Autistic Spectrum Disorder — what it means
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a relatively new term that includes the subgroups within the spectrum of autism. There are differences between the subgroups within the spectrum and further work is required on defining the criteria, but all children with an ASD share a triad of impairments in their ability to:
- Understand and use non-verbal and verbal communication
- Understand social behaviour which affects their ability to interact with children and adults
- Think and behave flexibly — which may be shown in restricted, obsessional or repetitive activities.
Some children with an ASD have a different perception of sounds, sights, smell, touch and taste, which affects their response to these sensations. They may also have unusual sleep and behaviour patterns and behavioural problems. Children of all levels of ability can have an ASD. In recent years there has been an increase in the number of children and young people identified with autistic spectrum disorders.
The core areas affected in ASDs
There are several core areas affected in ASDs:
Non-verbal and verbal communication - Children and young people with an ASD have difficulty in understanding the communication and language of others and also in developing effective communication themselves. Many are delayed in learning to speak and some do not develop speech. Many children with speech have difficulties in using this to communicate effectively. It is likely that they will need to be taught the purpose of communication, a means to communicate (using pictures, photos, gestures, spoken or written words) and how to communicate.
Social understanding and social behaviour - A key characteristic of those with an ASD is their difficulty in understanding the social behaviour of others and in behaving in socially appropriate ways. Other children develop this understanding without being explicitly taught and do so fairly easily. Children with ASDs are very literal thinkers and interpreters of language, failing to understand its social context. For the child with an ASD, other people's opinions may have little or no influence on their behaviour and the child may say and do exactly as they want. Children with an ASD often find it hard to play and communicate effectively with other children who may be confused by their behaviour and may avoid or tease them. Adults who do not know the child or know about autism, may misunderstand the child's behaviour and view it as naughty, difficult or lazy, when, in fact, the child did not understand the situation or task or did not read the adult's intentions or mood correctly.
Thinking and behaving flexibly according to the situation — Children with an ASD often do not play with toys in a conventional way, but instead spin or flap objects or watch moving parts of toys or machinery for long periods and with intense concentration. Their play tends to be isolated or alongside others rather than with others. Some children develop a special interest in a topic or activity which may be followed to extreme lengths. Any new skills tend to be tied to the situation which means that children with an ASD will need specific help to generalise skills. They will also have difficulty adapting to new situations and often prefer routine to change.
Sensory perception and responses — From accounts of adults with an ASD, it is evident that some children are over-sensitive or 'under-sensitive' to certain sounds, sights and textures. This has implications for the child's home and school environment and may explain their response to changing clothes or food and their response to noise. In addition, the child may not make appropriate eye contact, looking too briefly or staring at others. In the past, there has been a focus on teaching the child to look when communicating but it may be that some children are unable to talk and look at the person at the same time.
Helping the education professional understand Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)
Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Good Practice Guidance
Guidance on restrictive physical interventions
Breaking down barriers to learning
Strategies for accessing the curriculum
Information for parents on the Early Support Pilot
Islington multi-agency integrated pathway for children and young people with ASDs
The effectiveness of early intervention
Online training for ASD teachers
Removing Barriers to Achievement
Page created: 29 January 2007
