Transcript Presentation Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Carlibar Communication Centre
What do you think Autism is?
Autism - the Myths
• Autism is not…
 …due to parental rejection of cold, ‘refrigerator’ mothers
 …due to poor parenting
 …a middle class disorder
 …misunderstood genius (although some individuals do have
special abilities in narrow areas)
 …a new phenomenon (it was described as long ago as the
18th Century)
 …curable
The Autism Spectrum
Autism
Severe Learning
Difficulties
Ratio 4:1 (Males: Females)
Pervasive Developmental
Disorder
Lifelong Disability
Moderate
Learning
Difficulties
Autism
Average / High
Ability
Asperger’s
Triad of Impairment
• Language and Communication
• Social Interaction
• Flexibility of Thought
Impaired Language and
Communication
Semantic
Language
• Communication
 Eye Contact
 Gesture
 Facial Expressions
 Volume
 Tone
 Speech
 Manner
 Listening and Attention
Pragmatic
Literal
Dying of Embarrassment
Going swimming in the bus
Raining
Cats
And
Dogs
Communication
Words
8%
37%
55%
-Vocal Cues
-Things we see
-Intonation
-Gestures
-Speed
-Facial Expressions
-Intensity of Volume
-Body Movement
-Objects in the Environment
(context of message)
Impaired Social Interaction
• Friendships
• Social Conventions
• Empathy
• Social Cues
• Body language
Impaired Social Interaction
Friendships
Difficulty playing with other children
Rules of social play – ‘The Unwritten
Rules’
Lack of innate drive to be a social being
Impaired Social Interaction
Social Conventions
Inappropriate comments and actions
Difficulty with proximity
Impaired Social Interaction
Empathy
Doesn’t recognise other people’s feelings
Expects other people to know their
thoughts, experiences and feelings.
Impaired Social Interaction
Social Cues
Poor turn taking in conversations
Poor timing
Impaired Social Interaction
Body language
Misses the signals
Non-verbal communication
Impaired Flexibility
• Imagination
• Interests and Obsessions
• Routines
• Difficulty seeing another person’s point of view
Flexibility
Imagination
Pretend play
Fiction books
Free choice / Dead time
Creative writing
Difficulty seeing another person’s point
of view
Flexibility
Interests and Obsessions
All encompassing
May not reflect culturally ‘normal’
interest
Flexibility
Routines
Loves repetition and rules / Hates rules
to be broken
Changed routines without warning
Poor organisational skills
Additional Features
Motor Clumsiness
Sensory Sensitivity
Attention Difficulties
Dyslexic Type Difficulties
Just Naughty?
Circumstances?
Personality?
Who is this?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Likes things to be the same
Sometimes says rude things
Laughs when someone is angry
Gets the wrong idea
Repeats what I say or do
Appears not to hear – doesn’t answer
Doesn’t look at me
Reaction to touch
Structure
The person should always know: Where do I have to be?
 What am I doing?
 How much do I have to do?
 When will I know when I have finished?
 What will I do next?
Free choice can cause anxiety.
Things must have a beginning, middle and a clear ending.
Children respond best in a structured environment where
things are organised and clearly labelled.
Give clear rules and
Be consistent
Keep instruction / questions simple.
Ensure that the child understands what is required.
Use language that is clear, precise and concrete.
Always forewarn: Tell the person what to expect
Give plenty of notice
Do not rely on verbal
communication
Put it in writing
Use written plans and timetables
Use photos, symbols and drawings
Give hand signals or picture cues to back up instructions if
necessary
All children will benefit from a visual timetable
= knowing what to do and what is next reduces anxiety
Words ‘disappear’ –
symbol / pictures can be held on to.
Build in planned regular breaks
Avoid exhaustion
Allow individuals to unwind
Provide clearly defined breaks between structured activities
Recognise stress
Avoid confrontation
-This is not a win / lose situation
Allow plenty of physical and personal space
-Do not crowd
Avoid overloading with information
Speak slowly - leave the nagging at home!!!
Avoid ambiguities
Teach waiting and turn-taking skills
Incidents
Try to allow a sense of calm to prevail
Only one person to deal with situation
Keep voice with an even tone and volume
After the incident:Review what happened with the child
Discuss with colleagues what may have triggered the problem and ways to
prevent it happening again
When teaching skills
Do not assume that the child is/is not attending to you, or that
he/she knows that he/she is being addressed.
Ensure you have the child's attention – begin with his/her name.
If necessary use gentle physical prompts to gain/direct attention.
Allow time for information to be processed – wait for the answer
(10 seconds).
Boost the child's confidence and self-esteem with positive
reinforcement when behaviours are appropriate.
Use of Support Staff
If a PSA works with a child the aim is for the child to become
as independent as possible.
Should the PSA need to sit with the child at any time, have him
or her seated alongside or opposite the child rather than
behind.
Encourage child to listen to the teacher rather than have the
PSA repeat everything to the child. The child needs to give the
speaking adult full attention.
General
Avoid distraction – noise, disturbances, smells and sights.
Use the child's interests as motivators or a reinforcers.
Use of regular spells of physical activity, incorporated into the
timetable, are often beneficial.
Recognise literal nature of understanding of:Language
Events
Avoid negatives:“Remember to walk” rather than “Don’t run” – encourages
positive behaviour
General cont.
A child may sound extremely cheeky without meaning to.
A child may misinterpret aspects of non-verbal communication
e.g. facial expressions.
Breaks can act as opportunities to practice social skills. Direct
teaching can take place during these times using Support Staff.
Expectation of written output in language and maths may need
to be adapted.
Taking it further…
• Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals.
Tony Attwood. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Teachers. V. Cumine,
J. Leach, and G. Stevenson. David Fulton Publishers
• Inclusion in the primary classroom. J. Beaney and P. Kershaw.
National Autistic Society
• Promoting Achievement : Children with Autistic Spectrum
Disorders. East Renfrewshire’s Policy Document
• The Curious Incident of the dog in the night time. Mark Haddon.
David Fickling Books.
Impaired Language and
Communication
Semantic
Language
• Communication
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Eye Contact
Gesture
Facial Expressions
Volume
Tone
Speech
Manner
Listening and Attention
Pragmatic
Literal
Impaired Social Interaction
•
Friendships
– Difficulty playing with other children
– Rules of social play – ‘The Unwritten Rules’
– Lack of innate drive to be a social being
•
Social Conventions
– Inappropriate comments and actions
– Difficulty with proximity
•
Empathy
– Doesn’t recognise other people’s feelings
– Expects other people to know their thoughts, experiences and feelings.
•
Social Cues
– Poor turn taking in conversations
– Poor timing
•
Body language
– Misses the signals
– Non-verbal communication
Impaired Flexibility
•
Imagination
– Pretend play
– Fiction books
– Free choice / Dead time
– Creative writing
•
Interests and Obsessions
– All encompassing
– May not reflect culturally ‘normal’ interest
•
Routines
– Loves repetition and rules / Hates rules to be broken
– Changed routines without warning
– Poor organisational skills
•
Difficulty seeing another person’s point of view