
WHAT IS AUTISM?
3 categories for autism in IDEA?
Today, autism is a severe form of a broader group

of disorders
These are referred to as pervasive developmental
disorders (later)
Typically appears during the first 3 years of life
WHAT IS AUTISM?
Very likely neurological in origin  not

emotional, not the refrigerator mom
Prevalence figures vary widely (textbook says
5/10,000, but recent data say as high as 1/1000 or
even 1/500.
4 times more prevalent in boys
No known racial, ethnic, or social boundaries
No relation to family income, lifestyle
WHAT IS AUTISM?
Autism impacts normal development of the brain in

areas of social interaction and communication
skills.
Difficult to communicate with others and relate to
the outside world.
Occasionally, aggressive and/or self-injurious
behavior may be present.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES?
Actually, the umbrella heading is Pervasive

Developmental Disorder (PDD).
Autism is one of the 5 PDDs.
All have commonalities in communication and social
deficits
Differ in terms of severity
1. Autistic Disorder
Impairments in social interaction,

communication, and imaginative play.
Apparent before age 3.
Also includes stereotyped behaviors, interests, and
activities
2. Aspergers Disorder
Impairments in social interactions, and presence of

restricted interests and activities
No clinically significant general delay in language
Average to above average intelligence
3. Pervasive Developmental Disorder  Not
Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
Often referred to as atypical autism
Used when a child does not meet the criteria for a

specific diagnosis, but there is severe and pervasive
impairment in specified behaviors
4. Retts Disorder
Progressive disorder which, to date, has only

occurred in girls.
Period of normal development and then the loss of
previously acquired skills
Also loss of purposeful use of hands, which is
replaced by repetitive hand movements
Beginning at age of 1-4 years
5. Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder
Normal development for at least the first 2 years
Then significant loss of previously acquired skills
Conclusions on Types
Autism is a spectrum disorder
This means that symptoms and characteristics

can present themselves in wide variety of
combinations, from mild to severe
Autistic individuals can be very different from
each other
Autism is still commonly used to refer to any of
the 5 PDDs
What causes (and doesnt cause)
autism?
Good agreement in general that autism is caused by

abnormalities in brain development, neurochemistry,
and genetic factors
Bettleheims theory of psychogenesis?
How is Autism Diagnosed?
No definitive medical test
Team uses interviews, observation, and specific

checklists developed for this purpose.
Team might include neurologist, psychologist,
developmental pediatrician, speech/language
therapist, learning consultant, etc.
Must rule out MR, hearing impairment, behavior
disorders, or eccentric habits
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Communication/Language
2. Social Interaction
3. Behaviors
4. Sensory and movement disorders
5. Resistance to change (predictability)
6. Intellectual functioning
1. Communication/language
Broad range of abilities, from no verbal

communication to quite complex skills
Two common impairments:
A. Delayed language
B. Echolalia
A. Delayed language
50% of autistic individuals will eventually have

useful speech (?)
Pronoun reversal: You want white icing on
chocolate cake.
Difficulty in conversing easily with others
Difficulty in shifting topics
Look away; poor eye contact
Facilitated communication??????
Elements of Facilitated
Communication
1. Physical Support
2. Initial training/introduction
3. Maintaining focus
4. Avoiding competence testing
5. Generalization
6. Fading
B. Echolalia
Common in very young children (Age 3)
Immediate or delayed (even years)
Is there communicative intent with echolalia?
2. Social Interaction
One of hallmarks of autism is lack of social

interaction
1. Impaired use of nonverbal behavior
2. Lack of peer relationships
3. Failure to spontaneously share enjoyment,
interests, etc. with others
4. Lack of reciprocity
Theory of mind?
3. Behaviors
Repetitive behaviors, including obsessions, tics, and

perseveration
Impeding behaviors (impede their learning or the
learning of others)
Will need positive behavior supports
A. Self-injurious behavior
B. Aggression
4. Sensory and movement
disorders
Very common
Over- or under-sensitive to sensory stimuli
Abnormal posture and movements of the face,

head, trunk, and limbs
Abnormal eye movements
Repeated gestures and mannerisms
Movement disorders can be detected very early 
perhaps at birth
5. Predictability
Change in routine is very stressful
May insist on particular furniture arrangement, food

at meals, TV shows
Symmetry is often important
Interventions need to focus on preparing students for
change if possible
6. Intellectual functioning
Autism occurs in children of all levels of intelligence,

from those who are gifted to those who have mental
retardation
In general, majority of individuals with autism are
also identified as having mental retardation  75%
below 70
Verbal and reasoning skills are difficult
Savant syndrome
Interventions
1. Individualization and early intervention are the

keys
2. Include life skills, functional academics, and
vocational preparation
3. Positive behavior support
4. Social stories (music therapy?)
5. Lovaas model
Thank you
Contact Us :
http://cerebrabraintech.com/
info@cerebrabraintech.com
https://www.facebook.com/cerebraturbobrain

More Related Content

What is autism ?

