The Spectrum of Autism

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The Spectrum of Autism
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What Is Autism?

• Third most common developmental disability
• Appears in the first three years of life
• A neurological disorder
• Affects 1 in 500 individuals, but seems to be
  increasing in frequency
• Affects boys 4 times more often than girls

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Autism is a Spectrum Disorder

• Individuals range from high-functioning to low
  functioning
• The range includes
• Retts Syndrome
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
• Aspergers Syndrome

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Features of Autism

• Impacts social interaction and communication
  skills
• Involves sensory impairments sensitivity to
  sights, sounds, smells and touch
• Strong attachment to routines and objects

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What Autism Is Not

• Autism is not the result of poor parenting
• Children with Autism are not unruly kids with
  just a behavior problem
• Most are not savants (ex. Rain Man)
• Children with Autism do have feelings and emotions

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How Do Students With Autism Think?

• Thinking in pictures, not words
• Have difficulty with long sequences or strings of
  verbal information
• Cant think of 2 things at one time linear
  thinking
• Use or attend to only one sensory channel at a
  time
• Have difficulty generalizing
• Thinking is like playing a video in their minds,
  taking time to retrieve

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Adaptations for Students With Autism

• Create a welcoming environment
• Understand that the behavior is a form of
  communication
• Convey information through visual means whenever
  possible
• Dont take misbehaviors personally
• Provide consistent routines