Presented by: Steve Vitto, M.A., Behavioral Teacher Consultant Muskegon Area ISD Asperger Syndrome

What Is Asperger Syndrome? Child with diminished nonverbal communication and social interaction but normal language and cognitive development Neurodevelopmental disorder of the brain that affects a number of abilities Atypical sensitivity to sensory input Have problems with motor and coordination skills Have intense or unusual interests in certain subjects Not a behavior disorder Can not be empirically or medically determined Four times more common in boys than girls

Child with diminished nonverbal communication and social interaction but normal language and cognitive development

Neurodevelopmental disorder of the brain that affects a number of abilities

Atypical sensitivity to sensory input

Have problems with motor and coordination skills

Have intense or unusual interests in certain subjects

Not a behavior disorder

Can not be empirically or medically determined

Four times more common in boys than girls

How Is It Diagnosed? Observations Parent interviews Language and cognitive testing Verbal and nonverbal communication Social relatedness Play Behavior No blood test or chromosomal test Medical identification using the DSM-IV criteria

Observations

Parent interviews

Language and cognitive testing

Verbal and nonverbal communication

Social relatedness

Play

Behavior

No blood test or chromosomal test

Medical identification using the DSM-IV criteria

Symptoms of Asperger Syndrome Perseveration on specific topics of interest Insistance on sameness/difficulty with changes in routine Inability to make and keep friends Difficulty with reciprocal conversations Pedantic speech Socially naïve and literal thinkers Difficulty with learning in large groups Difficulties with abstract concepts Problem-solving abilities tend to be poor Vocabulary usually great; comprehension poor Low frustration tolerance Poor coping strategies Narrow and or intense focus of interest

Perseveration on specific topics of interest

Insistance on sameness/difficulty with changes in routine

Inability to make and keep friends

Difficulty with reciprocal conversations

Pedantic speech

Socially naïve and literal thinkers

Difficulty with learning in large groups

Difficulties with abstract concepts

Problem-solving abilities tend to be poor

Vocabulary usually great; comprehension poor

Low frustration tolerance

Poor coping strategies

Narrow and or intense focus of interest

Video- Tony Attwood Social Difficulties

Social Difficulties

Symptoms of Asperger Syndrome (continued) Impulsivity Difficulty discerning between fiction and reality Poor writing skills (fine-motor problems) Poor concentration Emotional vulnerabilidty Academic difficulties Poor organization skills (executive functions) Appear “normal” to other people Motor cluminess Inability to interpret nonverbal language Difficulty initiating and or maintaining conversations Personal-space violations Difficulty with perspective-taking (theory of mind deficits) Sensory difficulties (hypo or hypersensitive)

Impulsivity

Difficulty discerning between fiction and reality

Poor writing skills (fine-motor problems)

Poor concentration

Emotional vulnerabilidty

Academic difficulties

Poor organization skills (executive functions)

Appear “normal” to other people

Motor cluminess

Inability to interpret nonverbal language

Difficulty initiating and or maintaining conversations

Personal-space violations

Difficulty with perspective-taking (theory of mind deficits)

Sensory difficulties (hypo or hypersensitive)

Tony Attwood -Video Pragmatics Special Interests Cognition Central Coherence Stress and Management Homework Motor Clumsiness Sensory

Pragmatics

Special Interests

Cognition

Central Coherence

Stress and Management

Homework

Motor Clumsiness

Sensory

Causes of Asperger Syndrome We don’t know yet We do know: Parents do not cause it Mother’s actions before or during pregnancy does not cause it Research is examining the biological and structural aspects of brain

We don’t know yet

We do know:

Parents do not cause it

Mother’s actions before or during pregnancy does not cause it

Research is examining the biological and structural aspects of brain

Behaviors and Stress Behaviors are misinterpreted Function of poor coping strategies Low frustration tolerance Difficulty reading social cues Involves feelings of stress Inability to predict outcomes See the world as unpredictable and threatening Recognize basic emotions (sad, mad, happy and afraid) Don’t access the thinking area of the brain under stress

Behaviors are misinterpreted

Function of poor coping strategies

Low frustration tolerance

Difficulty reading social cues

Involves feelings of stress

Inability to predict outcomes

See the world as unpredictable and threatening

Recognize basic emotions (sad, mad, happy and afraid)

Don’t access the thinking area of the brain under stress

Strategies Which May Increase Behavioral Difficulties Judgmental or emotional responses Expectations of rapid compliance Misperceptions of intentionality (he knows what he is doing) Misperceptions about variant ability to control (because he can do it sometimes he is capable) Punishment involving exclusion or separation Police Involvement and/or Juvenile Detention Frequent change of staff or assigning substitute staff

