Autism 101… for English 306
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Transcript of Autism 101… for English 306
AUTISM 101…
FOR ENGLISH 306Laura Aspinall-Disability Specialist, SRJC
Disability Resources Department… DRD provides advising, services,
academic accommodations and classes for students with any kind of disabilities.
We have daily drop in times for students who think they might benefit from our services or would like to learn more
We serve approximately 3000 studentswww.santarosa.edu/disability_resources
Santa Rosa: 527-4278Petaluma:778-2491
Tell me what you already know… Write down two things you know
about autism.
What’s in a Name? autism Asperger’s Sydrome Pervasive
Developmental Disorder (PDD)
Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD)**
Autism = Spectrum Disorder(ASD)
Here are some facts… Around 1 in 110 children are
diagnosed with ASD in the U.S. Boys are 4 to 5 times more likely to
have ASD ASD is more prevalent than juvenile
diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined
The average age of diagnosis is 2-5, however diagnosis can occur earlier.
Facts continued… The origin of ASD is yet undetermined,
however:Parents that have one child with ASD are more
likely to have a secondChildren with other medical conditions such as,
Fragile X, Down’s Syndrome, Tuberculosis and chromosomal disorders are more likely to have ASD
Currently there is no research that proves a correlation between vaccinations and ASD
Researchers believe there to be both environmental and genetic factors that could contribute to a child being more likely to have ASD
Vocabulary You need to Know…. Expressive language= language or
communication going out Receptive language=language or
communication going in Pragmatics= the rules for how language is
used socially:Using language for different purposes (exs: greeting vs.
informing vs. demanding)Changing language according to the needs of the listener
or situation (ex: speaking to friends vs. teachers)Following the rules (ex: conversational turn taking,
staying on topic, interrupting)
Vocabulary You need to Know…. Executive Function=The ability to
link past experience to new/novel experiences and then make a decision or plan based on that past experience (ex: last semester I didn’t take any notes in my Math 155 class and I failed all the tests, this semester I think I’ll take notes)
Autism vs Asperger’s Syndrome…Autism
Delayed onset of language Deficits in receptive and
expressive language Deficits in ability to
interact socially/use or interpret pragmatics of language
Restricted range of interest/can be perseverative or obsessive
Issues with Executive Functioning
Self Stimulatory and/or repetitive behavior
Desire/demand for sameness of routine
Asperger’s Syndrome “Precocious” language
development Deficits in ability to
interact socially/use or interpret pragmatics of language
Restricted range of interest/can be perseverative or obsessive
Issues with Executive Functioning
Average to above average intelligence
Other Common Symptoms Fine motor difficulties “Visual Thinking” Hyper focus on details Heightened senses
VisualTactileOlfactoryAuditory
How do Autism and Asperger’s Differ?
How expressive language develops and is used
Desire for social connectedness/ understanding of “otherness”
Cognitive function
Other ways to think about ASD… A disorder of the nonverbal “One at a time” thinking, or an
inability to split focus “Sensory problem” An executive functioning
impairment (the ability to organize, plan, strategize, generalize or relate past experiences to present)
Think of ASD as a ballpark…
It gives a name and context to have a conversation, but it’s a big place….
A Matter of Perspective…"What would happen if the autism
gene was eliminated from the gene pool? You would have a bunch of people standing around in a cave, chatting and socializing and not getting anything done." -Dr. Temple Grandin
A Matter of Perspective… With ASD can come great areas of
strength and achievement Disability varies by context and
environment Disability can simply mean
difference In college one must be a “jack of all
trades”. This can be troublesome for students with ASD, but in other areas of their life be a strength.
Treating ASD… Early intervention is critical, and been
shown to dramatically improve outcomes
Dietary changes and some medications have have been helpful for some individuals in managing sympoms
The is no “cure” Therapies for ASD include:
○ Speech Language ○ Sensory Integration ○ Physical ○ Occupational○ Behavioral
Asperger’s…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0xgjUhEG3U&p=C7B9AC4F9B090CFC&playnext=1&index=2