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Autism/PDD . . . is a collection of responses which must
be viewed in context, and observation is always more productive than labeling. Across the wide spectrum of the autism/PDD
syndrome, individual variations on several key features can be recognized. Reciprocal social interactions, both verbal and
nonverbal, are unusual in quality and generally difficult to synchronize and to carry out.
Impairments of the central nervous system typically result
in over-reactions, under-reactions, or inconsistent responses to various sensory stimuli. Because sensory input is difficult
to organize and control, the individual's activities and interests may appear restricted in their nature and repertoire, frequently
involving significant repetition and a need for predictability rather than change.
It is important to view the behavior of people with autism/PDD as meaningful adaptations and to take a positive,
respectful approach to them, forgoing the common tendency to judge their competence and capacity on the basis of their sensorimotor
challenges.
Source: Autism National Committee AUTCOM
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Autism
is a developmental disability that appears during the first three years. Autism is the result of a neurological disorder that affects
the functioning of the brain.
How many people have autism ?
As well as the 5 per 10,000 with classic autism or Kanners syndrome, it is estimated that 15 in every 10,000 have
what are called, in North America, other pervasive developmental disorders. Current statistics tell us that approximately
every 1 in every 500 persons in the U.S. alone has some form of Autism. And sadly, as we all know, this number is
increasing daily. In addition, perhaps 71
in every 10,000 have a milder form of the disorder, mainly affecting social relationships rather than communication and language.
About half of this larger number (36 in every 10,000 of the population) is thought to have Aspergers Syndrome. These figures
add up to 91 persons in every 10,000, nearly one per cent of the total population. Throughout the world, it has been estimated
that 48 million people have some form of autism.
An interesting and important question is: "Is the prevalence
of autism increasing?" Some have described the increases in diagnoses of some form of autism as an "explosion". Perhaps
this reflects greater awareness of the distinctive impairments by professionals and parents, as well as the expansion of criteria
to include those who combine autism with some other disability. Perhaps there has really been an increase in the numbers and
proportions of affected people, possibly related to environmental factors, viral infections, vaccinations and over-use of
antibiotics.
Autism
is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle
or educational levels do not affect the chance of occurrence.
Autism interferes with the normal development of the brain in areas which control verbal and nonverbal communication,
social interaction, and sensory development. Children or adults with autism may exhibit repeated body movements such as hand
flapping and rocking, show unusual responses to people or attachments to objects, and resist changes in routine. In some cases,
aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present.
Autism is often referred to as a spectrum disorder, meaning the symptoms and characteristics of autism can present
themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors,
children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with a diagnosis
of autism, can act very differently from one another.
Several old theories about the cause of autism have been proven false. Autism is not a mental illness. Children with
autism are not unruly kids with a behavior problem. Autism is not caused by bad parents who gave their child too little attention.
Most importantly, no known factors in the psychological environment of a child have been shown to cause autism.
It is conservatively estimated that 400,000 people in the U.S. today have some form of autism. It's prevalence rate
now places it as the third most common developmental disability - more common than Down's syndrome. Yet, the majority of the
public, including many professionals in the medical, educational, and vocational fields are still unaware of how autism affects
people and how to effectiively work with individuals with autism.
Persons with Autism may possess the following characteristics
in various combinations in varying degrees of severity:
~ Inappropriate laughing or giggling
~ No real fear of
dangers
~ Apparent insensitivity to pain
~ May not want cuddling
~ Sustained unusual or repetitive play
~
Uneven physical or verbal skills
~ May avoid eye contact
~ May prefer to be alone
~ Difficulty in expressing needs-may
use gestures
~ Inappropriate attachments to objects
~ Insistance on sameness
~ Echos words or phrases
~ Inappropriate
response to sound
~ Spins objects or self
~ Difficulty in interacting with others
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Asperger's Syndrome is part of the Autism Spectrum and is
characterized by specific delays in social, communicative, and cognitive development. It is a life long condition and the
attributes will change with different stages of life. The most prominent characteristic of the person with Asperger's is their
inability to read and respond to social cues. They usually lack the ability to read body language and facial expressions.
They have difficulty keeping eye contact. Their conversations seem to be one sided, often focusing on their obsessions. It
doesn't enter their minds that the other person may not be interested. Their conversations often speak of facts, rather than
actual social conversation.
Studies suggest that Asperger's is dominate among males. It has been suggested that this
may not really be true; that, in fact, girls just have a better ability to blend in and often are never diagnosed. Please
go to Tony Attwood's site at
http://www.tonyattwood.com/paper1.htm for an
excellent paper offering information on girls with AS.
