Characteristicsofan

IndividualWithAutism
SpectrumDisorder(ASD)
Araceli Hermosa
 What is ASD?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is adevelopmental disabilitythat can cause

significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.
no physical characteristics that set them apart
may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different
from most other people
learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can
range from gifted to severely challenged
autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
(PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome.(cdc.gov)
 Cognitive Characteristics
According to Understandingminds.com
Theory of Mind
this means that they have difficulty understanding other peoples perspectives or getting inside their
heads
Cognitive Inflexibility
One method of doing things
Fact vs Fiction
More oriented to facts
Specialist vs Generalist
Specialized area of interest
Concept vs Detail
Learn more details without necessarily understanding its relationship to the whole picture
Literal vs Figurative
May interpret language literally
 Social Characteristics

Their difficulties with social interaction may manifest in the

following ways:
(https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/characteristics#Social)
limited use and understanding of non-verbal communication such
as eye gaze, facial expression and gesture
difficulties forming and sustaining friendships
lack of seeking to share enjoyment, interests and activities with
other people
difficulties with social and emotional responsiveness
Communication Characteristics
Examples of communication issues related to ASD:
Delayed speech and language skills
Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
Reverses pronouns (e.g., says "you" instead of "I")
Gives unrelated answers to questions
Does not point or respond to pointing
Uses few or no gestures (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
Talks in a flat, robot-like, or sing-song voice
Does not pretend in play (e.g., does not pretend to "feed" a doll)
Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasing
Behavior Characteristics
Examples of unusual interests and behaviors related to ASD:
Lines up toys or other objects
Plays with toys the same way every time
Likes parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
Is very organized
Gets upset by minor changes
Has obsessive interests
Has to follow certain routines
Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
Stims (nonpurposeful behavior to stress response/coping strategy
Sensory Characteristics

A dysfunctional sensory system that sometimes one or more

senses are either over- or under-reactive to stimulation
Overstimulation with the vision, hearing, texture, touch, smell
senses
Vestibular movement & changes in head position, balance,
muscle tone, sound and visual orientation
Proprioception body awareness where body in space
Interoception physiological hunger, taste of food
 References
Chow, M. L.-B. (2012). Age-Dependent brain gene expression and copy number anomalies
in autism suggest distinct pathological processes at young versus mature ages.
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3310790/: PLoS Genet.
Mar 8(3)
Fadda, G. M. (2016). The enigma of autism: contributions of the etiology of the disorder.
Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas (PUC-Campinas), Brazil, 411-423.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/asd1/cresource/q1/p02/#content
http://www.understandingminds.com.au/blog/some-of-the-cognitive-characteristics-in-the-
autism-spectrum/
https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/content/characteristics#Social
Liu, L. e. (2017, Sci. Rep. April 7). Association between assisted reproductive technology
and the risk of autism spectrum disorders in the offspring: a meta-analysis. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5384197: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://www.education.com/reference/article/children-autism-spectrum-disorders/