L5 - ASD

Question 1

DSM 5 criteria

Answer 1

A. Persistent deficits in social communication & interaction not accounted for by general developmental delays
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns or behaviour interests
C. Symptoms must be present in early childhood
D. Symptoms together limit & impair everyday functioning

Question 2

Main impairments

Answer 2

• Impaired social interaction & communication
• Repetitive & stereotypical behaviour patterns
• Sensory sensitivity

Question 3

Aspects that indicate lack of social skills

Answer 3

• touching
• rigid frame
• closeness
• repetitive language
• eye contact
• joint attention
• lack of response to direct questions

Question 4

Aspects that indicate lack of communication

Answer 4

• not answering
• seemingly not hearing
• repetitive motions, mannerisms or phrases
• inability to communicate a response
• topic not same as partners
• unable to verbally communicate desires

Question 5

Aspects that indicate repetitive & stereotypical behaviours

Answer 5

• repeating words/phrases
• fixation with subject
• used in times of stress to bring order to their world (stimming)
• layout of rooms

Question 6

Sensory environment

Answer 6

• Sensory sensitivity may explain behaviours that a student is exhibiting such as screaming, running away, hitting & pushing
• May need to use trial & error if the student is not able to verbalise the difficulty
• Reduce the sensory input load in these areas

Question 7

Some theories

Answer 7

• Executive function - difficulty planning, getting started, prioritising, multi-tasking, setting & working on goals
• Poor central coherence - difficulty making sense or meaning in information or events & placing this information in a relevant context
• Theory of mind - empathy

Question 8

fMRI revealed ASD is:

Answer 8

• Neurobiological in nature
• Brain structured differently
• Brain regions cannot talk to each other

Question 9

Ziggurat Model (pyramid)

Answer 9

Bottom up order:

• Sensory & biological - monitor & address stressors
• Reinforcement - provide a range of reinforces
• Structure & visual/tactile supports - create predictability & use visual supports to hold information still
• Task demands - remove obstacles
• Skills to teach - address skill deficits

Question 10

Communication

Answer 10

• Communicative intent
• Direct instruction
• Sign (Key word sign)
• Augmentative & alternative communication (AAC)
• Picture Exchange Communication System/s (PECS)
• More language will not help
• Concrete (literal), no sarcasm or metaphors

Question 11

Visual cues can be used to:

Answer 11

• Augment existing curriculum
• Schedule activities & work
• As environmental cues
• As choice making resources
• As communication resources

Question 12

Social Skills strategies

Answer 12

• Modelling
• Strategy Instruction: SODA - Stop, Observe, Deliberate, Act
• Video, Role Play or in-vivo
• Social stories

Question 13

Functional Academic Skills

Answer 13

• These are skills which will have high utility (function) for the student in their current & future situations
• E.g handling money, asking for directions, following a timetable, ordering food, shopping at a supermarket or filling in forms.
• These can be taught alongside higher level skills in a regular classroom.

Question 14

Autism Association of WA 10 steps to a successful classroom

Answer 14

1. Use concrete language
2. Be careful with metaphors, irony and sarcasm
3. Use visual supports for communication whenever possible
4. Allow extra processing time
5. Don’t demand eye contact
6. Be rewarding
7. Remember the “big picture”
8. Use a team approach
9. Don’t take it personally
10. Be aware of the sensory environment.