ABA

autism spectrum And 6 diagnostic signs

admin

1 Comment

Uncategorized

Dr. Eugen Bleuler created the term autism in 1908.  The word autism spectrum comes from the greek word, “autos” meaning, “to one self.”  The observable behaviors Dr. Bleuler noticed some people did not demonstrate any thoughts that other people were in the same room with them.  They were perfectly happy with just remaining to themselves.  The term autism spectrum derives from the fact that there are no set rules for the diagnosis of autism.  Autism may affect any gender, race, and ethnicities.  Autism spectrum does not have a definite measurable form.  Each diagnosis of autism is different.  

 

Autism spectrum disorder meaning.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a genetic related neurological disorder that causes delays in developmental growth and can be observable as early as the age of 2.  Such delays may include the inability to participate in social settings, engage in normal daily tasks, show interests or personal desires, and/or be observed as stuck in repetitive behaviors. 

autism spectrum

autism spectrum

 

 

Signs and Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Executive functioning

is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control.  We use these skills everyday to learn, work, and manage daily life.  Trouble with executive functions can make it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions, among other things.

  • Sensory processing disorder

(SPD) is a condition that affects how your brain processes sensory information (stimuli).  Sensory information includes things you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch.  SPD can affect all of your senses, or just one.  SPD usually means you’re overly sensitive to stimuli that other people are not. 

  • Receptive language

is the “input” of language, the ability to understand and comprehend spoken language that you hear or read.  For example, a child’s ability to listen and follow directions, (e.g. “put on your coat.”) relies on the child’s receptive language skills.

  • Motor skills

are the learned ability to cause a predetermined movement outcome with maximum certainty.  Motor learning is the relatively permanent change in the ability to perform a skill as a result of practice or experience.  Performance is an act of executing a motor skill. 

  • Social Awareness

is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures.  The ability to understand social and ethical norms of behavior and to recognize family, school, and community resources and support.

  • Verbal Communication

is a type of oral communication wherein the message is transmitted through the spoken words.  Here the sender gives words to his feelings, thoughts, ideas and opinions and expresses them in the form of speeches, discussions, presentations, and conversations. 

read more:Early Intervention for Autism

 

Social Communication and Interaction Skills

  • Mand:  Asking for reinforcements that you want.
  • Tact: Naming or identifying objects, actions, events, etc.
  • Listener responding: Following instructions or complying with the mands of others.
  • Visual Perception – Match To Sample: Response to visual movements and matches objects and/or pictures.
  • Play: Engages in both gross and fine motor skills to move about the environment.
  • Social: Engages with peers when moving around the environment.
  • Imitation: Copying someone’s motor movements.
  • Echoics: Repeating what is heard.
  • Vocals: Producing sounds that are audible to others through the vocal cords.  
  • Listener Response Feature Function Class’s: Describing or modifying nouns and verbs by their functions, features, or classes.
  • Intraverbals: Answering questions or having conversations where your words are controlled by other words.
  • Group: Following classroom routines and engaging with peers.
  • Linquistice: Speaking with correct articulation, intonation, and using more than 2 words in a sentence.
  • Reading: Reading written words
  • Copying a text: Writing the word “Shoe” because someone else wrote the word “Shoe.”
  • Math: Putting a numerical quantitative concept to how many items there are.

 

Restricted or Repetitive Behaviors or Interests

  1. Repetitive behaviors are observed as motor movements that are continuous.  Such behaviors as rocking, humming, opening an object, closing it, and then opening it again over and over, and/or talking without stopping.  
  2. Restricted behaviors are observed as interests that are not changeable.  Such behaviors as lining objects in a row, not making eye contact, the inability to change to a new environment, and/or the inability to learn new skills.

 

Can a child with autism participate in society? Participate in school?

autism spectrum

autism spectrum

Society – 

  1. Children with autism may participate in shopping, restaurants, play grounds, family outings, and/or sports with their peers.
  2. Children with autism may demonstrate aversive behaviors when engaged in these activities.  As caregivers, we have to ask, does this person understand what each of these environments is?  Do they understand what a restaurant is, what sports are for?  If not, the idea is to expose them to these types of outings as much as possible.  They need practice. 

 

School – 

  1. Children with autism may participate in schools.  Some may need an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).  IEP’s are written to allow the opportunity to provide extra support to students.  For example, an IEP may read, “The student is allowed 30 extra minutes to complete any math exam.”
  2. Children with autism may participate in schools.  Some may need an Inclusion Report (IR).  IR’s are written to allow the opportunity to participate in age appropriate academic classes.  An IR may read, “The student may sit in Math class for ½ time of the allotted schedule.”

 

Developmental Delays

  1. Not responding to a their name
  2. Not providing eye contact
  3. Not showing facial expressions
  4. Not responding to other’s facial expressions
  5. Not following other items moving around the room
  6. Not providing communication to express interests
  7. Not using body motions to engage in the natural environment
  8. Not playing with toys according to their functions
  9. Not playing with toys in pretend fashion

 

types of developmental delays

  1. Cognitive delays – the inability to follow simple instructions, give simple instructions, or engage in simple cause and effect behaviors.
  2. Sensorimotor delays – when there is an impairment or over sensitive input for sensory.  Such as hearing, sight, cerebral palsy, and or muscular dystrophy.
  3. Speech and language delays – the inability to pronounce words correctly, respond to questions or commands, express interests, and/or only repeat what is heard.
  4. Socioemotional delays –  the inability to connect with other people, express emotions or respond to other’s emotions, does not demonstrate cognitive understanding of social cues, and/or self-regulate your emotions toward unwanted things.

 

Tags:

English

Post Comments:

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *