? Aa le a rning disa b ility Introduction to Autism Ba de ve lo - PDF document

Autism is… ? A…a le a rning disa b ility Introduction to Autism B…a de ve lo pme nta l c o nditio n including Asperger syndrome C...a me nta l he a lth c o nditio n Da vid Ca rte r Bra nc h Cha ir Autism is… Prevalence …a life lo ng de ve lo pme nta l disa b ility tha t a ffe c ts ho w Curre nt pre va le nc e ra te is mo re tha n 1 in 100 a pe rso n c o mmunic a te s with, a nd re la te s to , o the r pe o ple . I t a lso a ffe c ts ho w the y ma ke se nse o f the wo rld a ro und the m. T his me a ns tha t: • Autism a ffe c ts o ve r 700,000 pe o ple . • e ve ry a utism dia g no sis is uniq ue . • Inc luding the ir fa milie s, a utism to uc he s the live s o f 2.7 millio n • e stima te d 4 ma le s to e ve ry fe ma le . pe o ple e ve ry da y. • witho ut the rig ht suppo rt, it c a n ha ve a pro fo und, • E a c h re q uiring va rio us le ve ls o f suppo rt a nd inte rve ntio n. so me time s de va sta ting , e ffe c t o n individua ls a nd fa milie s. Some facts Some facts • Pro b a b ly g e ne tic a lly linke d, inc re a se d inc ide nc e in sib ling s. • Ne a rly two -thirds o f a dults with a utism in E ng la nd do no t ha ve e no ug h suppo rt to me e t the ir ne e ds. • Ab o ut 25% o f pe o ple with a utism a re no n-ve rb a l. • At le a st 1 in 3 a dults with a utism e xpe rie nc e se ve re • Be twe e n 44%–52% o f pe o ple with a utism ma y ha ve a me nta l he a lth diffic ultie s due to a la c k o f suppo rt. le a rning disa b ility. • Only 16% o f a dults with a utism in the UK a re in full-time • Ab o ut 40% o f pe o ple dia g no se d with a utism a re a ve ra g e pa id e mplo yme nt. to a b o ve -a ve ra g e inte lle c tua lly. • While a utism is a life lo ng c o nditio n, the rig ht suppo rt • Ab o ut 40% o f pe o ple dia g no se d with a utism ha ve a t the rig ht time c a n ma ke a n e no rmo us sympto ms o f a t le a st o ne a nxie ty diso rde r diffe re nc e to pe o ple 's live s. a t a ny time , c o mpa re d with up to 15% in the g e ne ra l po pula tio n. 1

Co-existing conditions The Characteristics of Autism 100% T he re is no dire c t c o rre latio n b e twe e n a utism a nd a ny o f Ha ving pe rsiste nt diffic ultie s with: the se c o nditio ns b ut the y a re mo re pre va le nt in a utistic 90% pe o ple tha n the y a re in ‘ ne uro typic a l’ pe o ple . • So c ia l c o mmunic a tio n 80% 70% • So c ia l inte ra c tio n 60% 50% • Re pe titive b e ha vio ur a nd ro utine s ASC Non-ASC 40% • Hig hly-fo c use d inte re sts 30% 20% • Se nso ry se nsitivity 10% to the e xte nt tha t the se 0% ASC = 0.5% ‘limit and impair everyday functioning’ No n-ASC = 0.25% A ‘spectrum’ condition Social Communication • Ma y ne e d time to pro c e ss info rma tio n • Visua l suppo rts ma y he lp b a c k up wha t yo u sa y • Ne e d c le a r a nd spe c ific la ng ua g e a vo iding me ta pho rs & sa rc a sm • Ab ility to c o mmunic a te ma y de te rio ra te unde r stre ss • Spe e c h so me time s a b se nt • Diffic ultie s unde rsta nding no n-ve rb a l c o mmunic a tio n How do we communicate? How many questions can you answer? 7% 38% 55% Tone/Pitch Body Language Words 2