Judgmental or emotional responses

Expectations of rapid compliance

Misperceptions of intentionality (he knows what he is doing)

Misperceptions about variant ability to control (because he can do it sometimes he is capable)

Punishment involving exclusion or separation

Police Involvement and/or Juvenile Detention

Frequent change of staff or assigning substitute staff

Teacher Behaviors That Can Escalate a Crisis Raising your voice or yelling Statement proclaiming your authority (e.g., “I’m the boss.”) Having the last word Using sarcasm Bringing up past events Commanding and demanding compliance Using unwarranted physical management (e.g., forced compliance) Not allowing choices Nagging Labeling or giving undue attention to the undesired behavior

Raising your voice or yelling

Statement proclaiming your authority (e.g., “I’m the boss.”)

Having the last word

Using sarcasm

Bringing up past events

Commanding and demanding compliance

Using unwarranted physical management (e.g., forced compliance)

Not allowing choices

Nagging

Labeling or giving undue attention to the undesired behavior

Teacher Behaviors That Can Diffuse a Crisis Avoid ultimatums Honor personal space Avoid touching the student when they are upset Provide reasonable limits Be careful of prolonged staring Refrain from arguing Let the student know what he needs to do Talk with a calm even tone

Avoid ultimatums

Honor personal space

Avoid touching the student when they are upset

Provide reasonable limits

Be careful of prolonged staring

Refrain from arguing

Let the student know what he needs to do

Talk with a calm even tone

Develop a Functional Assessment Environmental Variables Setting Events Preventative Strategies Needs being Met through the Behavior Disability Characteristics

Environmental Variables

Setting Events

Preventative Strategies

Needs being Met through the Behavior

Disability Characteristics

Writing a Formal Behavior Plan Definition of Behavior Motivation of Behavior Preventative Strategies Reinforcement Strategies Replacement Skills to be Taught Consequences that Teach and Restore

Definition of Behavior

Motivation of Behavior

Preventative Strategies

Reinforcement Strategies

Replacement Skills to be Taught

Consequences that Teach and Restore

Evaluating Consequences Individualized and data based decisions Consequences should facilitate their learning of replacement skills Consequence provide an opportunity to make things right Consequences should relate to the behavior of concern Consequences should support community building efforts Consequences should involve peer understanding and support Ineffective consequences should be abandoned

Individualized and data based decisions

Consequences should facilitate their learning of replacement skills

Consequence provide an opportunity to make things right

Consequences should relate to the behavior of concern

Consequences should support community building efforts

Consequences should involve peer understanding and support

Ineffective consequences should be abandoned

What Teachers Can Do In A Classroom Teacher selected groups Recognize the students strengths Provide a predictable, safe environment Firm expectations Refrain from arguing Provide adequate response time Provision of a quiet place to go when stressed Reduce distractions and sensory overload Break large tasks or concepts into smaller steps

Teacher selected groups

Recognize the students strengths

Provide a predictable, safe environment

Firm expectations

Refrain from arguing

Provide adequate response time

Provision of a quiet place to go when stressed

Reduce distractions and sensory overload

Break large tasks or concepts into smaller steps

Structured day Positive behavior management techniques Create visual organizers Keep instructions simple Type on the computer instead of using pencil and paper for handwriting Choose seating carefully Provide peer education about Asperger Syndrome What Teachers Can Do In A Classroom (continued)

Structured day

Positive behavior management techniques

Create visual organizers

Keep instructions simple

Type on the computer instead of using pencil and paper for handwriting

Choose seating carefully

Provide peer education about Asperger Syndrome

Establish Preventative Environments Emphasis on prompting and modeling desired behavior Clear rules and expectations (written or symbolic) Peer group that understands and knows how to respond to and support the student with Aspergers Frequent positive feedback Focus on developing social skills Ample time to process and respond to directives Advanced and ample time to make transitions Calming area when overstimulated

Emphasis on prompting and modeling desired behavior

Clear rules and expectations (written or symbolic)

Peer group that understands and knows how to respond to and support the student with Aspergers

Frequent positive feedback

Focus on developing social skills

Ample time to process and respond to directives

Advanced and ample time to make transitions

Calming area when overstimulated

Attributes of Good Program Personality of teacher Access to support and resources Teacher and school staff calm disposition predictable in their emotional reactions flexible see the world through the child’s eyes a sense of humor Classroom size is smaller Quiet well ordered classroom

Personality of teacher

Access to support and resources

Teacher and school staff

calm disposition

predictable in their emotional reactions

flexible

see the world through the child’s eyes

a sense of humor

Classroom size is smaller

Quiet well ordered classroom

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