Autism

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Autism

• Eric Reiss
• Annotated Bibliography
• GED 641B
• Professor Doyle
• 10/29/03

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Turnbull, Turnbull, Shank, Smith Exceptional
Lives. Autism Ch. 10 pp 282-287

• Referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
• Includes five disorders
• Autistic Disorder
• Retts Disorder
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
• Aspergers Disorder
• Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise
  Specified

• Symptoms
• Poor Language Skills
• Repetitive Behavior
• Self-Injurious Behavior
• Atypical Social Development
• Sensory and Movement Disorders

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AUTISM DefinedIDEA (34 C.F.R., Part 300,
300.7b 1)

• Autism is a developmental disability that
  significantly affects a students verbal and
  nonverbal communication, social interactions, and
  education performance. It is generally evident
  before age 3.
• Characteristics include engagement in repetitive
  activities stereotyped movements, resistance to
  environmental change or changes in daily
  routines, unusual responses to sensory
  experiences.

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AUTISM DefinedVermont

• Autism means a developmental disability
  significantly affecting verbal and non verbal
  communication and social interactions, generally
  evident before the age of 3.
• Other characteristics often associated with
  autism are engagement in repetitive activities
  stereotyped movements, resistance to
  environmental change or changes in daily
  routines, unusual responses to sensory
  experiences.
• The term does not apply if a childs educational
  performance is adversely affected primarily
  because the child has an emotional disturbance as
  defined in Rule 2362.1(h).
• THE EPT shall obtain an opinion of a licensed
  physician as to the existence of autism and its
  effect on the students ability to function.

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Jeremy Jones

• Higher Functioning young man with Autistism
• Lives in Inner City of Kansas City
• Loves Reading Maps
• Obsessive about materials, rules of behavior,
  clothes, and toiletries
• Rocks powerfully in furniture to test breaking
  point
• Fixates on oscillating fans
• Surfs TV in search of weather reports
• Aloof from peers at school
• Exhibits mild aggression
• Needs familiar environment and routine

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No author, Ascribe Higher Education News Service.
San Diego State University Researcher Paints
Clearer Picture of Autism Development October
22, 2003 pp. N/A

• Research conducted by Ralph Axel-Mueller finds
• Early-developing functions, such as moving
  fingers, uses up more brain resources in autistic
  children and crowds out later developing skills
  such as language.
• Autism is likely based on elementary
  abnormalities that occur early in childs
  development
• Patients with autism exhibit a scattering of
  brain functions. i.e. brain activity occurs in
  areas not normally involved in simple tasks.
• During development, simple tasks require more
  brain tissue
• As a result, these parts of brain are not
  available for developing more complex functions.

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Hollander, Eric Phillips, Ann T. Yeh,
Chin-Chin. The Lancet Targeted treatments for
symptom domains in child and adolescent autism
August 30, 2003 v362 i9385 p732

• Pharmacological Treatments for Autism
• No Drugs are developed exclusively for autism
• Drug treatment consists of prescribing drugs
  borrowed from the treatment of other disorders
  with overlapping symptoms
• Certain drugs are useful in reduction of
  repetitive behaviors and mood disorders
  (serotonin-reuptake inhibitors)
• A combination of drug and behavioral intervention
  can be complementary and effective
• Where symptoms exist only in certain
  environments, behavioral intervention is more
  appropriate
• With a history of unsuccessful behavioral
  intervention, drug intervention may be
  appropriate
• For children, only severe cases, like severe
  aggression, should enter into drug trials.

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Behavioral Treatments

• T.E.A.C.C.H. Model
• Treatment and Education of Autistic and related
  Communication Handicapped Children
• When used in residential treatment of adults,
  found a decrease in difficult behaviors over time
• However, there was no difference in the
  acquisition of skills
• More on this model in the instructional practices
  section of the bibliography

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Curran, Laura Kresch Newschaffer, Craig J.
Public Health Reports Autism an emerging health
problem. September-October 2003 v118 i5 p
393-397

• Increasing Incidence of Autism?
• Science still baffled over its etiology (genetic
  origin)
• Diagnosis has been purely behaviorally bases
• New criteria for diagnosis may account for the
  apparent increase in its prevalence
• Currently estimated at 5-10 per 10,000
• Prevalence in males is 3-4 times higher than
  females (unknown as to why)
• 1990, autism became a federally recognized
  category for special education classification
• Since 1990, a 25 increase in number of children
  classified as autistic
• People with autism need support to navigate
  routine educational and social situations

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Can Autism Be Prevented?

• Since there is no known genetic origin, thus far
  no prevention methods have been developed
• Since 1994, under IDEA, funding for screening and
  early intervention in toddlers has been available
  in all states

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Websites

• www.autism-resources.com
• Links to other autism related websites (treatment
  options, personal experiences, autism
  organizations)
• FAQs (glossary of terms, definitions, related
  disorders, history, organizations, movements)
• Advice for parents with autistic children,
  includes an online mailing list (listserv)
• Book information for professionals, parents and
  children. Includes fiction and non-fiction
  selections

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www.autism-society.org

• Autism Society of America (ASA)
• What is autism and other general information
• Sections on research, resources, events, news,
  and advocacy
• Includes a brief history of ASA and links to
  other sites
• Resources include local ASA chapters, how to
  join or donate, parent training, vocational
  rehabilitation, list of special education
  departments, Insurance information
• A complete advocacy agenda with a written focus
  for 2003

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www.autism.com

• Center for the Study of Autism
• Categorized links to autism related websites
• General
• Oregon Websites
• Related Disorders
• Nutrition
• Education/Intervention
• Research
• Web Cameras

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www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm

• National Institute of Mental Health
• Understanding autism (what it is, how it is
  caused, diagnosis, accompanying disorders,
  symptoms, brain functions)
• Treatment/Intervention (lists of different
  treatment methods with brief descriptions of
  each, education options, medication options.

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Instructional Strategies

• T.E.A.C.C.H.
• Highly structured visual teaching
• Visible daily schedules, individual work systems
• Predictable environment
• Repetitive tasks
• Reduce confusion and anxiety
• Finish task before beginning new one

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Schedule

• Focus on what you want child to do
• Use schedules, calendars, and lists to help
  sequence events
• Use visual cues (objects, photos, icons, check
  lists)
• Individualize instruction to meet childs
  developmental level and skill level
• Length of schedule based on developmental level
  and skill level
• Visual Work System- what work? How much work? How
  does student know when work is finished? What
  comes next?

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Work Task Examples

• Consider location, distractions, boundaries,
  buzzing lights, motors, hallway sounds, visual
  distractions and smells
• Visually clear what activities happen in which
  areas
• Furniture and materials clearly organized
• Locate student near teacher, facing teacher
• In large groups, place student between two
  model students
• Use visual barriers to limit distractions

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Communication Suggestions

• Behavior is communication! Dont take it
  personally!
• Write behavior rules (list of what to do and what
  not to do)
• Role play appropriate behavior in social
  situations
• Use positive rewards
• Use if/then pattern to aid in understanding
• Teach student to be flexible i.e. a method to let
  student know there will be a change in the daily
  schedule or routine such as
• Let student know ahead of time when an activity
  will begin or end
• Let student know ahead of time if you are going
  to touch or move the student
• Dont assume the student automatically
  understands you
• Watch for likes, dislikes, and interests.

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