This document discusses the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders. It begins with an overview and caveat that the characteristics described are typical but not universal. It then covers three main areas: communication, socialization, and interests/activities. Communication differences may include absent or delayed language, echolalia, pronoun reversal, and difficulty with nonverbal communication. Socialization challenges include lack of response to name, little eye contact, lack of understanding of social conventions, and inability to engage in joint attention. Interests tend to be narrow and focused on parts of objects, and repetitive behaviors and insistence on sameness are common. Videos are provided as examples throughout.

1. Characteristics of Individuals
with Autism Spectrum
Disorders
Learning Module 1
EDSP
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed., ABD

2. Overview
Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Communication
Socialization
Interests & Activities
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

3. Caveat...
The characteristics described in this powerpoint are ones
that are typical for a child with an Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD).
Not all children with ASD display all of these
characteristics.
My favorite saying to teachers of children with ASD is
“When you know one child with ASD, you know one
child with ASD.” As I worked with these students, I’d
find a strategy that worked and think I had it all figured
out, only to find that the next student I worked with...it
didn’t work! That is both the beauty and the frustration
of working with these students! ~Stacey
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

4. Click picture to begin the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL5GHMEjzt8
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

5. Characteristics of Autism
Spectrum Disorders
Communication
Socialization
Interest &
Activities
d of C
Tria
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013
eficits
ore D

6. Communication
Communication abilities among students
with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD)vary from a total lack of spoken
language or recognizable
communication to highly sophisticated
language (Lord & Paul, 1997).
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLk3Quh99hk
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

8. Communication, cont.
Immediate Echolalia - The repetition of
something just heard. (What’s your
name? - What’s your name?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxJvoeqpjQw
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

9. Communication, cont.
Delayed Echolalia - the repetition of
something heard after some amount of
time has passed (e.g. reciting scripts
from movies or TV shows).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRCdTDr7xhY
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

10. Communication, cont.
Echolalia can often lead to the common
observed occurrence of pronoun reversals.
(Kanner, 1943)
Example: When the child hears “Do you
want a cookie?” and “Do you need a drink?”
When language develops his response will
likely be “You want a cookie?” The use of
“You” for the actual pronoun “I” becomes a
part of their language.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

11. Communication, cont.
Typical Speech/Language Errors
Cadence and intonation of the words spoken
by persons with ASD may have unusual
qualities (Lord et al., 2000; Young, Diehl,
Morris, Hyman, & Bennetto, 2005).
Speech may sound robotic, have little
inflection or animation, the pitch may be too
high or every statement may sound like
question (Shriberg, et al).
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

12. Communication, cont.
Individuals with ASD who acquire spoken
language may have difficulties initiating or
sustaining conversations with others
(Ghaziuddin & Gerstein, 1996; Landa, 2000).
This is often an issue because of social
differences and limited interests in toys and
materials.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

13. Communication, cont.
Between 25% and 50% of individuals with
ASD are nonverbal.
Individuals with ASD typically have
difficulty with eye contact.
Nonverbal Individuals with ASD can learn
to use Communication Devices
to support communication
and
language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=g8v5F7CoHeA
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

14. Communication Summary
Differences in Communication may include:
Absent or delayed verbal language
Failure to use alternative forms of communication
such as gestures.
Using others as “tools”
Echolalia
Pronoun reversal
Difficulty understanding nonliteral language.
Impairments in nonverbal communication
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

15. Socialization
Impairments in language are often the root of
the social impairments associated with ASD.
Children with ASD often do not respond to
their names being called and parents tend to
believe that their child may be deaf or hard of
hearing. This is often where parents begin in
their search for finding the reasons for their
child’s differences.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

16. In this video you will see an examples of the child not responding
to his name and his deflection of eye contact.
The Mom reports that while it does not appear he’s paying
attention, he is able respond (with a delay) to her questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KE5qjB2GgE
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

17. Socialization, cont.
Many individuals with ASD have
difficulty making eye contact. Research
indicates that a lack of eye contact directly
affects an individuals ability to initiate and
sustain social interactions.
Some adults with ASD will tell you that when
speaking with them they can either listen to
what you have to say or they can make eye
contact with you. They can’t do both.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

18. What are your thoughts on eye contact? Pay attention to
yourself and the people around you and see how important eye
contact is to social communication.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

19. Socialization, cont.
Individuals with ASD are often not interested
in being around other people and may lack an
understanding of social conventions, such as
making friends.
Their attempts at establishing rapport with
peers is often overpowered by topics of interest
to them, as opposed to the social implications of
the interaction.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

20. Socialization, cont.
Individuals with ASD have difficulty
sharing “Joint Attention.”
Joint attention is a shared social
experience between two people, such as
pointing to an airplane in the sky to
show someone else the airplane.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

21. This clip is from the CBS TV show “The Big Bang Theory.” Sheldon is a
character is who many characteristics of ASD, however, the show
doesn’t identify him as a person with ASD. This particular clip is how
Sheldon uses a visual to help him establish a friendship. You will be
seeing a lot of Sheldon in this class!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfz0NKSCQqw
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

22. Socialization Summary
Being oblivious to the presence of others
Showing disregard for social conventions
Failing to orient to another’s voice
Lack of joint attention and social referencing
Preferring to share only facts about favorite
topics with others
Having few reciprocal relationships
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

23. Interests & Activities
Individuals with ASD may demonstrate a
narrow range of interests, which may be a
result of their interest in objects rather than
people.
They often are more interested in parts of
toys, rather than the whole toy.
For example, many children with ASD love
trains! They may be able to tell you the details
of the train and how trains work, however,
they have no interest in rolling the train on the
tracks to play with it!
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

24. Interests & Activities, cont.
Most individuals with ASD perseverate
on objects, words, etc.
Perseveration is persisting with an
activity for an extended period of time,
such as placing all of the Thomas the
Train characters in a line, over and
over again.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

25. Interests & Activities, cont.
Individuals with ASD also have stereotypical
or self-stimulatory behaviors.
These behaviors are typically repetitive and
serve no identifiable purpose, such as rocking
back and forth, flapping their hands, making
facial grimaces, etc.
Often these behaviors serve to fulfill a sensory
need for the child.
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

26. Below is the description of the video from
this child’s Mom. She explains some of the
nuances of his stimming behaviors.
This video is of my 3 yr old son Anthony "stimming" with can goods and he loves the
refrigerator light and the coldness....notice how he takes the can with the dent and
moves it to the coffee table..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjGvMV9hl3o
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

27. Summary of Interests & Activities
Unusual interests that are few in number
Interest in parts of objects
Perseverative engagement in favorite activities
Insistence on sameness
Repetitive motor movements (self-stimulatory
behaviors.)
Unusual responses to sensory stimuli
©
Stacey Callaway, M.Ed.,
2013

28. Summary
I hope you all enjoyed the video clips in the
PowerPoint. Please feel free to let me know
your thoughts via an email. I’d like to
continue to use them, especially since I can’t
share all my fun stories about children with
ASD with you face to face!
As I stated before, the characteristics
presented are general and do not apply to all
individuals with ASD.

29. One last video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8iXFbSSg-Y