  • 1. Overview What is Autism? Is there more than one type of Autism? What causes Autism? How is Autism diagnosed? What are the characteristics of Autism? What are the most effective approaches to treating Autism? Is there a cure?
  • 2. WHAT IS AUTISM? Very complex, often baffling developmental disability First described by Leo Kanner in 1943 as early infantile autism Auto children are locked within themselves. For next 30 years, considered to be an emotional disturbance
  • 3. WHAT IS AUTISM? 3 categories for autism in IDEA? Today, autism is a severe form of a broader group of disorders These are referred to as pervasive developmental disorders (later) Typically appears during the first 3 years of life
  • 4. WHAT IS AUTISM? Very likely neurological in origin not emotional, not the refrigerator mom Prevalence figures vary widely (textbook says 5/10,000, but recent data say as high as 1/1000 or even 1/500. 4 times more prevalent in boys No known racial, ethnic, or social boundaries No relation to family income, lifestyle
  • 5. WHAT IS AUTISM? Autism impacts normal development of the brain in areas of social interaction and communication skills. Difficult to communicate with others and relate to the outside world. Occasionally, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present.
  • 6. WHAT ARE THE TYPES? Actually, the umbrella heading is Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Autism is one of the 5 PDDs. All have commonalities in communication and social deficits Differ in terms of severity
  • 7. 1. Autistic Disorder Impairments in social interaction, communication, and imaginative play. Apparent before age 3. Also includes stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities
  • 8. 2. Aspergers Disorder Impairments in social interactions, and presence of restricted interests and activities No clinically significant general delay in language Average to above average intelligence
  • 9. 3. Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) Often referred to as atypical autism Used when a child does not meet the criteria for a specific diagnosis, but there is severe and pervasive impairment in specified behaviors
  • 10. 4. Retts Disorder Progressive disorder which, to date, has only occurred in girls. Period of normal development and then the loss of previously acquired skills Also loss of purposeful use of hands, which is replaced by repetitive hand movements Beginning at age of 1-4 years
  • 11. 5. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Normal development for at least the first 2 years Then significant loss of previously acquired skills
  • 12. Conclusions on Types Autism is a spectrum disorder This means that symptoms and characteristics can present themselves in wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe Autistic individuals can be very different from each other Autism is still commonly used to refer to any of the 5 PDDs
  • 13. What causes (and doesnt cause) autism? Good agreement in general that autism is caused by abnormalities in brain development, neurochemistry, and genetic factors Bettleheims theory of psychogenesis?
  • 14. How is Autism Diagnosed? No definitive medical test Team uses interviews, observation, and specific checklists developed for this purpose. Team might include neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, learning consultant, etc. Must rule out MR, hearing impairment, behavior disorders, or eccentric habits
  • 15. CHARACTERISTICS 1. Communication/Language 2. Social Interaction 3. Behaviors 4. Sensory and movement disorders 5. Resistance to change (predictability) 6. Intellectual functioning
  • 16. 1. Communication/language Broad range of abilities, from no verbal communication to quite complex skills Two common impairments: A. Delayed language B. Echolalia
  • 17. A. Delayed language 50% of autistic individuals will eventually have useful speech (?) Pronoun reversal: You want white icing on chocolate cake. Difficulty in conversing easily with others Difficulty in shifting topics Look away; poor eye contact Facilitated communication??????
  • 18. Elements of Facilitated Communication 1. Physical Support 2. Initial training/introduction 3. Maintaining focus 4. Avoiding competence testing 5. Generalization 6. Fading
  • 19. B. Echolalia Common in very young children (Age 3) Immediate or delayed (even years) Is there communicative intent with echolalia?
  • 20. 2. Social Interaction One of hallmarks of autism is lack of social interaction 1. Impaired use of nonverbal behavior 2. Lack of peer relationships 3. Failure to spontaneously share enjoyment, interests, etc. with others 4. Lack of reciprocity Theory of mind?
  • 21. 3. Behaviors Repetitive behaviors, including obsessions, tics, and perseveration Impeding behaviors (impede their learning or the learning of others) Will need positive behavior supports A. Self-injurious behavior B. Aggression
  • 22. 4. Sensory and movement disorders Very common Over- or under-sensitive to sensory stimuli Abnormal posture and movements of the face, head, trunk, and limbs Abnormal eye movements Repeated gestures and mannerisms Movement disorders can be detected very early perhaps at birth
  • 23. 5. Predictability Change in routine is very stressful May insist on particular furniture arrangement, food at meals, TV shows Symmetry is often important Interventions need to focus on preparing students for change if possible
  • 24. 6. Intellectual functioning Autism occurs in children of all levels of intelligence, from those who are gifted to those who have mental retardation In general, majority of individuals with autism are also identified as having mental retardation 75% below 70 Verbal and reasoning skills are difficult Savant syndrome
  • 25. Interventions 1. Individualization and early intervention are the keys 2. Include life skills, functional academics, and vocational preparation 3. Positive behavior support 4. Social stories (music therapy?) 5. Lovaas model
  • 26. Thank you Contact Us : http://cerebrabraintech.com/ info@cerebrabraintech.com https://www.facebook.com/cerebraturbobrain