2. What is ASD?
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects how an individual perceives the world.
It is associated with profound problems of speech, behaviour and social relationships.
High-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS)

3. HFA ? or AS ? Social skills Severely delayed Restricted interests
Thing-based (trains)
Fact-based (train schedules)
Language
Delayed speech; few words; regression; echolalia
Advanced vocab; speak early; odd speech; literal; poor pragmatics
IQ scores (>70)
Nonverbal skills > verbal skills
Verbal skills > nonverbal skills
Motor abilities
Often typical in early life
Clumsy; poor coordination
Gender ratio
4 males to 1 female
10-15 males to 1 female
Genetics
Highly heritable
Even highly heritable
Prognosis
Better than in children with both autism & Intellectual disability
Educational outcomes better than those with HFA

4. Characteristics Stereotyped behaviours
Obsessed about a certain topic or object
Repetitive actions or movements
Fixate on parts of an object
Communication deficits
No speech
Delayed speech
Echoalia
Social interaction deficits
Little or no eye contact
Unemotional facial expressions
No interactive dialogue
Repetitive action – flapping hands
Fixate on parts of object – spinning wheel of toy car
Echolalia – idiosyncratic or repetitive speech

6. Strengths Good attention to detail Deep narrow interests
Islets of ability
Splinter skills (often memorize and have obsessive pre-occupations with trivia and obscure information)
Talented skills (more highly developed and specialized skill such as working out difficult calculations mentally)
Prodigious skills (rarest and remarkable – e.g. capability to play an entire concerto on the piano after listening it only once)

7. Some Useful Tips… Keeping predictability/ orderliness/ sameness
Seating arrangement (e.g. front middle seat)
Incorporate visual learning modes