Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Tonya N. Davis, M.S., BCBA
• Berenice de la Cruz, M.A., BCBA
• Katherine M. Bunte, M.S., BCBA

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Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
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Autism

• Developmental Disorder
• Neurobiological Disorder
• Lifelong Disorder

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Categories of Impairment

• Social Interaction
• Communication
• Restricted interests and stereotyped behaviors

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Social Interaction

• Non-verbal behaviors
• Peer relationships
• Markedly impaired expression of pleasure in other
  peoples happiness
• Social or emotional reciprocity

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Video Examples

• Response to name
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vtPDOd9TM8Bc
• Lack of eye contact
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vp3n7Pm9UkJgmodere
  latedsearch
• Video

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Communication

• Delay or lack of spoken language
• Difficulty initiating or sustaining a
  conversation
• Stereotyped and repetitive use of language
• Echolalia
• Idiosyncratic language
• Lack of varied spontaneous make-believe play or
  social imitative play

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Video Examples

• Repetitive speech
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vB-QzSJSNTI4
• Communication Methods
• Video
• Video

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Repetitive and Stereotyped Behavior

• Restricted interests
• Abnormal preoccupation or intensity of interest
• Compulsive adherence to nonfunctional routines or
  rituals
• Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms
• Preoccupation with parts of objects

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Video Examples

• Compulsive adherence to nonfunctional routines or
  rituals
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vG7kHSOgauhgmodere
  latedsearch (114)
• Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJnylM1hI2jc
• Video
• Preoccupation with parts of objects
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJ3yQHyXHmYc

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Other

• Most individuals also have intellectual
  disability
• Theory of Mind
• Difficulty understanding the perspective of other
  people
• Challenging behavior

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Video Examples

• Challenging Behaviors
• Video
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vB63N1CkMr3I

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History of Autism

• First described 60 years ago by Dr. Leo Kanner.
• Early erroneous belief that autism was caused by
  poor mother-child bonding.
• Autism was deemed a separate disability category
  under the IDEA in 1990.

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Cause Development

• Cause
• Unknown
• Many theories
• Developed by the childs 3rd birthday
• May be indicators
• Earlier diagnosis

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Prevalence

• 1 in every 150 children is diagnosed with autism
  spectrum disorders
• Centers for Disease Control 2007
• Affects 4 times as many boys as girls.
• No differences among ethnic or racial groups
• Increased prevalence

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Aspergers Disorder

• Characterized by
• Average to above average intelligence
• Adequate language skills in vocabulary and
  grammar
• Difficulty with social skills and relationships
• Restricted range of interests
• Later onset than Autism
• Difficulty understanding humor and irony

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Social Interaction

• Non-verbal behaviors
• Peer relationships
• Markedly impaired expression of pleasure in other
  peoples happiness
• Social or emotional reciprocity

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Repetitive and Stereotyped Behavior

• Restricted interests
• Abnormal preoccupation or intensity of interest
• Compulsive adherence to nonfunctional routines or
  rituals
• Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms
• Preoccupation with parts of objects

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Aspergers Diagnosis Criteria

• There is no clinically significant general delay
  in language
• There is no clinically significant delay in
• Cognitive development
• Self-help skills
• Adaptive behavior
• Curiosity about the environment in childhood

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High Functioning Autism vs. Aspergers

• Difference in Aspergers
• Later onset
• Less severe communication and social deficits
• Higher verbal IQ than performance IQ (usually
  reverse in autism)

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Aspergers Disorder

• 36/10,000 (55/10,000 of all boys, and 15/10,000
  of all girls),
• 4/1 male/female ratio
• 0.7 of populations

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Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise
Specified (PDD-NOS)

• Criteria of symptoms of the four specific types
  of PDD are not met and/or
• The degree of impairment is not present

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PDD-NOS

• There is clinical evidence that suggest that
  Autism and PDD-NOS are on a continuum (i.e., a
  young child can begin with PDD-NOS, develop more
  features of autism, and be re-diagnosed as having
  Autism or a person with Autism can improve and be
  re-diagnosed as having PDD-NOS).

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Therapy, Treatment, and Strategies!

• Systematic, structured instruction
• Visuals
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication
• Functional approach to challenging behavior.
  Behavior is communication!

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Systematic and Structured

• The environment is arranged in a way to support
  cognitive organizers.
• Visual cues
• Visual organization, etc.
• Routines
• Clear expectations
• Predictability
• Procedures, curriculum, demands, etc. are
  communicated by the environment

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Physical Organization
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Structured Workstation
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Structured Workstation
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Structured Workstation
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Structured Workstation
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Visual

• Children with ASD tend to be visual learners so
  use this to your advantage!

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Schedules
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Schedule
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Schedules
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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

• Pictures
• Sign Language
• Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAS)

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Functional Approach to Behavior

• Decide what the child is trying to communicate.
• Give the child a better way to communicate!

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Applied Behavior Analysis

• Thirty years of research demonstrated the
  efficacy of applied behavioral methods in
  reducing inappropriate behavior and in increasing
  communication, learning, and appropriate social
  behavior.
• Mental Health A Report of the Surgeon General
  (1999)

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References

• American Psychiatric Association. (1994).
  Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
  disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC Author.
• NICHCY (2003). Pervasive developmental Disorders.
  Retrieved on June 13, 2007 from
  http//www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs20txt.htm
• Ozbayrak, R. K. (2007). Aspergers Disorder.
  Retrieved on June 13, 2007 from
  http//www.aspergers.com/
• Scheuermann, B., and Webber, J. (2002). Autism
  Teaching DOES make a difference. Belmont, CA
  Wadsworth.