Autism
Spectrum
Disorders
By Kirsten Moreland and Kelsey Burns
Introduction
o What are the Autism
Spectrum Disorders?
o What are the diagnostic
criteria?
o What are the eligibility
requirements for Special
Education in Minnesota?
Autism Spectrum
Disorders
(Also known as pervasive developmental
disorders)
• Pervasive Developmental
Disorder Not Otherwise
Specified (or atypical autism)
• Rett Syndrome
• Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder
• Asperger Syndrome
• Autism
Definition
• Autism Spectrum Disorders:
– Disorders are characterized by
varying degrees of impairment in:
• (1) Communication skills
• (2) Social interactions
• (3) Repetitive and stereotyped
patterns of behavior.
Pervasive Developmental
Disorder Not Otherwise
Specified (or atypical autism)
• Persons who display behaviors typical of
autism but to a lesser degree and/or with
an onset later than three years of age
Rett Syndrome
• Normal development for five months to
four years, followed by regression and
intellectual disabilities.
• This is the only ASD that is more
common in females than males and it is
very rare.
Childhood
Disintegrative Disorder
• Normal development for at least 2 and
up to 10 years, followed by significant
loss of skills
• Much more prevalent in males.
Aspergers
• Similar to mild autism but without
significant impairments in cognition and
language.
Autism
Definition from IDEA:
• A developmental disability affecting verbal and
nonverbal communication and social interaction,
generally evident before age 3, that affects a child’s
performance. Other characteristics often associated
with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and
stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental
change or change in daily routines, and unusual
responses to sensory experiences. The term does not
apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely
affected primarily because the childe has serious
emotional disturbance.
Focus on Autism
• Characteristics
• Prevalence
• Causes
• Facts
• Signs of Autism
• Simulations
Autism Characteristics
• Impaired social interaction
– Picked up/cuddled
– Smile/laugh
– Objects vs. people
• Impaired communication
– 50% thought to be mute
– Robotic, parroting or reverse pronouns
• Repetitive and stereotyped patterns of
behavior
– Twirling, flapping of hands, rocking
– Restricted range of interest
Autism Characteristics
Continued
• Impaired cognition
– Remember location in space rather than
concept comprehension
• ie. “shopping”
– Autistic savant: splinter skills
• ie. Rain Man
• Abnormal Sensory Perceptions
– Hyperresponsive or hyporresponsive
– Synaesthesia: the stimulation of one sensory
or cognitive system results in the stimulation
of another
Prevalence
Autism is the most
prevalent of the ASD’s
and the second most
common is PDD-NOS
which is a less severe
form and/or later onset.
Interactive Autism Network
Causes
• Neurological
• No single, known cause
• Genetic Problems
– Depending on the gene, a child may be more
susceptible to the disorder
• Can affect the way brain cells communicate
• Can affect the severity of the symptoms
• Environmental Problems
– Causes many other health problems
– Exploring whether or not trigger autism
• ie. air pollutants and viral infections
Facts
• Approximately 1 in 110 children are diagnosed
with autism.
• Over the last 30 to 40 years there has been
great increase in the number of diagnosed
cases.
• Autism is the fastest-growing serious
developmental disability in the U.S.
• Sometimes students can be identified as LD or
DCD when if fact they have autism.
More Facts
• Autism is more prevalent in boys than girls
– Approximately 3:1 or 4:1
• Autism is more prevalent in siblings of those
with ASD
• Autism is more prevalent in those with other
developmental disorders such as Fragile X
syndrome, Developmental Cognitive Delayed,
or Tuberculosis.
Early Signs of Autism
• 6 months
– No big smiles or warm, joyful expressions
• 9 months
– No back and forth sharing of sounds, smiles, etc
• 12 months
– No consistent response to his/her name
– No babbling
– No back and forth gestures, such as pointing showing,
reaching, waving, or three-pronged gaze
• 16 months
– No words
• 24 months
– No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitation or
repeating)
Narrator of Curious
• The narrator of the book is Christopher
Boone, a 15 year-old boy with an
undisclosed disorder.
• Although never stated, Christopher appears
to be a highly functioning autistic person.
• Christopher also appears to have the
qualities of a “savant.”
Asperger syndrome
• Christopher may have this form of autism
because displays many of the
characteristics:
– He is advanced in areas of language and other
intellectual abilities
– He is physically clumsy and socially awkward
Resources
• http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/pdf/V
38N5_AutismSpectrumDisorders.pdf
• http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Spec
ialEd/documents/Manual/000824.pdf
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS003
48/DSECTION=causes
• http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Spec
ialEd/documents/Publication/017210.pdf
• http://www.positivelyautism.com/volume2issue10
/section5.html
Resources
• Exceptional Learners by Daniel P. Hallahan,
James M. Kauffman, Paige C. Pullen
• MN Dept. of Education
http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Learning_Supp
ort/Special_Education/Categorical_Disability_Info
rmation/Autism_Spectrum_Disorders/index.html
• How to create an inclusive classroom
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/autismstudents-in-inclusive-classrooms.html
Resources
• Good resource to help identify autism
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/uploa
d/autism_overview_2005.pdf#page=3
• http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/family_service
s_docs/sk/Appendix.pdf#page=91
• Autism Speaks organization
http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php
• http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_7183564_autismsimulation-activities.html
• Promoting Social Interaction: 4 strategies
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/autism/teaching
-methods/8193.html?detoured=1