Social Interaction Repetitive behaviour and routines • Alo o fne ss – withdra wn o r re mo te fro m surro unding s • Stro ng ly a sso c ia te d with re pe titive a c tivitie s, • Pa ssive ne ss simple a nd c o mple x ro utine s a nd re sista nc e to c ha ng e • I na ppro pria te ne ss – b iza rre . So me time s a ppro a c hing stra ng e rs o r a sking pe rso na l q ue stio ns • Diffic ulty in unde rsta nding tha t o the r pe o ple Re pe a ts thing s ma y se e thing s fro m a diffe re nt po int o f vie w • Ma y find g ro up wo rk diffic ult a nd stre ssful • Rig idity in the a pplic a tio n o f b o th the writte n a nd • Ma y do mina te , o r withdra w fro m, g ro up disc ussio n unwritte n rule s tha t g o ve rn b e ha vio ur • L ite ra l inte rpre ta tio n o f writte n a nd ve rb a l instruc tio ns One side d inte ra c tio n Diffe re nt re spo nse to o the rs Highly-focused interests Sensory sensitivity • Ma ny a utistic pe o ple ha ve inte nse a nd hig hly-fo c use d • Hype r- o r Hypo - se nsitive to se nso ry stimuli: inte re sts, o fte n fro m a fa irly yo ung a g e . • Audito ry – He a ring (ma y b e o ve r-se nsitive o r b e c o me o ve rlo a de d) • T he se c a n c ha ng e o ve r time o r b e life lo ng . • Gusta to ry – T a ste (ma y ha ve ve ry re stric te d o r o dd die t) • T a c tile – T o uc h (ma y no t a llo w a nyo ne ne a r the m) • T he y pro vide struc ture , o rde r a nd pre dic ta b ility, a nd he lp pe o ple c o pe with the unc e rta intie s o f da ily life . • Visua l – Sig ht (b rig ht lig hts, fluo re sc e nt lig hts, e tc ) • Olfa c to ry – Sme ll (ma y b e o ve rwhe lme d with c e rta in sme lls) • T he y g ive so me o ne a wa y to sta rt c o nve rsa tio ns a nd fe e l • Pro prio c e ptio n – Bo dy a wa re ne ss (he a t/ c o ld, pa in, e tc ) mo re se lf-a ssure d in so c ia l situa tio ns. • Ve stib ula r – Ba la nc e a nd mo ve me nt • T he y he lp so me o ne to re la x a nd fe e l ha ppy. • Bo mb a rdme nt b y se nso ry stimuli Sensory sensitivity and processing 3

Strengths • Visua l skills “What would happen if the autism gene was • Hig hly kno wle dg e a b le , e spe c ia lly in a re a s o f pa rtic ula r inte re st eliminated from the gene pool? • I nte llig e nt You would have a bunch of people standing around in • Visua l me mo ry, a nd fa c tua l me mo ry a cave, chatting and socializing and not getting • Ve ry fo c use d anything done.” • I nde pe nde nt thinke rs – uniq ue pe rspe c tive • Pre c isio n a nd a c c ura c y – de ta il o rie nta te d T e mple Gra ndin (T he wa y I se e it, 2008) • L o ya l a nd ho ne st Things to be aware of Things to be aware of • Invisible disability • Social isolation • All diffe re nt – a ll individua ls • Ma ny o f the se pe o ple do ve ry fe w so c ia l a c tivitie s • • Ma y a ppe a r to b e c o ping b ut ma y b e strug g ling so c ia lly Do no t ma ke frie nds e a sily • E xpe c ta tio ns ma y b e hig he r due to the ir a g e (fo r c hildre n) b ut • Ca n b e a b so rb e d in the ir o wn wo rld re me mb e r this is a de ve lo pme nta l de la y • Ma y no t ha ve a n o ffic ia l dia g no sis o r kno w a b o ut a utism • Do n’ t unde re stima te a pe rso n’ s a b ility F a sc ina te d with o b je c ts Things to be aware of Things to be aware of • Reactions to change • Reactions to stress (o ve rlo a ding ) will pre se nt diffe re ntly in e a c h individua l b ut c o mmo n sig ns a re : • Ne e d a dva nc e wa rning a b o ut c ha ng e • Ag ita tio n • Ma y b e unc o mfo rta b le with unc e rta inty • Inc re a se d a nxie ty – ma yb e a sking the sa me q ue stio n re pe a te dly • Hig h de pe nde nc e o n o rde r a nd pre dic ta b ility F inds c ha ng e diffic ult • Gre a te r o b se ssio n with ‘ spe c ia l inte re sts’ • Cha ng e c a n c a use stre ss • Shutdo wn – no c o mmunic a tio n • Be pa tie nt a nd suppo rt the m thro ug h c ha ng e Spe c ia l inte re sts • Pa c ing a ro und, ha nd fla pping But… (c a n a lso o c c ur whe n e xc ite d) • Unusua l b e ha vio ur o r T he y ne e d to b e a wa re tha t thing s do • Ang e r ma nne risms so me time s c ha ng e – life is unpre dic ta b le 4