1. What is Autism?
By: Crista Kuehl

2. Autism as an Overview
 In March 2014, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention estimates
that prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in
every 68 births in the United States and
almost 1 in 42 boys.
 Autism disorders are typically demonstrated
by age 3 but may not be recognized or
diagnosed until later ages due to a variety of
complicating issues
 Early Signs:
-Child fails to have social communication skills
-Prior to age 3 results may be less reliable due
to differences in development of children

3. Autism Spectrum Disorder
Communication
Restrictive &
Repetitive
behaviors
Reciprocal Social
Interaction

4. A Child’s Development
A Child with Autism Spectrum
Disorder
A Child without Autism Spectrum
Disorder
• Birth: focus on other
characteristics
• Struggles with facial recognition
tasks
• Inverted faces are seen as
correctly as oriented ones
• Relies less on prominent
features of faces for recognition
• Use of still faces are limiting
• Children with autism look at the
speaker’s mouth, this causes the
child to lose 90%pertinent
information
• Focuses more on nonsocial
environments & simply
possibilities
• Birth: preferential interest in
faces-top half of the face
• 2-3 months: face recognition &
internal features
• 6 months: inversion effect,
gender favoritism
• 9 months: strong stranger
response, species effects
• Subsequent changes in
strategies with greater expertise
as children become older
• Children focus on the top portion
of the speaker’s face to gain
relevant information

5. NONVERBAL
BEHAVIORS
SOCIAL OR
EMOTIONAL
RECIPROCITY
PEER
RELATIONSHIPS
LACK OF
DEVELOPMENT
OF SPOKEN
LANGUAGE
How Autism Spectrum
Disorder Affects Individuals?

6. Diagnosis Issues:
Early studies confused
it with schizophrenia
Recent change in
criteria
Changes in
interventions
PL 94-142 IDEA
Methodological
problems
Outcome definitions
Focuses on
“outcomes”
Focus on late
adolescence & young
adults

7. Diagnosing Tools for Autism Spectrum Disorder:
The AutismDiagnostic
Interview:
• Extensive clinical
interview
• Onlyschool
psychologists,
counselors,or
clinical workerscan
administeredit
• Takes2 ½ hours
• It is able to
determine if a child
has ASD
• Givesadditional
datafor lateruse
• It questionsearly
development
behaviors
GillianAutismRating
Scale-2:
• Rating scale that is
usedin 1st
screening
assessments
• Usedfor children
ages3-22years old
screenings
• Can be completed
by parentsor
professionalstaff
• Takesabout 10
minutesto
administer
• Screens 3 coreareas
of ASD
-communication
-socialinteraction
-stereotypedbehaviors
PDD Behavior
Inventory:
• Rating systemto be
completedby the
classroomteacher
& parents-an
indirectrating
form
• Can assesschildren
at age 18 months
• Includesseveral
subscalesthat
measurement both
positive/negative
symptoms
• Dividedinto2
sections
-Approach/Withdrawal
Problems
-Receptive/Expressive
SocialCommunication
ChildhoodAutism
Rating Scale:
• Features 3 versions
-StandardizedVersion
-High Functioning
-Parent/Caregiver
Questionnaire
• Each version
contains15 items
• Standardized:
recommendedfor
kids who are 6 or
youngerin age
• Ratingsare based
on adaptation to
change,relating to
people,and
imitation
• A child’sbehavior
is ratedon severity
and duration
AutismDiagnosis
Observation Schedule:
• Requirestrained
professionalsas a
teamto administer
and discussscores
• Referredas the
“GoldStandard”in
assessments
• Directassessment
• Assessall behavior
areas
• Cut off scoresare
providedonlyfor
abnormalitiesin
communication&
reciprocalsocial
interaction,
repetitive
stereotyped
behaviors

8. How Does Having Autism Affect
Learning?
Lack of social orientation
Failure to develop
meaning from people
Over focus on
nonsocial
environment
Communication
Problems
Attention Problems
Quirky Learning Styles

9. Practices that Suggested for
Successful Learning
Consider
Child’s
Learning
Style
Use of
Technology
Teach Daily
Living Skills
(I prompts)
New
Approaches
to
Augmentati
ve
Communica
tion
Robotics/Vi
rtual Reality
Web based
Autism
Resources
Consider
these in
planning-
Plan using
their
strengths,
rule
governed,
& visual
learners
Visual Cues

10. Onset of seizures in Autism
excluding febrile seizures
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
<3 3 to 6 7 to
10
11 to
14
15 to
16
19+
Cooper 1965
Deykin & MarMalon
1979
Volkmar & Nelson
1990
Age in years
1stSeizures(per1000)
From Volkmar &
Wiesner (2009)

11. What you should know when working with
individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Children with ASD
struggle with:
• Exaggerated/paired
gestures and words
• Learning isolated skills
• Elaborate language
• Social Cues
Children with ASD
find success with:
• Early Intervention
• Learning in context
• Generalization
• Visuals
• Routines
• Familiarity with teachers
and staff
• Teaching using their
interests

12. Ten Things You Should
Know…

13. Best Practice Interventions
Child
with
Autism
Planned &
intensive
Use specific
curriculum
Interdisciplinary
& Integration of
Service
Teacher
Training,
Experience, &
Ongoing
Support
Family
Involvement;
Generalizing
skills
Child Active
Engagement
Functional
Behavior
Management
Transitional
Planning

14. Bibliography
 Overton, T. (2011). Assessing Learners with Special Needs an applied Approach (7th edition
ed.). New Jersey: Pearson.
 Autism and Related Disorders (iTunes U) https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/autism-and-
related-disorders/id495056283
 Autism "Awareness" - Ten Things You Should Know (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5m5vqrFZpc
 Resources (The Center for Autism)
http://thecenterforautism.org/resources/
Other Suggested Resources are:
 The hidden curriculum: practical solutions for understanding
unstated rules in social situations, By: Myles, Brenda Smith, and
Melissa Trautman. Autism Asperger Pub. Co. 2004
 Shop our Autism Store for 1400+ Autism Products (National Autism
Resources: Shop Our Autism Store for 1400+ Autism Products)
http://www.nationalautismresources.com/