National Association of

Residential Providers for Adults

with Autism
NARPAA ECLASS
Autism Education for Direct
Care Staff
www.narpaa.org
 MODULE ONE

WHAT IS AUTISM?

www.narpaa.org
 MODULE ONE
As a result of completion of this module,
the participant will be able to:
– Identify facts related to Autism.
– Define the meaning of a Spectrum
disorder.
– Explain the ways in which diagnosis
occurs.
 AUTISM
Autism is a brain disorder that severely impacts the
way sensory input is processed, causing
problems with communication, social behavior,
and irregularities in learning. Autism is a
developmental disability that typically appears
during the first three years of life.
 AUTISM
Autism affects four times as many boys as girls,
and is found in families of all races, religions, and
social classes. Autism is one of the most
prevalent developmental disabilities, affecting
one in 110 births. Most, but not all individuals
with Autism, have some degree of mental
retardation and many will develop epilepsy
 AUTISM IS A SPECTRUM DISORDER

The symptoms and characteristics of autism

can present themselves in a wide variety of
combinations, from mild to severe. Although
Autism is defined by a certain set of
behaviors, children and adults can exhibit
any combination of the behaviors in any
degree of severity.
(Autism Society of America)
 AUTISM IS A SPECTRUM DISORDER

Two people, both with the same diagnosis, can

act very differently from one another and
have varying skills
 HOW AUTISM IS DIAGNOSED

Internationally, many professionals utilize both the American

Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th
Ed. TR (DSM-IV-TR) or the International Statistical Classification
of Diseases (ISCD-10). Autistic disorder is one of five disorders
that fall under the category of Pervasive Developmental
Disorders as defined in the DSM-IV‑TR manual. Four additional
autism related disorders are included in the Pervasive
Developmental Disorder spectrum: Asperger’s Disorder, Rett’s
Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive
Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).
 HOW AUTISM IS DIAGNOSED

The ICD-10 also uses the Pervasive Developmental

Disorder category and includes four additional
disorders. It is the set of pervasive developmental
disorders that is most typically referred to as autism
spectrum disorders (ASD). ASD is a descriptive term
that illustrates the varying combinations of
symptoms that an individual with autism may
display.
 HOW AUTISM IS DIAGNOSED

In regard to specific items for meeting criteria

for an autism related diagnosis, the American
Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual, 4th Ed.‑IV‑TR and the
ISCD-10 are quite similar
 SOCIAL INTERACTION

Qualitative impairment in social interaction,

which includes marked impairment in
nonverbal behavior used to regulate social
interaction, failure to develop peer
relationships, lack of shared enjoyment, and
lack of social or emotional reciprocity
 COMMUNICATION

Qualitative impairment in communication,

which includes delay in or total lack of
language development not accompanied by
attempts to compensate, impairment in social
imitative or imaginative play, and with
individuals that do develop language
impairment in initiating or sustaining a
conversation as well as potential repetitive
use of language
 RESTRICTED, REPETITIVE
STEREOTYPED BEHAVIOR,
INTERESTS, AND ACTIVITIES

Restricted, repetitive, stereotyped behavior,

interests, and activities, which include
encompassing preoccupation, inflexible
adherence to nonfunctional routines or
rituals, stereotyped or repetitive motor
mannerisms, attachments to unusual objects,
and preoccupation with parts of objects.
HOW IS AUTISM DIAGNOSED
In evaluating a child, clinicians rely on
behavioral characteristics to make a
diagnosis. Some of the characteristic
behaviors of ASD may be apparent in the first
few months of a child's life, or they may
appear at any time during the early years. For
the diagnosis, problems in at least one of the
areas of communication, socialization, or
restricted behavior must be present before
the age of 3. The diagnosis requires a two-
stage process.
 STAGE ONE

The first stage involves developmental

screening during "well child" check-ups.
 STAGE TWO

The second stage of diagnosis must be

comprehensive in order to accurately rule in
or rule out Autism or other developmental
problems. This evaluation may be done by a
multidisciplinary team that includes a
psychologist, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a
speech therapist, or other professionals who
diagnose children with Autism.
 STAGE TWO

Because Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are

complex and may involve other neurological
or genetic problems, a comprehensive
evaluation can include such elements as,
neurological and genetic assessment, along
with in-depth cognitive and language testing.
In addition, measures developed specifically
for diagnosing Autism are often used.
Examples of these include:
 STAGE TWO

The Autism Diagnosis Interview-Revised (ADI-

R). The ADI-R is a structured interview that
contains over 100 items and is conducted
with a caregiver. It consists of four main
factors-the child's communication, social
interaction, repetitive behaviors, and age-of-
onset symptoms.
 STAGE TWO
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
(ADOS-G). The ADOS-G is an observational
measure used to "press" for socio-
communicative behaviors that are often
delayed, abnormal, or absent in people with
ASD.