What is Autism?
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Autism includes Autistic Disorder (AD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger’s Disorder also known as Asperger’s Syndrome (AS).
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, Autism affects 1 out of 91 children.
- Autism is a complex neurobiological spectrum disorder affecting individuals differently and to varying degrees. Individuals do not grow out of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
- Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic and social groups and is four times more likely to affect boys than girls. Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate (understand and relate to others) socially and emotionally.
- Autism is also associated with unproductive repetitive behaviors; processing disorders (sensory sensitivities to light, smell, sound and touch), eccentric behaviors and rigid routines; and unusual preoccupation with subjects and objects.
Early Signs of Autism
One or more of the following can be indicators of an Autism Spectrum Disorder, which includes Autistic Disorder, PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Disorder, also known as Asperger’s Syndrome:
- Absence of smiles of recognition by six months or thereafter Acts as though they cannot hear your voice
- Absence of acknowledgment when a parent returns home or when a new person enters the room by six months or thereafter
- Preoccupation or fascination with objects rather than with people
- Plays alone
- Impaired social interaction such as back-and-forth sharing of facial expressions by nine months or thereafter
- Slow to imitate games like peek-a-boo
- Giggling for no reason or when no one else is around as early as four months or thereafter
- Extreme sensitivities to light, smell, sound, touch and taste by four months or thereafter
- Hand flapping, hand gazing, body rocking or other self-stimulatory behaviors as early as six months
- Absence of babbling by 12 months Absence of back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, or waving by 12 months
- Fixation on audio/ video stimulation by 18 months
- Absence of words by 16 months or odd use of language or unusual tone of voice
- Compulsively arranges non-toy items or lines up toys
- Absence of initiating two word meaningful phrases by 24 months.
- Speaks only when coaxed
- Any loss of first words or any loss of babbling at any age
- Any loss of social skills at any age
- Peculiar or rigid eating, dressing or sleeping habits
- Strongly prefers or insists on talking about one subject without variation
- Lack of daily progress (A developing child is doing or discovering new things every day.)
Every day without treatment is a lost opportunity for progress.
Evidence Based Autism Intervention
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Strategies for Teaching Functional Skills
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