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FAQ
DISCLAIMER
The
authors of this web site continually strive to keep informed
of current information and research pertaining to autism. We
hope that you will find the information contained in this web
site helpful and educational. As a parent or an educator, it
is your responsibility to make choices regarding the treatment
or education of your child.
References to any program, model, or approach is
intended for informational purposes only and is not an
endorsement of Autism Consultation and Education, Inc.
Nor are the statements regarding programs, models, or
approaches intended to be comprehensive statements of
available options, services, or providers. Parents and
educators should investigate any and all alternatives that may
be appropriate for an individual child.
What causes
autism?
Why is
structure important for a child with autism?
Why do
children with autism engage in self-stimulatory behaviors?
Why is
it better to use less words and "wait time" when
talking to a child with autism?
Why do
children with autism sometimes exhibit higher levels of
anxiety than other children?
What
does it mean when people say some children with autism only
see "the trees, but not the forest"?
How
are behavior and communication linked?
Why do
children with autism have difficulty developing appropriate
peer relationships?
What
is the best educational approach for children with autism?
At
this time, there is no single specific known cause of autism.
Despite past theories stating otherwise, we do know
that parents do not cause autism.
Currently, there is research being conducted worldwide
to try to explain what causes autism.
Current research indicates that there are biological or
neurological differences in the brain.
Why these differences occur is, at this time, unknown.
As research efforts continue, parents and teachers
pursue good teaching approaches, and elicit positive outcomes
for children, despite the unknown cause(s) of autism.
Structure
is essential to the functioning of children with autism
because of their deficits in organization and their ability to
understand or successfully control their behavior without
assistance, instruction, or support.
Structure helps the child organize themselves and their
environments. With
structure, children with autism and related disorders are able
to respond more appropriately to their surroundings.
Self-stimulatory
behaviors are also sometimes called “stereotypic”
behaviors, or “stims”.
They are the repetitive body movements, repetitive
movements of objects, or repetitive topics, in which the child
might engage. Self-stimulatory
behaviors can involve any or all of the senses (i.e., visual,
auditory, tactile, vestibular, taste, and/or smell). There is
much research surrounding the theories for self-stimulatory
behaviors. One
theory is that children engage in these behaviors so they can
receive sensory stimulation.
For some neurological reason, the child’s body may
crave stimulation, so they engage in these behaviors to arouse
the nervous system. Another
theory suggests that these behaviors release beta-endorphins
in the body, and gives the child some form of internal
pleasure. Yet,
another body of research suggests that self-stimulatory
behaviors occur in order to calm the child.
In other words, the child might be overwhelmed by an
environment that is too stimulating, so he or she engages in
the self-stimulatory behaviors to block the external
stimulation, thus focusing their attention inward.
Some
children have difficulty processing a lot of auditory
information being given to them at once.
For example, some children cannot process all of the
information if more than one person is speaking at a time.
Further, most children with autism take longer than
typically developing children to process information that is
given verbally.
This is why we use short, concise statements and
questions, rather than long strings of information that may be
difficult for the child to understand.
That is, it may take longer for a child with autism to
process a sentence such as:
“Johnny,
why did you leave the door open? You know we keep the door
closed.
What’s the rule about the door?”
While
a shorter directive that gets the same point across might be
more effective, such as:
“Johnny,
close the door.”
There
has been some research suggesting that children without autism
or other disabilities require at least three to five seconds
to process auditory information and to respond to the
information. So,
when talking with or giving directions to a child with autism,
it is important to wait at least five seconds before giving
the next piece of information, as well as using short, concise
sentences.
Many
children with autism frequently appear upset or on the verge
of becoming upset. This
could be the result of interacting with an environment that is
unpredictable and/or overwhelming to the child.
Often, children with autism have difficulty recognizing
and understanding the expectations that others have of them,
as well as what is happening in the immediate environment.
As a result, these children frequently display anxiety
as a response to this environmental uncertainty.
Children
with autism are often quite skilled at noticing small details
in a setting, especially visual details.
For example, many of these children will notice when
objects in the setting have been moved, or have been removed.
Some will notice when a piece of furniture is in need
of dusting, a piece of lint on the floor, or a person has new
eyeglasses. Some
children notice other sensory details, such as those that are
auditory in nature. For
example, many children with autism can become distracted by
the sound of air conditioner fans, construction equipment
being used outside, or the far away sounds of a train.
Some children who are able to function at a higher
level might focus on more cognitive details, such as the words
from a game show, people’s birthdays, or capitols of states.
The problem with this intense focus on environmental or
cognitive details is that they are often unable to evaluate
the relative importance of all of the information.
For example, a child might spend a significant amount
of time examining an adult’s new eyeglasses, while failing
to note other people in the room.
To provide another example, a child may be so focused
on the oncoming sound of a train, that they are unable to
attend to the task on their desk.
When
a child has limited or no verbal communication skills, they
may become easily frustrated from the lack of ability to
communicate their wants and needs.
For example, if a child is thirsty and does not have
the words to ask for a drink, they may scream and/or throw
things because of the inability to request the drink.
This can lead to a feeling of helplessness for the
parent or teacher, as they often do not always know what the
child is trying to communicate.
As the child develops and learns better ways to
communicate (i.e., they are taught to use sign language,
pictures, or words), they will likely become less easily
frustrated, and use meaningful communication instead of
screaming and/or throwing to get their needs met.
Many
children with autism have difficulty interacting with others.
Some believe that this difficulty results from the
unpredictable nature of social interactions.
That is, the child with autism may be unable to predict
what another child is going to do or say, and therefore,
remains aloof and separate from others.
Another possible reason for having difficulty
establishing relationships with peers might involve the
inability to interpret non-verbal messages and body language
at a neurological level.
That is, the child with autism might not recognize when
a peer wants to play or when a peer wants to engage in a
conversation. Often,
the child with autism is unable to demonstrate social and
emotional reciprocity. That
is, they may not have learned the skills to take turns or
share in a game. They
may not possess the ability to engage in an appropriate
conversation that involves initiating, responding, waiting to
speak, and terminating the conversation appropriately.
This does not mean that children with autism cannot be
taught to develop and maintain appropriate peer relationships.
However, they will not acquire these skills by simply
observing others. Instruction
must be provided that is systematic and well planned, and
should include specific “lessons” on how to behave in a
socially appropriate manner.
Some people describe “play” as “work” for
children with autism. That
is, they are not typically inclined to engage in appropriate
social interactions with peers, until they are specifically
taught how to do so.
We
know that early intervention can show positive outcomes for a
child with autism. But,
because of the spectrum nature of the disorder, and the
individual characteristics and needs of each child, no single
approach or program should be the only approach for a child.
There are various teaching methodologies that have been
successful in helping children with autism become more
independent, communicate better, and display more appropriate
behaviors. Popular
methodologies and approaches include, but are not limited to,
applied behavior analysis (ABA), the TEACCH model (Treatment
and Education of Autistic and Related Communication
Handicapped Children), PECS (Picture Exchange Communication
Systems), medications, occupational therapy, sensory
integration, and speech/language therapy.
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