Transcript Autism Spectrum Disorder Today

Autism Spectrum Disorder Today
In your school, on your bus
2010-2011 NYSED Driver/Attendant Refresher
© NYSED 2010
Autism is…
• A developmental disability that
significantly affects verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction and adversely affects
educational performance
Autism is…
• A developmental disability that
significantly affects verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction and adversely affects
educational performance
Having to do with normal
growth – typical age for
talking, playing, smiling,
etc.
Autism is…
• A developmental disability that
significantly affects verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction and adversely affects
educational performance
Not just off by a few
months or a little different
than brother or sister
Autism is…
• A developmental disability that
significantly affects verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction and adversely affects
educational performance
Verbal may mean speech or
normal use of speech –
nonverbal is sending and
receiving body language
making eye contact, etc.
Autism is…
• A developmental disability that
significantly affects verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction and adversely affects
educational performance
Displaying affection,
playing with others,
sharing, understanding
rules
Autism is…
• A developmental disability that
significantly affects verbal and
nonverbal communication and social
interaction and adversely affects
educational performance
These differences make it
hard to do well in school
• If you know one child with Autism,
you know one child with Autism
• Stop, Think
• If you know one child with Autism,
you know one child with Autism
• What does this mean for how you
work with students?
“When I approach a child, [s]he
inspires in me two sentiments:
tenderness for what [s]he is, and
respect for what [s]he may
become.
Louis Pasteur
BIG WORD ALERT!!!
• DIFFERENTIATION means changing
how you do things with each child
because of their abilities.
• Treating ever student the same MAY
NOT be fair.
• It means really getting to know the
students on your bus.
Today we will…
• Learn Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) basics – characteristics,
prevalence, communication
• Hear words of persons with Autism
• See parents’ perspective
• Learn some strategies for making the
bus ride safer
I may have been born different and
misunderstood from birth, but I
know there is a place for me,
somewhere in this universe.
Alyson Bradley
Known by many names…
All under the umbrella of Autism
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Asperger's Syndrome
• Autism
• Pervasive Developmental
Disorder
Prevalence of ASD
• 1/110 children is diagnosed
• New case every 20 minutes
• More children will be
diagnosed with autism
this year than with
AIDS, diabetes &
cancer combined
• Autism is the
fastest-growing
serious developmental
disability in the U.S.
We are convinced, then, that autistic people
have their place in the organism of the social
community. They fulfill their role well,
perhaps better than anyone else could, and
we are talking of people who as children had
the greatest difficulties and caused untold
worries to their care-givers.
Hans Asperger, 1906-1980
Autism Every Day
Autism Every Day is
a truthful,
unvarnished
portrayal of the 24hour-a-day
challenges faced by
families as they
confront the
difference of autism
with uncompromising
hope and
unconditional love.
I accept my child wholly. I celebrate his
differences and his quirkiness. I am proud
of his successes, no matter how small they
seem. I do not think he needs “fixing”. I am
proud that he is my son, and sometimes I
am humbled by that very same thought.
http://mommydearest1514.blogspot.com/
Ask their parent or teacher
• What motivates him?
• What does she enjoy?
• Would you tell me
about his friends?
• How can we support
her social needs?
• Does he have challenging behaviors?
• How can I best support her behavior?
• Does he have communication needs?
Getting to know a student
• What do you want me
to know about you?
• What do you like/not
like about school?
• What do you enjoy
doing outside of school?
• Would you like to tell me
about your friends?
• How would you like me to assist you?
• What don’t you want me to do?
Someone with Asperger’s really is like
you, just more extreme.
Dr. Winnie Dunn
Create Relationships
• Use age correct
touch
• Ask open-ended
questions
• Listen when they
speak
• Reflect the child’s feeling
• Let the little stuff slide
Think for a moment….
• Of a time that you felt
as though you really
belonged in a group.
How did that belonging make you
FEEL and ACT in that group?
• Of a time you felt left out, did not
belong, in a group. How did that not
belonging make you FEEL and ACT
in that group?
Some people have said…
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I felt Loved
I felt cared for
I took risks
I felt smart
I was myself
I laughed often
I was creative
…….
