Austism
- 1. AUSTISM DEFINITION: AUTISM IS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY THAT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTS A STUDENTS VERBAL AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE.
- 2. History 1908 Eugen Bleuler coined the word Autism 1943 Leo Kanner (American child psychiatrist) described children with common traits of Autism calling them autistic 1944 Hans Aperger wrote about a group of children he called autistic psychopaths And as we previously learned Brunno Bettelhelm wrote a book called The Empty Fortress and claimed that autism was due to the coldness of their mothers
- 3. Current Info In the 70s, knowledge of Autism began to spread to Sweden. In the 80s, The Erica Foundation started education and Therapy for psychotic children. Research continues to occur for students with Autism since there is no proven cause, this began in the 90s and continues today. (See recent story article provided)
- 4. Causes No known single cause Abnormalities in brain structure or function May be a link between heredity, genetics, and medical causes May be environmental factors such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances, and exposure to environmental chemicals
- 5. Characteristics Resistance to change Difficulty in expressing needs Repeating phrases in place of normal conversation Showing distress for reasons not apparent to others Difficulty mixing with others Little or no eye contact No real fears or dangers Uneven motor skills Non-responsive to verbal cues
- 6. Instructional Strategies Create a structured, predictable environment Create checklists Give fewer choices Promote social skills (one-on-one interactions) Limit physical contact Advise students of change in routine Use signs and pictures to communicate Allow students to stand
- 7. Classroom Management Strategies Stick to routines Visual and written schedules Seating arrangements Written task cards Written communication Modify the curriculum-interests Teacher-student/ peer relationships Quiet time Proactive management