Midterm Flashcards
What is autism
A different way of learning
Learn differently through neuro differences
3 severities of Autism
Severe
Moderate
Mild
Severe autism
Non verbal Varying intellectual abilities Self harming or stemming behaviours Appear aggressive Sensory impairments
Moderate autism
Delayed language Limited vocabulary Poor social interactions Favoured interests Cabin time and intellectual abilities vary
Mild autism
Poor social skills Literal interpretation of language Sensory impairments vary in intensity Focused interests Often seen as atypical neuro typical learner
ASD
Autism spectrum disorder
ASD
Complex neuro development disorder characterized by abnormalities in social behaviour, language, and communication skills
Unusual behaviours and interests
How many are on the ASD
1 in 68
4x more common in boys
Age of onset for diagnosis
2-3 years old
3 factors contribute to the spectrum nature of autism
1- may differ in level of intellectual ability
2- vary in the severity of language problems
3- behaviour changes with age
Core deficits of ASD
Social emotional development
Cognitive development
Language development
Communication and ASD
Use protoimperative or instrumental gestures but not protodeclarative or expressive gestures
About 50% do not develop any verbal language
Instrumental and expressive gestures
Instrumental- “stop” hand up
Expressive- sad face
Children with ASD may use
Instrumental gestures to get others to do things but not expressive gestures to convey feelings
Communications impairments
Qualitative language impairments
Pronoun reversals
Echolalia
Perseverative speech
Impairments in pragmatics
TOM
Theory of mind
Theory of mind
Don’t understand or engage in pretend play
Difficulty in situations that require social understanding difficult understanding others perspectives their own mental states
Sensory impairments
Over or under stimulated from sensory outputs (lights,sounds,tones,texture)
Medical conditions
About 10% of children with ASD have coexisting medical conditions
Sleep disturbances occur in 65%
DSM5
Diagnostic tool
Used by psychologists
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
Pragmatics
Students with ASD often experience difficulties in social situations
Examples, advice, apologies, blame, condolence, greeting
Dsm5 diagnostic criteria
Social norms
Different audiences
Turn taking
Making inferences
Social norm
A social norm is what is considered socially acceptable in a given situation
Unwritten and unspoken communication rules
Tone and volume of voice
Feeling and emotions
Choices of words
Body language
Strategies for supporting individuals
Board maker
Constant check for understanding
Role play
Small group instruction
What is Executive functioning
The prefrontal cortex of the brain processing executive functioning skills
Allows you to think before you act
What Executive functioning skills allow
For information to be held in the short term memory
Without these we can’t function on a daily basis
5 executive functioning skills
Planning Organization Time management Working memory Check ins
7 key traits executive functioning skills
1-impulse control 2-attention issues 3-switching focus 4-planning and problem solving 5-Organization skills 6-memory skills 7-self monitoring skills
7 key traits: impulse control
Often impulse without thinking through consequences
Example interrupting
7 key traits: attention issues
Problems filtering out important and not important information
Hyper focused or difficulty focusing
7 key traits: switching focus
Problems with unexpected changes or transitions
Difficult changing mindset
7 key traits: planning and solving
Challenges in following steps in order
Only see a few solutions
7 key traits: organization skills
Problems organizing materials providing communication to and from school
Often forgetful and messy
7 key traits: memory skills
Often forgets a task once directions are provided
Can’t hold information to recall when working on task
7 key traits: self monitoring
Challenges to monitor and check to ensure on the right track or process is complete
Executive functioning common issues with ASD
Complete but forget to hand in
Trouble managing anxiety and feelings
Easily distracted
Respond without thinking
Executive strategies for the EA
Provide clear instruction
Have predictable routine
Frequent check ins
5 Senses
Hearing-auditory Taste- gustatory Touch- tactile Sight- visual Smell- olfactory
2 hidden senses
Vestibular- movement (sense of balance) ex, jump high three times
Proprioception- body positions (sense of body space)
What is sensory processing
Ability to receive sensory input organize and process the information and respond in a way that is meaningful and appropriate
Sensory overload (TAPE)
Terror
Annoyance
Pain
Exhaustion
Hypersensitive sensory processing typical characteristics
Easily overwhelmed
Strong awareness
Strong reaction to light
Plug nose when smell bothers them
Hyposensitive sensory processing typical characteristics
Slow processing speed
Unaware of sounds may speak to Loud to soft
Seeks movement to self soothe constant movement
Doesn’t like touch
Behaviour is
Observable and measurable
Motor planning
Improves as we face physical challenges like climbing stairs
Success with motor planning allows these skills to be applied to new situations
Motor planning avoidances
Occur when a skill doesn’t develop naturally the individual may avoid it such as swimming or riding a bike
Problems with sensory processing may affect
Focus attention on tasks
Complete daily self care tasks
Developing maintaining relationships
Sensory diet
A personalized plan to provide desired sensory input a person needs to stay focused and organized through a day
Ex, chewing gum weighted blanket
Outcome of focused support
Increase participation
Improve attention and alertness
Increase fine motor skills
Improve balance
3 P’s
Plan -talk with other staff
predict - allow student to observe activity prior to joining
prepare -talk to student ahead of time
3 goals
1- model what to do when anxious or overwhelmed
2- reinforce using known strategies to calm down
3- fade support over time
Understanding emotions
Direct instruction teach students to recognize different facial expressions
Important to model
Organized play
Children with ASD play better in organized well structured environments
Do better with a group with similar interests
Group must be understanding and predictable
Peer strategies
Provide prompt for all help initiate conversation
Ask questions that will give a response rather then a comment
Peer method
Show video Ask questions Let student dictate their response Rephrase student summary Allow student to practice skill
Hidden rules
Rules that are assumed
Rules that aren’t taught they are learned through experience
Autism characteristics 3 challenges
1- difficulty interacting with others
2- difficulty communicating and understanding
3- restricted and or repetitive behaviours
Autism impacts
Social interaction
Communication
Behaviour
Language impairments
People with ASD typically have challenges processing aspects of language
Take things literal
Turn taking In speech
Shaping
Method to teach behaviour or skill
Praise efforts and acknowledge small growth
Reward all attempts
Chaining
Method to teach complex skills
Steps are taught in order
Taught in isolation till each step is mastered
Theory of mind
Being able to interpret other people’s emotional or mental state and relate
(Put yourself in their shoes)
Implications for TOM
Organizational skills
Reading comprehension
Following direction
Building peer relationships
You can help to support TOM development
Tutoring
Prompts
Reinforcements
Proximity
Pairing student with ASD with peer who has strong social skills and can help direct play without training
Outcome- student will be engaged stereotyped behaviours reduced
Interventions
Place socially capable peers or staff with student to play interact and reinforce positive responses
Outcome- connections can be made
4 Steps to support interventions
Introduce skill Show skill Rehearse skill with corrections made to reinforce positive response Practice skill Taught over time to teach new skills
