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Understanding Autism

Understanding Autism. By Jamie Redfearn and Retricia Tubbs. What is Autism?.

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Understanding Autism

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  1. Understanding Autism By Jamie Redfearn and Retricia Tubbs

  2. What is Autism? • What is autism? According to the National Research Council\u0027s Educating Children with Autism, autism is a developmental disorder of neurobiological origin that is defined on the basis of behavioral and developmental features (2001). Pervasive Developmental Disorders (or PDD) is a medical diagnosis. The term Pervasive Developmental Disorders was first used in the 1980s to describe a class of disorders with similar symptoms or characteristics.

  3. Who Are They? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axdTT0S3VGI&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLF2FB03F3469A871A

  4. Autism Spectrum Disorders • Autistic Disorder • Pervasive Developmental Disorder – NOS • Asperger’sDisorder • Rhett’s Disorder • Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

  5. Statistics • Autism occurs in approximately 1% of population. • Rate of occurrence is 1 in every 110 children. • Four times more likely to occur in boys • Affects individuals in every country and across racial, ethnic and economic boundaries • Reason for increase unclear; More public awareness; Broadened definition • 60 billion in annual costs with 60% geared toward adult services • Cost of lifetime care can be significantly reduced by early diagnosis and intervention • Costs expected to increase to $200-400 billion in next ten years

  6. What it looks like • Qualitative impairment in social and communication skills. • Repetitive or stereotyped behaviors and interests • Sensory Problems • Academic and Vocational

  7. Qualitative Impairment in Social and Communication Skills. • Difficulty interpreting facial expressions and other forms of body language • Difficulty with Theory of Mind (ToM) understanding that others have feelings and thoughts different from their own • Difficulty understanding metaphors or sarcasm; tendency to take expressions literally • Difficulty with speech/voice tone/inflection

  8. Sensory • Hyposensitivity • High ability to focus on something • Unaffected by varying emotions • Appears to be uninterested or withdrawn • May have a dull affect or seem self-absorbed • May seem “overly tired” or apathetic • Notices and enjoys all the activity in the environment • Always active • Continuously engaging • Fidgety and excitable • Hypersensitivity • High ability to notice what is going on in the environment • Particular about task completion parameters • Distracted in busy, complex settings • May seem like a “complainer” • High ability to design and implement structure • Enjoys routines • Resistant to change • Reliant on rituals to participate

  9. Academic and Vocational • Mastering the job application process • Adapting to new job routines • Communication • Navigating social interactions with supervisors and coworkers • Difficulty planning • Difficulty organizing • Difficulty action monitoring • Difficulty initiating • Difficulty setting goals and sub-goals (that is, breaking down a large project into small, manageable parts)

  10. Activity • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWG3amBBoZ8&feature=related

  11. References • http://aheadd.org/blog/symptoms-of-autism-in-adults/ • http://dsq-sds.org/article/view/146/146 • http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Developing_Proactive_Strategies.asp?name=Dr.%20Lori%20Ernsperger • http://www.mugsy.org/connor1.htm

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