The major characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome are:
~
Very concrete literal thinking
~ Math learning disability
~ Strong spelling but poor writing and written work
~
Poor reading comprehension
~ Marked impairment in the use of nonverbal behavior such as eye to eye gaze, body language,and
facial expression
~ Repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities
~ Lack of organization
~ Inflexible
adherence to routine and change
~ Clumsy, uncoordinated, stereotypic motor movements
~ Unusual social styles and limited
social skills
~ Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental age level
~ Lack of spontaneous
seeking to enjoy interests or achievements with others
~ Onset commonly occurs after the age of 3
FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION, PLEASE
SEE NEXT PAGE
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Treating children with high functioning autism
Autism is one of the most commonly diagnosed developmental disabilities
in children. It is a lifelong disability that is usually diagnosed before the age of three. Autism can interfere with a persons
ability to process information, interact with others, and learn common tasks. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that
there are varying degrees of it, from the very profoundly affected, to high functioning (Aspergers Syndrome).
Certain types of high functioning autism are often diagnosed as Pervasive
Developmental Disorder or PDD. Symptoms include delayed or absence of speech, the inability to appropriately relate to others,
repetitive movements, such as hand flapping, and an insistence of a routine. If a child is suspected of having autism, they
should be tested and diagnosed by a reputable professional, such as a pediatric neurologist, or child psychologist who is
familiar with the disorder. With the correct intervention, the higher functioning autistic child can learn to overcome his
difficulties and eventually be mainstreamed into a regular classroom. However, there are some recommendations and guidelines
that must be followed when training and treating these exceptional children.
Once a child has been diagnosed with autism, seeking treatment as soon
as possible is crucial. In the U.S, each school district is mandated to offer intervention programs to assist children with
this disorder. Establishing an individualized educational and therapy plan is the first step in treating children with this
disorder. Since autism is not a disease, there is no single solution to addressing it. Rather, a series of therapies must
be mapped out for the affected child. These include development of social, behavioral, communication, and motor skills. An
Individualized Educational Plan, or IEP is formulated through teacher, specialist, and parent inputs. It is this plan that
lays the groundwork for the childs necessary therapy and academic training.
One of the biggest misconceptions of high functioning autistic children
is that they are unable to accomplish or learn many tasks if they have low testing IQ scores. This is not the case, since
measuring the IQ of such children cannot be done with any degree of accuracy. Many factors, such as distractions in the testing
environment as well as their level of hyperactivity may interfere with the test taking. Quite simply, the child with high
functioning autism may just require more time to respond along with some visual input to help clarify a question. This is
especially true since people with autism tend to think in more visual terms than most people do. As a result of these discoveries,
special education teams have come up with a series of approaches to successfully teach these children in the public sector.
Another tool often used in helping these children, is that of a schedule.
Because many autistic children resist changes and disruptions in their routines, it is important to provide them with a plan
so they know what activities are first, next, and last. If they are unable to read, then a picture schedule can be provided.
These children also need advanced notice of impending changes. For example, using the phrase in five minutes, were going to
put away the puzzles, and read a story will assist them in transitioning to this next activity.
In addition to special academic training, the high functioning autistic
child may require additional therapies in speech, and language. Despite the fact that these children can be quite verbal,
sometimes additional work is often needed to correct specific letter and word pronunciations. If necessary, language skills
are addressed so that the child learns how to respond appropriately to certain phrases and questions. This type of therapy
is often administered on an individualized basis, by a speech and language therapist during the course of the school day.
Many children may also require some degree of occupational therapy for
motor skill and sensory integration problems. These sensory problems may cause children to be overly sensitive to certain
textures, noises, smells, and sounds. An occupational therapist that is specially trained in this field can treat the child
with sensory issues. If the child has problems with fine motor skills that interfere with writing and other necessary tasks,
therapy is used to address these problems as well. As in speech and language therapy, the child can often receive occupational
therapy at school if he or she has demonstrated a need for it.
Some aspects of autism may interfere with the childs inability to focus
or behave appropriately, despite all attempts of behavioral modification. If this is the case, medication may be needed to
help control any anxieties, hyperactivity, and obsessive behaviors. Physicians experienced with autism, such as pediatric
neurologists, should be consulted before deciding on such a treatment plan.
Through early
testing and intervention, these children can learn to overcome their difficulties and grow up to become successful and productive
members of society.
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List of Possible Characteristics of a Person with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism or (PDD-NOS).
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