Some people have said…
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I felt Loved
I felt cared for
I took risks
I felt smart
I was myself
I laughed often
I was creative
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I was angry
I was withdrawn
I was quiet
I was hurt
I cried
I felt sick
I tried to leave
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Help kids be friends
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Point out how children are similar
Encourage interaction
Don’t let students sit alone
Provide shared bus jobs
Help others understand
Get out of the way
“Velcro” Adults and “Fading”
• “Velcro” adults “stuck” to students do
not allow them to interact with peers
• Do I need to sit next to the student?
• Are there times I could move away?
• Can I slowly increase space?
• Can peers learn to support student?
• Can I help
peers socialize?
Fading
Driver
Child YOU
Fading
Driver
Driver
Child YOU
YOU Child
Fading
Driver
Driver
Driver
Child YOU
YOU Child
Child
YOU
Fading
Driver
Driver
Driver
Child YOU
YOU Child
Child
Driver
YOU
Child
YOU
Fading
Driver
Driver
Driver
Child YOU
YOU Child
Child
Driver
YOU
Child
YOU
How would this work for a driver alone?
Characteristics of ASD
Characteristics not:
• Attitudes
• Intentions
• Meanness
• Choices
• Hardheadedness
• Personal vendettas
Characteristics of ASD
Many combinations and intensities!
• Typical behaviors: hand flapping,
rocking, jumping, self-abusive, etc.
• Difficulty expressing wants and needs
• Repeating words or
phrases (echolalia)
• Laughing or crying for
no apparent reason
• Withdrawn or seems to
not know you exist
More Characteristics
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Tantrums
Little to no eye contact
Fixates on objects
Very sensitive to noise
Seems as if they can’t sense dangers
Doesn’t respond when you give
directions
• Has a hard time with changes in
schedule or routine
Responding to Behavior
• Behaviors (such as hand flapping)
are communication and can mean
happy, sad, angry, scared
• Analyze what starts behavior
• Experiment with environment
changes
– Different seating location, seatmate, music
• Redirect unwanted behaviors
– Favorite toy, activity, topic of discussion
Language Processing
• Language
processing
difficulties
• Wait 3-5 seconds,
then ask again
• Get to the point –
simple commands
• Rewrite the
worksheet phrases
I can remember the frustration of not
being able to talk. I knew what I wanted
to say, but I could not get the words
out, so I would just scream.
Temple Grandin
Assume they can
• The LEAST DANGEROUS
ASSUMPTION means you assume
that they can communicate – You just
have to figure out how!
• At age 13 Sue Rubin was assumed
to function as a two-year old. With
facilitated communication she
completed high school AP courses,
graduated from college, and is a
published author.
BIG WORDS ALERT!!!
• CATEGORIZATION means knowing
that things can be grouped together
(for instance dogs!, drivers or buses)
• GENERALIZATION means being
able to understand that lessons
learned in one setting can be used in
another. (how to ride different buses)
• Difficult for Students with Autism –
most children are doing it by age 2
…and that’s OK
• We have a different bus today, _____.
• Sue won’t be riding the bus today,___.
• Bus driver Jose had to stay home
today, ___, so our driver today is Mary.
• You left your truck at school, _____.
You can play with it at school
tomorrow.
• We will be picking up a new student
tomorrow, _______. His name is
Tyrone.
Safe Bus Strategies
• Behavior Management Plans (BMP)
with school
• Warnings about changes
• Assigned Seating
• Fidget toys
• Rules poster
• Calming music
• Social Stories
Questions
Where we have been…
• Learned Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) basics – characteristics,
prevalence, communication
• Heard words of persons with Autism
• Seen parents’ perspective
• Learned strategies for making the
bus ride safer
Autism is about being very sensitive… It is
about finding a way to survive in an
overwhelming, confusing world… It is about
developing differently, in a different pace
and with different leaps.
Trisha Berkel
10 Keys for Success…
1. Get to know your students.
2. Take your students’ perspective.
3. Don’t expect them to take yours.
4. Always look beyond behaviors.
5. Avoid expectations they can’t meet.
6. Give the appropriate support.
7. Fade back and allow peer support.
8. Seek out information.
9. Leave your egos at the bus door.
10.Perform your duties mindfully.