Autism Presentation_1A

AutismAutism

What is Autism?What is Autism?


Autism is a very complex disorder of Autism is a very complex disorder of development which impairs an development which impairs an individual’s communication and social-individual’s communication and social-interaction skills.interaction skills.

Individuals with Autism find it hard to Individuals with Autism find it hard to communicate with others, and to relate communicate with others, and to relate to the outside world.to the outside world.


Individuals with Autism Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD’s) Spectrum Disorders (ASD’s) show reduced activity in the show reduced activity in the regions of the brain that enable regions of the brain that enable them to determine the them to determine the communicative intent of others.communicative intent of others.


Circled area shows lack of activity in Autistic brain Circled area shows lack of activity in Autistic brain compared to that of a normal, healthy braincompared to that of a normal, healthy brain


Autism usually appears during Autism usually appears during the first three years of life, and the first three years of life, and according to current data, it according to current data, it affects one of every 150 affects one of every 150 children.children.

Key traits of Key traits of AutismAutism

Key traits of AutismKey traits of Autism

Each person affected by Each person affected by Autism portrays different Autism portrays different characteristics, at varying characteristics, at varying degrees. They may display some degrees. They may display some of the following symptoms:of the following symptoms:


Limited verbal and non-verbal Limited verbal and non-verbal communicationcommunication

May communicate using gesturesMay communicate using gestures Short attention spanShort attention span Little interest in interaction with Little interest in interaction with

othersothers


Less responsive to non-verbal Less responsive to non-verbal communication & eye-contactcommunication & eye-contact

May be overactive/passiveMay be overactive/passive Lack of spontaneous or Lack of spontaneous or

imaginative playimaginative play


Does not initiate playDoes not initiate play Does not imitate others’ actionsDoes not imitate others’ actions Resistance to changes in routineResistance to changes in routine May show aggression towards May show aggression towards

self/othersself/others

How is Autism How is Autism diagnosed?diagnosed?

How is Autism diagnosed?How is Autism diagnosed?

There are no defined medical There are no defined medical tests for diagnosing Autism – tests for diagnosing Autism – the symptoms and the symptoms and characteristics vary with each characteristics vary with each individual.individual.

How is Autism diagnosed?How is Autism diagnosed?

A diagnosis is typically based A diagnosis is typically based on an individual's development on an individual's development in terms of communication and in terms of communication and behavior.behavior.

Types of AutismTypes of Autism


Since Autism is considered to Since Autism is considered to be a Spectrum Disorder, two be a Spectrum Disorder, two children with the same diagnosis children with the same diagnosis can act very differently from can act very differently from one another.one another.


Commonly used terms to Commonly used terms to identify disorders include: ASD, identify disorders include: ASD, autistic like, autistic tendencies, autistic like, autistic tendencies, high functioning autism and high functioning autism and atypical autism.atypical autism.


Specific diagnoses include:Specific diagnoses include: Asperger’s SyndromeAsperger’s Syndrome Autistic DisorderAutistic Disorder Rett’s DisorderRett’s Disorder Childhood Disintegrative DisorderChildhood Disintegrative Disorder Pervasive Developmental DisorderPervasive Developmental Disorder


Asperger’s SyndromeAsperger’s Syndrome Impairments in social interactionsImpairments in social interactions Little interest in activitiesLittle interest in activities No significant delay in languageNo significant delay in language Of average or above average Of average or above average

intelligenceintelligence


Autistic DisorderAutistic Disorder Impairments in social interactionsImpairments in social interactions Problems with communication and Problems with communication and

imaginative play prior to 3 years of ageimaginative play prior to 3 years of age Stereotyped behaviors, interests and Stereotyped behaviors, interests and

activitiesactivities


Rett’s DisorderRett’s Disorder To date has only occurred in girlsTo date has only occurred in girls Initial period of normal development Initial period of normal development

followed by loss of previously acquired followed by loss of previously acquired skillsskills

Loss of purposeful use of hands; Loss of purposeful use of hands; replaced with repeated hand movementsreplaced with repeated hand movements


Childhood Disintegrative DisorderChildhood Disintegrative Disorder Normal development for first two years, Normal development for first two years,

however significant loss of previously however significant loss of previously acquired skills after 2 years of ageacquired skills after 2 years of age

