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Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Click the link below for the current D/HH criteria for special education services.
http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/3525/1325.html
What are Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), sometimes called pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), are lifelong
conditions that prevent individuals from properly understanding what they see, hear, and otherwise sense. This results in problems of social relationships, communication, and behavior.
What is the difference between PDD and autism?
Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) is the umbrella term for a group of disorders in the American
Psychiatric Associations's diagnostic manual DSM-IV.. Listed under PDD are terms such as autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Rett's Syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorders. Individuals who do not
display all the characteristics may be diagnosed as PDD-NOS (not otherwise specified). These terms are merely lables to determine eligibility for services and are not predictive of future outcomes.
A more common term used in education is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) This is the term that is applied
when an educational team determines that a student is eligible for special education services.
What are the characteristics of ASD?
Each individual may display the following characteristics along a spectrum, ranging from mild to severe:
- Difficulty with communication: Speech may be slow to develop; speech may not develop.
Sometimes speech develops and then is lost. Often speech is not used for conversational exchanges but
rather to obtain objects. Some speech may be echoing speech heard in the past. Understanding of words is often very concrete. Perseveration is common.
- Delays in understanding social relationships: Some individuals with ASD avoid eye contact, resist
being touched, and seem to "tune out" the world. Children often do not play cooperatively with other
children, imitating "grown ups" and taking turns. Understanding other people's feelings and social rules
is often difficult. Friendships may be difficult to develop. There may be a strong attachment to objects.
- Inconsistent sensory regulation and response: Young children with ASD often appear deaf. Yet
the same child may be very sensitive to everyday sounds. There may be uneven responses to touch,
tastes, and sights. Sensory regulation difficulties may result from over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity. The individuals response will indicate a problem in the area of sensory regulation.
- Uneven patterns of intellectual functioning: Individuals with ASD often have peak skills- such as
drawing, music, computations in math, memorization of facts. These skills often reflect a strong rote
memory skill, visual learning skills, and good visual-spatial learning skills. There may be more difficulty
with sequencing, understanding abstract concepts, and complex problem-solving. Determining the unique learning style of an individual can be very challenging.
- Motor planning: Although many individuals with autism seem well coordinated, motor planning
difficulty may be seen in initiating, regulating, and shifting movements. Some children display difficulty
with fine motor skills like buttoning, tying shoes, and catching a ball. Movement routines may develop over time.
- Difficulty with attention: Attention skills are very strong, and learning depends upon attention.
However, individuals with ASD often have trouble orienting their attention, shifting from one thing to
another, and maintaining the joint attention that is necessary to learn from others. These attention skills often need to be taught so that learning in not compromised.
Possbile Early Indicators
- Child may appear to be deaf. Does not have typcial startle response. Does not turn when you come into the room. Seems unaware of sounds in the room, etc.
- May be an extremely "good" baby -- seldom cries, is not demanding, seems very content to be alone or
is a very fussy, colicky baby -- cries a lot, has sleep problems, is not easily comforted.
- May "hand gaze"," look at lights through fingers, or have other self-stimulatory behavior.
- May be a fussy eater.
- Does not have anticipatory response. Does not put his/her arms up to be picked up. Does not seem to want to be held.
- Seems to avoid actively looking at people.
- Seems to "tune out" a lot. Is not aware of what is happening around him/her.
How Does a Child Qualify for Special Education Services?
Referrals can be made to your local school district's screening team. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD) are entitled to a free and appropriate public education when they meet Minnesota's eligibility criteria and
demonstrate educational need. A clinical or medical diagnosis is not required to meet this criteria. The
educational team, which includes the parents, is responsible for determining if a child meets criteria and for
identifying their educational needs through the educational assessment process. The multi-disciplinary team
must include a professional who has experience and expertise in the area of ASD and is knowledgeable of typcial development. The Assessment Summary Report is the foundation for an appropriate program and leads
to the development of an IEP/IFSP that addresses the individual needs identified for the child.
What causes ASD?
ASD are brain disorders which usually occur before birth. Current research suggests that they are complex
genetic disorders involving a number of genes which , in turn, influence a variety of brain functions. The cause
of autism is still unknown. Researchers suggest that "several causes" will be discovered in time. There is no evidence to suggest that psychological conditions cause ASD.
How common are ASD?
Autism was considered rare for may years. It still is not well understood, and many people donīt know anyone
with an autism spectrum disorder. Autism rates in the U.S. are documented at 1.5 in every 1,000 births.
However, ASD are sometimes documented as low as 1 in every 200 births. Some people feel the rate of ASD is rising; others feel that the rate reflects increases in identification and diagnosis.
Who is affected with ASD?
These disorders occur throughout the world among all races. nationalities, and social classes. Four out of every five people with autism are male.
Do ASD occur in conjunction with other disabilities?
These disorders can occur by themselves or in association with other neurological disorders such as mental
retardation, attention deficit disorder, epilepsy, tourette syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Characteristics of ASD occur on a continuum from mild to severe. Although it is often difficult to distinguish
differences in disabilities, it is important to do so. Diagnostic confusion may result in referral to inappropriate and ineffective treatment.
Do children outgrow ASD?
No. They are lifelong. Yet they are not progressive. People with ASD live a normal life span. With
appropriate treatment and a nurturing environment, people with ASD show significant growth toward independence. They all can learn to communicate, to become more socially responsive, and to learn
accommodations needed to control their own behavior.
Suggested Interventions and Strategies
- Adapt and individualize most curricula
- Provide a consistent daily/weekly routine
- Prepare for changes using written schedules, pictures, etc; desensitize to new places, activities and objects if needed.
- Plan for "down" and unstructured time
- Teach waiting strategies
- Teach skills where they will be used, in natural situations; teach skills across all areas whenever possible
- Provide concrete activities/tasks with a clear purpose
- Use demonstration, modeling, completed models/examples, and shared experiences
- Teach social skills and social interactions
- Structure social interchanges
- Utilize and support sociable peers
- Respect needs and personal space
- Build in time to just observe
- Plan for desensitization to fear
- Prepare for social situations
- Allow time to build trust
- Reinforce positive self-concept
- Facilitate initiation of interactions
- Teach specific social rules
- Facilitate interactions through shared activities
- Know each personīs abilities
- Teach a functional communication system
- Use pictures and visual modes often
- Set up opportunities to elicit communication
- Reinforce communication
- Talk in short sentences
- Be direct and concrete
- Demonstrate, gesture, and sign when needed
- Listen to what they are trying to tell you; determine what their behavior may be communicating.
- Control stimuli when necessary
- Plan appropriate stimulatory activities
- Use visual means to instruct when possible
- Prepare and explain changes
- Provide "breaks from high stimulation"
- Provide private time/place when self-stimulating is allowed if needed
- Reinforce new activities and interests
- Present understandable expectations and rules
- Be consistent
- Incorporate behavior plans into positive program
- Understand purpose of behavior
- Provide space to allow time alone
- Teach new, more useful behaviors
- Be positive
- Reinforce behaviors that you want
- Use reinforcers that work; review regularly
- Teach specific, concrete sexual education
- Know special skills and interests and incorporate these into work
- Use strengths and interests as part of positive program; never use as punishers
- Use academic strengths in functional, interactive ways.
- Develop leisure skills
- Include regular exercise
- Be aware of each personīs needs and plan for positive strategies that might be necessary
- Seek an interactive relationship with medical personnel
- Desensitize to procedures, if necessary.
Adapted from Indiana Resource Center for Autism (N.Dalrymple, 12/85, revised 2/91, 8/91, 7/92)
Region 10 Autism Consultants
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