Autism Ross Cardwell Dr.

Tucker PED 365

Abstract Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that neurologically affects many abilities of the human body. It is a disorder that has increased at an alarming rate over the past twenty years. The awareness, research, and treatment of autism have increased dramatically over the past twenty years. Autism learners have shown similar characteristics. Educators are now informed on these characteristics and certain strategies to help create normalcy in an autistic learners life. It is the job of educators to help children with autism.

Autism How many people in this world take the chance to make an improved difference in their life? Even better question, how many people take the chance to make a positive difference in another persons life? As an educator we get that opportunity every day, especially to those who interact with people with an autistic disorder. Autism is one of the main forms of pervasive developmental disorders that affect a persons cognitive, motor, language, and psychological abilities. For myself as a future physical educator autism provides exciting challenges to create instructional strategies and programs to help individuals with this disorder to learn and cope with everyday life. Autism: A pervasive developmental disorder A pervasive developmental disorder or PDD is a neurological disorder that categorizes illnesses which delay the development of many basic skills. A PDD affects a persons ability to sociably interact, efficiently communicate, use imagination, and ultimately understand the world around them. Autism is one of the primary disorders under the large collection of pervasive developmental disorders (Hirsch, 2005). A definition for autism is a developmental disability drastically affecting verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction that unfavorably affects educational performance. Autism is usually evident before the age of three and is a lifelong developmental disorder (The University of Iowa, 2010).

Autism: Causes and Characteristics There are many different widespread theories behind the cause of autism. Since autism greatly affects the central nervous system many studies of the human body have been done. These studies include chromosomal defects; brain malformation at birth like an abnormally large brain; electrophysiological abnormalities; disorders of neuron cell migration; and defects in neurotransmitter and receptor structure. The amygdale of the brain may possibly be essential in an autistic persons behavior and how they may understand the intention of other people. Scientist and autism activist are very encouraged by new strategies and technology like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). Other theories brought to the publics attention to why there is such increase in autism is the environmental ecosystem has become so incredibly toxic that children are being dramatically affected. The theory that common vaccinations such as measles, mumps, and rubella have been the latest to hit the media. Although present research says there is no relationship between the vaccinations and autism (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 396). As a society we have many theories but the truth is right now there is no known cause of autism. Over time educators have noticed similar characteristics among learners diagnosed with autistic disorder. Communication between learners with autism and the people that surround them has been a reoccurring battle, especially with people close to the autistic leaner like family members, school mates, and educators. If language communication is present, the autistic child may lack organization or be pieced together. A majority of autism learners have trouble with expressive and receptive language (Hirsch, 2005). Autistic learners may use

neologisms, singing, humming, or jargon when communitcating verbally. They also like to repeat words or phrases that for some reason stick in their head. In the classroom setting autism learners could not understand how to get the teachers attention or know how to express their feeling at the time so they use different methods to convey their message. They may all the sudden burst out into a temper tantrum just because their pencil broke, and as an educator must learn to interpret and find a solution to their problem. Because of their lack of communication skills a lot of students struggle in social situations. Autism students do not establish good eye contact with surrounding people and do not respond well to basic social situations like hello or goodbye. They seem to enjoy individual play and stand aloof from other students (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 397-8). For instance the capability to use multiple toys during recess with other students seems to be difficult to those learners with autism and very rarely do they initiate play. They also avoid physical contact with other people and sometimes he or she may be particular about different objects or surfaces that they touch. Autistic students can be very blunt in situations like he or she may laugh or cry at an inappropriate time, struggle with interruptions, and transitions. They usually demand a fixed schedule or environment. Throwing a curveball at an autistic child during their day may cause them to outburst. Autistic children have certain quirks that they may demonstrate on a repetitive basis such as clapping hands, fanning themselves, pacing, spinning, or twirling objects. Difficulty with gross motor skills is very common. Autism people battle changing from one movement to another, especially if their environments change in the process. He or she may be on a tennis court with a tennis racket in their hand and after weeks of practice be able to hit the tennis ball. All of the sudden put them on a softball field with a bat they could be