Pervasive Developmental DisorderPervasive Developmental Disorder Child does not meet specific diagnosisChild does not meet specific diagnosis Severe and pervasive impairment in specified Severe and pervasive impairment in specified

behaviorsbehaviors

Research on Research on AutismAutism

Research on AutismResearch on Autism

A recent study by researchers at UCLA A recent study by researchers at UCLA was completed with two goals in mind:was completed with two goals in mind: To examine the neural circuitry in the brain To examine the neural circuitry in the brain

that causes the problems that ASD children that causes the problems that ASD children face in interpreting communicative intentface in interpreting communicative intent

To determine whether To determine whether explicit instructions to explicit instructions to pay attentionpay attention to facial expressions & tone of to facial expressions & tone of voice would elicit more normal patterns of voice would elicit more normal patterns of brain activity in these children brain activity in these children

Research on AutismResearch on Autism

Individuals with ASD’s show reduced Individuals with ASD’s show reduced activity in the regions of the brain that activity in the regions of the brain that respond to cues such as the expression on respond to cues such as the expression on a person’s face, or the tone of their voice. a person’s face, or the tone of their voice. The question posed by these researchers -- The question posed by these researchers -- what if those brain regions could be what if those brain regions could be trainedtrained to respond appropriately??to respond appropriately??

The UCLA StudyThe UCLA Study

A group of 18 Autistic boys, as well as A group of 18 Autistic boys, as well as a group of 18 typically-developing a group of 18 typically-developing boys, all between the ages of 7-17, boys, all between the ages of 7-17, were shown cartoon drawings of were shown cartoon drawings of children in conversational settings, children in conversational settings, while listening to short video clips that while listening to short video clips that ended with a potentially ironic or ended with a potentially ironic or sarcastic remark.sarcastic remark.


Researchers found that the typically-Researchers found that the typically-developing kids recognized and developing kids recognized and interpreted these cues automatically, interpreted these cues automatically, and could determine if a speaker’s and could determine if a speaker’s remark was sincere or sarcastic. Their remark was sincere or sarcastic. Their brains were already responding brains were already responding appropriately.appropriately.


In comparison, the Autistic children, In comparison, the Autistic children, whose brains did not respond whose brains did not respond appropriately, could not determine if appropriately, could not determine if the speakers remarks were sincere or the speakers remarks were sincere or sarcastic.sarcastic.


However, when both groups were However, when both groups were given explicit instructions to pay given explicit instructions to pay attention to the speakers facial attention to the speakers facial expressions and vocal cues, only the expressions and vocal cues, only the Autistic children, showed an increase Autistic children, showed an increase in brain activity.in brain activity.


By directing their attention to these By directing their attention to these important social cues, the Autistic important social cues, the Autistic children were better able to determine children were better able to determine the communicative intent of the the communicative intent of the speaker.speaker.

ConclusionsConclusions


The study concluded that it is The study concluded that it is possible to “normalize” activity possible to “normalize” activity in the brains of the ASD group in the brains of the ASD group by directing their attention to by directing their attention to visual and vocal cuesvisual and vocal cues


With this type of direction to these With this type of direction to these cues, and an early diagnosis and cues, and an early diagnosis and intervention, the intervention, the opportunityopportunity for for the child to develop and progress the child to develop and progress “normally” increases greatly“normally” increases greatly

In the ClassroomIn the Classroom

In the ClassroomIn the Classroom

Importance of Importance of being able to direct being able to direct the attention of the attention of children using the children using the DIR methodDIR method

Floortime Floortime ApproachApproach

Video ClipVideo Clip

firstsign.wmvfirstsign.wmv

Sources CitedSources Cited

Sources CitedSources Cited

www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/UCLA-www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/UCLA-Study-First-to-Show-Autistic-8049.aspxStudy-First-to-Show-Autistic-8049.aspx

www.autism.comwww.autism.com www.autismawareness.netwww.autismawareness.net www.firstsigns.orgwww.firstsigns.org www.whyfiles.org/209autismwww.whyfiles.org/209autism

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Autism Presentation_1A

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