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Autistic Spectrum Disorder - Coggle Diagram
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
WHAT IS AUTISM?
CAUSES
Caused by a variety of conditions that affect brain development and occur before, during and after birth (DoE, 2002, p.16)
Maternal Rubella, tuberous sclerosis, anoxia and encephalitis. Genetic cases
Can occur in association with other physical or psychological disabilities including cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, dyslexia, language disorders, visual or hearing impairments.
Autism is a developmental disorder that influences a person's abilities to communicate and relate to other people, as well as affecting how the make sense of the world. (IAD, 2021, p.5)
Legislation
The Autism Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 required the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to lead on the development; implementation; monitoring and reporting of a cross- departmental Autism Strategy. The Autism Strategy (2013 – 2020) and Action Plan (2013 – 2016) was subsequently approved by the Northern Ireland Executive and launched in January 2014 - IAC, 2021, p.17)
Autism is often described as a ‘spectrum disorder’ because the condition affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees (IAC, 2021, p.17)
Asperger Syndrome is similar to autism; however people with this condition do not generally experience the same language and learning disabilities associated with autism. They are more likely to have difficulties in the areas of social imagination, social communication and social interaction. (IAC, 2021, p.17)
DIAGNOSIS
KEY STRATEGIES
Play
Play is an important foundation for the development of Lnaguage (Smith, p.40)
For children with communication, interaction and social impairments, play is far from a natural process (Smith, p.40)
Giving the child with Autism the tools to understand the principles of play will help them become more independent in their learning (Smith, p.41)
A visual structure, constant routine, individual approach to intervention, sensitivity to autism and anxiety, simple and clear use of language (DoE, 2002, p.22)
intervention programmes should be child-centred rather than method-centred, and should address the observed and unique needs of the child and any variation in these which occurs over time and across settings and situations. (DoE, 2002, p.53)
Provision should be flexible, differentiated, individually planned and resourced, inclusive, functional, structures, supported (DoE, 2002, p.143)
Although there is no cure for this life-long disability (Rogers 1998), early interventions that focus on teaching skills such as language, social abilities, behavioural regulation, self-help, and academics have been shown to greatly improve outcomes for many children with ASD (Lynch and Irvine, 2009, p.6)
TEACHER-PUPIL RELATIONSHIP
The visibility of additional support provided often made the pupils feel that their differences were accentuated (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.38)
Some teachers appeared to lack understanding of individual pupils' needs and as a result felt less confident to differentiate their work themselves, instead depending on support staff to prepare work for a pupil (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.39)
The challenge is for educationalists to bring educational goals into harmony with the individual needs of the child. The individual needs of the child with ASD must be identified and responded to using the correct teaching strategies. (Doe, 2002, p.18)
Training on identifying and managing children with asd and challenging behaviours should be provided (DoE, 2002, 186)
INCLUSION
In 2018/19, 70% of children with a statement of SEN in NI were taught in a mainstream setting (Beck et al,2021, p.267)
The growing realization that grouping pupils with AS together in classes may not always be in the best interests of the child (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p24)
The process of facilitating their learning and participation remains a complex and poorly understood area of education (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.24)
Although many general education classrooms boast about inclusive practices for children with special needs, the fact remains that the current organisational structure in some school systems is not conducive to an authentic demonstration of inclusion (Lynch and Irvine, 2009, p.856)
SENSORY
The impact of Sensory Processing Difficulties across a range of Special Educational Needs is well researched.(Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
Ayres proposed that sensory ‘integration’ difficulties would impact a child’s ability to concentrate, organise all sen- sory information, reason and think in the abstract, impact- ing cognition and learning (Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
While addressing children’s sensory processing needs may not have been a consideration in the past, an increasing awareness of the links between ASD and SPD, accompanied by a rise in numbers of children with autism in the NI school population, from 1.2% to 3.3% in the past 10 years, appears to have created a need for teacher training in this area.(Beck et al, 2021, p.267)
This being the case, it is unsurprising that the use of multi-sensory rooms, resources and strategies in the special school sector appears to be on the rise, and the use of ‘sensory toys’ to provide for children who present with ‘inappropriate sen- sory responses’ within the daily routine of the mainstream classroom is a more frequently observed feature (Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
the parallel rise of similar resources in mainstream schools can be undertaken without such advice and without any underlying understanding of sensory processing difficulties. While OT informed school- based sensory integration programmes exist in a minority of mainstream settings in Northern Ireland, the ‘monitor- ing of pupil progress’ in this area is mostly overseen by trained classroom assistants rather than by teaching staff (Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
Consequently, school communities, teachers, classroom assistants and parents may be unaware of the range of co-occurring difficulties related to SPD and the ways in which children can be supported in overcoming their difficulties.(Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
recognise the increasing demands on car- ers at home and on teachers in the school environment as they seek to meet the needs of children with sensory processing difficulties; a particular issue if the sensory issues needing to be addressed are not fully understood and resources and strategies unavailable or ineffectively used. (Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
This requires a higher level of teacher engagement and the development of a shared sensory vocabulary (Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
notes the value of teaching sensory self-regulation skills to children, arguing that pupils should be taught these, on a daily basis, for daily independent use, increasing what CCEA (2007, p. 2) term their capacity for ‘self- management and taking responsibility’ for their responses and behaviours.
