1. Sarah Curtis, Brandon Lukens, & Denise Sinquefield
Autism / Asperger’s
Sarah Curtis, Brandon Lukens, & Denise Sinquefield

2. au·tism/ˈôˌtizəm/
A mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships
A mental condition in which fantasy dominates over reality
A pervasive developmental disorder characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment
A tendency to view life in terms of one's own needs and desires

3. Autism
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Borderline Autism
High-functioning Autism
Asperger’s
PDD
Autistic Tendencies
Rett’s Disorder
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

4. Full Inclusion Teamwork Life-Skills Structure Predictability
Concrete Speech

5. History of Autism
1943 Leo Kanner, Child Psychiatrist, discovered new mental disorder
11 socially withdrawn children
“He seems to be self-satisfied. He has no apparent affection when petted. He does not observe the fact that anyone comes or goes, and never seems glad to see father or mother or any playmate. He seems almost to draw into his shell and live within himself.”
Initially grouped in with childhood schizophrenia
Nobody knew though how a child got Autism

6. History of Aspergers Hans Asperger was a Viennese child psychologist
In 1944 published first definition of Asperger syndrome
4 boys had autistic psychopathy
Lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest, clumsy movement
“Little Professors”
Ability to talk in extreme detail about favorite subject
Asperger’s syndrome not popularized until 1981
Wasn’t until 1990’s when Asperger’s recognized as a condition

7. Figuring out how a child gets Autism/Aspergers
Bruno Bettelheim, art historian and director of the orthorgenic school, provided own reasoning for Autism in the 1960’s
“Refrigerator Mothers”
Blamed emotionally distant mothers who are cold and unnurturing
Bernard Rimland, psychologist and parent of autistic child, provided different idea
Due to something biologically
Figuring out how a child gets Autism/Aspergers

8. Still Unanswered Questions
Autism/Aspergers shows no favorites
Anybody from any race, culture, SES, or location
“Refrigerator Mother” still thrown out there as cause
Even though its known not to cause some people still jump to conclusion
Could possibly due to environmental factors
High amounts of Mercury
Some research states caused by vaccines
Not fully confirmed
Generally accepted reason is due to difference in brain function and structure
Could be Genetic Vulnerability as well.
Still Unanswered Questions

9. Intervention Techniques
Each person with ASD is unique- as well as their intervention plans.
Behavior Treatments, Medicine, or both.
They are likely to have other medical conditions such as:
Sleep disturbance
Seizures
Gastrointestinal Distress (GI)
Each person thon the autism spectrum is unique so, each intervention plan is also unique. Intervention with Autism/Asperger’s can involve behavioral treatments, medicines or both. There are programs that deliver therapy in a specialized center, classroom or preschool. Different interventions and supports are needed as a child develops and gains social learning skills- they will especially need this as the child begins school. Two approaches of comprehensive behavioral early intervention are Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Early Start Denver Model. There are other behavioral therapies including floortime- pivotal response therapy and verbal behavior therapy just to name a few. As of now, there is not medical detection or cure for autism.
People on the spectrum are most likely to have other medical conditions such as sleep disturbance, seizures and gastrointestinal (GI) distress. When the other conditions are controlled it can help the child the child’s learning. One of the mothers I interviewed told me her child is on the gluten-free diet. The difference in her child from before being on the diet to now is huge. Her child was paying better attention and is learning much better.

10. Bryson: Autism-getting ready for bed
This is a video of Bryson. His mother gave me permission to show this video. She recorded it so she could help spread Autism awareness. Her son Bryson suffers from GI. This is a video of Bryson before he was put on a gluten free diet.

11. Bryson: Almost 2 years later after being put on a gluten free diet
Huge difference! ”His speech is much better, his eye contact is better, his learning has increased, he sleeps better, but most important...he is happier! So we are happier” -Mother

12. Intervention Techniques
In a Specialized Center, Classroom, or Preschool
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Positive reinforcement
Early Start Denver Model
Early intervention at ages 12 to 48 months
Teaching Basic Skills
Floortime
Engage with children at their level
Pivotal Response Therapy
Develop communication skills, language, and positive behaviors

13. How are family members included?
Early Behavioral Intervention
Therapists come to the home and deliver services
Includes parent training under therapist supervision.
Early intensive behavioral intervention involves the child and their entire family, working closely with a team of professionals. In some early intervention program, therapists come into the home and deliver services. This can include parent training under supervision of the therapist.

14. Resources Available
Everything given to a family with a child on the spectrum is given the same resources. As you can see there are many resources. But, when talking with a mother who has a child who has been diagnosed with autism she said “Resources are there. You have to call and call and call. You have to work work work. There isn't a moment I am not on the phone begging to be on a wait list somewhere - and I am not the only parent. I am fighting with many others for that place in line and it is not easy. Months go by and out of the blue you receive a phone call that your child is now at the top of the list and you must make a decision within 3 hours whether or not you would like to pursue what you called on several months ago (speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc.). You drop everything and do everything you possibly can for your child.” There are resources but, there are just not enough.

15. Jacqueline : High Functioning Autism
It takes Jacqueline 2 minutes and 20 seconds to complete this game with about 20 seconds of talking and not focusing on the game. I thought it would be fun to bring my ipad with the game and have the video and whoever play the game at the same time and we’ll see who can finish the game first..If not I can mute the video and talk during it.

16. Are ethnic minorities over-represented in children who have autism?
More children will be diagnosed with Autism then with AIDS, diabetes and Cancer combined.
Lukemia: Affects 1 in 1,200/ funding $277 million
Muscular Dystrophy: Affects 1 in 100,000/ funding: $162 million
Pediatric AIDS: Affects 1 in 300/ funding: $394 million
Juvenile Diabetes: Affects 1 in 500/ funding: $156 million
Autism: Affects 1 in 88/ Funding $79 million
One in eighty-eight American children are diagnosed with autism. No race is affected more then another but with gender, boys are four times more likely to have autism them girls. An estimated one out of fifty-four boys and one in two hundred and fifty-two girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States. Autism continues to grow and affect more everyday! More children will be diagnosed with autism then with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined. Even though there is a large number of children who have been diagnosed with ASD, and that number continues to grow.. The don’t receive a lot of funding. By spreading autism awareness many families hope the funding can be raised.

17. References... Wright, B. S. (2012, August 17). Autismspeaks.org.
Retrieved from
Hendrickx, S. (2010). The adolescent and adult neuro-diversity handbook. (pp ).
Philidelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Sears, R. W. (2010). The autism book: What every parent needs to know about early detection, treatment, recovery, and prevention. (1st ed., pp ). New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.
Taylor, P. G. (2011). A beginner's guide to autism spectrum disorders. Philidelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Turkington, C., & Anan, R. (2007). The encyclopedia of autism spectrum disorders. New York, NY: Facts On File, Inc.
Causes. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Best behaviour consulting. (2010). Retrieved from
Miller, N. Z. (2010). educate-yourself.org. Retrieved from
Johnson, B. (2008, July 01). Some key dates in autism history. . Retrieved from