completely lost. A physical educator may have to re teach the concept of striking a ball with the object in their hands which could take several more weeks. When a student the same age without autism disorder may learn to strike the tennis ball in two days then be able to directly translate it to the softball field (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 395). Autistic people have characteristics that impact their ability to learn also. The child may not be able to take their own personal experience and relate it to certain events. For example he or she may go on a field trip to the zoo to see and hear all of the animals, but may not be able match the animal to the correct sound that animal makes. They are easily distracted in a learning environment making it especially tough on the educator. Autistic learners fail to see the whole picture but retrieve the little details as good as or better than any other person. Autism people have an uncanny ability to remember facts but do not understand how to piece together information in a logical order. My friends little brother can name where, and when every battle that George Washington fought, but could not tell someone what reasons or the significance to why Washington fought. He or she may be very anxious at certain time or determined to touch a certain object in the classroom (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 399). All of these examples are distractions for future educators, these characteristics are things we have to always keep in mind when dealing with autistic learners. Autism: Program with Instructional Strategies Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-Handicapped Children or better known as the TEACCH program provides a long term goal for learners with autism. The goal is when an autistic child reaches adulthood to fit in to society as best they can, or create

normalcy in their lives. They offer structured, specialized classrooms, and cross-categorical classrooms that promote normalcy for those diagnosed with autism. TEACCH uses consistent daily educational routines for individuals with autism to provide the best educational learning environment for that particular person. The program also uses a routine of group activities throughout the learning day to help strengthen communication skills among individuals with this disorder. As talked about earlier communication is a main characteristic set back that keeps an autistic learner from being considered normal. This helps widen the autistic learners scope of the big picture which so many autism students struggle with by focusing on his or her interests and strengths. The adult or educator in the TEACCH program is in charge indentifying and creating a routine in the learning environment appropriate the autism learner. The TEACCH program has integrated more of a responsibility on the parent or guardian by naming them co-teachers. This helps not only the child but also the entire family by learning to relate and communicate efficiently. This brings us to the next point on the emphasis of home training. Studies have shown home training preschoolers with autism has proven results that they are developmentally at a higher level than their peers in tests of gross motor, fine motor, imitation, and nonverbal skills. Home training is cheaper for the parents. Parents become the autistic childs main supporter at an early age, which will generate an effective partnership throughout the lifetime of both individuals. A home program gives the parents an experienced skill base of learning how to help their autistic child become successful for the rest of their life (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 396). Ultimately creating normalcy in the home will make for a smoother transition to normalcy in everyday life for an autistic learner.

Another program used for autism learners is Applied Behavioral Analysis or ABA. This program is primarily used by the known Dr. Lovaas and his team at UCLA. The goal behind ABA is to use different trials to form a desired behavior. Dr. Lovaas does this through extensive evaluation and what they call discrete trial training. In discrete trial training every individual is taught a skill which is the instruction part. There is a prompt, and then an opportunity for the child to respond and feedback is immediately given to the leaner is way he or she can understand. The problem with the ABA program is it requires at least 40 hours a week which makes it difficult to integrate with public schools (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 406). Dr. Stanley Greenspan created a strategy called Floortime. The concept of Floortime is to have an adult, which usually is the parent, join the childs individual play time by following the kids lead. For example if the leaner is building a castle with blocks the adult would intervene and add their own blocks to the castle. As the child becomes comfortable with the adult playing with him or her, the adult would do something to disrupt the flow of building the castle like destroy one half of the castle. The point behind this exercise is to draw the childs reactions. Over time the point is to increase the childs reaction and get him or her to voluntarily cooperate with others. This is referred as the opening and closing the circles of communication (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 406). Autism: Incidence Autistic disorder is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. Twenty years ago an estimated four or five children out of 10,000 were diagnosed with the disorder. As of 2007, one in every one-hundred-fifty children was diagnosed with autism

spectrum disorder. The rapid growth of autism is because of the awareness of specific educational services that are needed by persons diagnosed with autistic disorder and are now offered (Auxter, Pyfer, Roth, & Zittel, 2010, p. 396). As future educators there will be a vast amount of children that we will interact with on a daily basis and no single child will ever be the same especially those kids with autism. Autism is a powerful PDD that with the help of educators can be harnessed. There will be a daily struggle, but why not look at the struggle as a challenge? Look at it as a challenge to help an individual succeed in a world that wants children with autism to fail. Let us not let children fail but do the opposite and create a normal life, a winning life. Do not just be an educator, be a difference in a persons life.

Reference List 1. Book Auxter, D., Pyfer, J., Zittel , L., & Roth , K. (2010). Principles and methods of adapted physical education and recreation . (11th ed., pp. 394-406). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies 2. Web Document on university program or department web site The University of Iowa. (2010, February). Healthcare. university of iowa. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/autismservices/autism_definition.htm 3. Web Document Hirsch, D. (2005). Web md. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mentalhealth-autism