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Understanding Autism: Below the Tip of the Iceberg

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Presentation on theme: "Understanding Autism: Below the Tip of the Iceberg"— Presentation transcript:

1 Understanding Autism: Below the Tip of the Iceberg
November 18, 2016 Pleasants County Aides In-service Presented by: Kimberly D. Kehrer Director of Special Programs

2 A Challenge For You Line up by birthdate (consider month and day only--the year doesn’t matter) You have 30 seconds to complete this task. No questions! No talking!!!

3 How Did You Do???

4 You have just experienced what it is like to have your communication impaired. How did it feel? Were you frustrated? Did you know what you meant? This is the life of many individuals with autism.

5 Neurological disorder that affects one’s communication and socialization ability.
Typically evident by age 3 (can now be diagnosed as early as 6 months old) 1 in 68 children per Autism Science Foundation (2016) Almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189) Just over a decade ago, the prevalence rate was 1 in 10,000.

6

7 Iceberg Model Tip of the iceberg = observable behaviors Tantrum
Aggression Self-Stimming Screaming Self-Injurious behavior Isolating self Refusal/non-compliance Lack of understanding (receptive communication) Inability to express self (expressive communication) Social skill deficits Difficulty with change Sensory processing problems Below the tip = the underlying reasons for the observable behaviors Adapted from Taylor, Utah State Office of Education

8 socialization. the sensory system.
BELOW THE TIP of the ICEBERG Autism impairs one’s ability to communicate. Autism affects socialization. the sensory system. Autism can impact cognitive skills.

9 SPECTRUM? Mild Moderate Severe

10 Also known as High Functioning Autism
Children can move from one end of the spectrum to another with intensive Evidenced-Based intervention… Mild Moderate Also known as High Functioning Autism or Asperger’s Disorder Severe Autistic Disorder

11 The TIP OF THE ICEBERG and Social Interactions

12 Social Interaction As infants: As adolescents:
May be unresponsive to people May focus on one item to the exclusion of others for long period of time Fail to respond to their name Avoid eye contact with other people As adolescents: Lack of peer relationships appropriate to age level Less interest in other children Not motivated by praise or physical affections Difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling Don’t understand social cues (i.e. tone of voice, facial expressions) Lack empathy Prefer not to be held or cuddled or might cuddle only when they want to

13 The TIP OF THE ICEBERG and Communication

14 Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Issues
Delay in, or lack of spoken language Difficulty Initiating conversations Echolalia (repeating words or phrases said to them) Doesn’t use or respond to gestures and other nonverbal cues Have trouble expressing their needs using typical words or motions Tend to be “narrowly-focused” in topics of conversation Have difficulty expressing feelings in words or appropriate actions May not point to objects to show interest

15 The TIP OF THE ICEBERG and Sensory and Behavioral Issues

16 Behavior/Sensory Issues
Engages in highly repetitive play Preoccupied obsessively with specific interest or object Lack of make-believe or imitative play Dependent on routines, rituals and familiarity Repetitive body movements Easily overstimulated by noises, crowds, or lights Extreme dislike of certain sounds, textures or situations Doesn’t have strong response to pain Have trouble adapting when a routine is changed Have unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, look, feel, or sound

17 If you’ve seen one child with autism,
But remember… If you’ve seen one child with autism, You’ve seen ONE child with autism.

18 Common TIP OF THE ICEBERG Signs
Insistence on Sameness Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures instead of words Repeating words or phrases in place of normal responsive language Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others Preferring to be alone, aloof manner Tantrums

19 Difficulty mixing with others
May not want to cuddle or be cuddled Little or no eye contact Unresponsive to normal teaching methods Sustained odd play Spins objects In appropriate attachment to objects Apparent over-sensitivity or unsenstivity to pain

20 No real fear of danger Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity Uneven gross/fine motor skills Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range

21 MELTING THE ICEBERG – 10 Tips for Educators

22 The Escalation Cycle What the Student Does What the Adult Does Stage 1 beginning behaviors i.e. breathing deeply, self talking, isolation Stage 2 moderately disruptive i.e. crying, talking loudly Stage 3 disruptive i.e. screaming, aggression Stage 4 danger to self and others Stage 1 deescalation, calming techniques, frequent reinforcement for absence of stage 1 behaviors Stage 2 stimulus change and redirection Stage 3 firm and structured intervention Stage 4 hands on procedures may be required Adapted from Taylor

23 Life Supports for DEEP Water
– Calming Strategies

24 Strategies for Calm Waters

25 1. Visual Supports Pictures of driver, aide, route (including anticipated changes) Daily and weekly schedules including changes Transition schedules including home/bus/school Task completion skill cards – steps required to complete the task including how to know when the task is finished Adapted from Taylor

26 2. Social Stories Stories written in the first person to increase students’ understanding of problematic situations. Begin with the child’s understanding, develop of the story by describing what is happening and why, how people feel and think. Scripts which suggest ways for both the student and the adult to respond. Structure increases understanding of situations and what behaviors are expected. i.e. loading procedures, emergency drills, etc. Adapted from Taylor

27 Social Story – Field Trips
Sometimes my class goes on a field trip. We might go to the zoo or to a park. The bus driver will need to take a different route. This is okay. She will know how to drive the bus back to the school. Bus drivers know how to drive to many places. This is their job. Field Trips can be fun when I use my good bus behavior. Adapted from Taylor

28 3. Cognitive Picture Rehearsal
Cartoon drawings or pictures on cards combined with positive reinforcement principles. Always include the before, during, and after behavior (antecedent – target behavior – positive reinforcement) Adapted from Taylor

29 Rules for the Bus – Visual Support
When you ride the bus Keep your seat belt on Until the bus stops at the school Adapted from Taylor

30 Choice Board – depicts available choices of:
Behavior – I can keep my hands in my lap or by my side and say “that’s okay” Reinforcement – I will earn a classroom buck or a tickle if I click my belt Activity – I can play with the fiddle bag or listen to my headset Adapted from Taylor

31 5. Power Cards Connects desired responses with student’s interest.
The bus has rules just like basketball. The rules are: Use the bathroom before riding the bus. Click the seat belt until the bus stops. Have a quiet mouth. Keep my hands in my space. Adapted from Taylor

32 They want you to know…


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