(Beck et al, 2021, p.268)
Use of fidget toys, weighted items, beanbags, tents, textured and tactile items, auditory sense, olfactory and gusttory senses, lighting equipment, sensory boxes, stress toys, squeezable. (Beck et al, 2021, p.271)
Teachers should understand children's sensory needs and set appropriate targets to address the needs (DoE, 2002, p.23)
usic is often a natural accompaniment to some physical activities, and can provide further sensory input of benefit to the child. Incorporating various kinaesthetic stimuli, eg sand, water, can increase attention to objects and activities, can have a positive effect on the child’s development. (DoE, 2002, P.31)
Wilkes, p.1 - Many people on the autistic spectrum experience sensory difficulties or are particularly sensitive to certain sensations. These difficulties may result in behaviour which parents and carers find puzzling.
Dr A. Jean Ayres defines sensory integration as ‘the organisation of sensation for use’. Sensory integration involves turning sensation into perception. - Wilkes - p.3)
Balance
Hypo - The need for rocking, swinging, spinning.
Hyper - Difficulties in activities which include movement – sport, Difficulties in stopping quickly or during an activity.
CRITICALITIES
Although many teachers are committed to the principles of inclusive education, they do not feel like they have the neccessary training and support to provide adequately for pupils with AS. (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.24)
The National Autistic Society has suggested that the lack of understanding and appropriate provision means that children with autism are losing out. (Humphrey and lewis, 2008, p.24)
Pupils' relationships with peers proved to be both a barrier and an enabler to their successful inclusion in school (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.34)
Preference of routine and low sensory stimulation expressed by ASD pupils is at odds with the normal mainstream classroom (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.42)
t is argued that parents in Northern Ireland need better information and advice about the educational options available.(Stewart, 2014, p.7)
NASNI indicates that expertise in schools remains patchy. The report argues that many teachers do not get the training, knowledge or resources that they need to help children with autism. Almost one in five parents indicated dissatisfaction with teacher understanding of how to support children with autism.
(Stewart, 2004, p.7)
Unfortunately, a discrepancy exists between what the research has identified as best practice in the education of children with ASD and those services children are currently receiving from the general education environment (Lynch and Irvine, 2009, p.851)
Parents of children with ASD have demonstrated concern and frustration surrounding their children’s educa- tion.(Lynch and Irvine, 2009, p.856)
STATISTICS
4.5% School aged children with Autism in NI - continuously rising
2.2% Prevalence in girls
6.7% prevalence in boys - 3 times as likely to have a diagnosis than females.
Prevalence is 37% higher in deprived deciles compares to NI average
Stewart, 2014, p.6)
More than one in four young people said they don’t feel happy at school;
One in five of the young people surveyed don’t feel safe;
One in three children surveyed have only one friend, or no friends at all;
80% of the pupils indicated that they want to have friends;
A quarter of young people responded that one of the worst things about school is being picked on;
Almost one third of young people responded that one of the worst things about school is teachers not understanding them;
Half of parents indicated that they feel their child is making good educational progress;
Almost one in three parents feels that the education their child receives is not adequate to their needs;
Just less than half of parents are satisfied with the support their child receives at school.
SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
The common difficulties in communication and interaction experienced by those with AS place them at an even higher risk (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.35)
Social Naivety of many pupils with AS makes them vulnerable to bullies (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.35)
They may lack any resilience to help them overcome the problems associated with being bullied, and the thought of school can become distressing (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.35)
Some children may excel in visual-spatial tasks and recalling simple info; they learn best information presented in visual form but have problems comprehending oral or written information (Doe, 2002, p.22)
BEHAVIOURS
ASD includes ritualistic patterns of behaviour (DoE, 2002, p.12)
All children have their individual characteristics and personality. The condition may, therefore, appear different in the same child at different ages and with different cognitive levels in children (DoE, 2002, p.17)
Lack of eye contact, monotone quality of voice, restricted vocab, repetition, inability to make a converstaion, lack of appreciation, poor understanding of speech and gesture
ASD pupils remain aloof, passive and odd in their social behaviours and have a tendency to play in unusual ways and without imagination (DoE, 2002, p.21)
Children with ASD tend to have restricted interest, repeated mannerisms (flapping, spinning), unusual reactions to stimuli (DoE, 2002, p.23)
A minority of children with ASD display extremely challenging or aggressive behaviour (DoE, 2002, p.23)
INDIVIDUAL IMPACTS
AS pupils are likely to develop elevated levels of anxiety than either typically developing adolescents or clinical control groups (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.37)
Difficulties in social communication and interaction experienced by pupils are likely to increase their exposure and vulnerability to bullying and social isolation (Humphrey and Lewis, 2008, p.42)
Struggle with generalising learning, literal understanding of langauge and an inability to join in with peers in activities such as play or team games (DoE, 2002, p.22)
Children may struggle with anxiety or stress; appropriate support must be provided to help a child with ASD cope with and manage difficult situations e.g) counselling (DoE, 2002, p.24)
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH
PARENTS
Parents have become increasingly concerned about the adequacy of services for children with ASD (DoE, 2002, p.1)
informing all staff of the nature of the child’s difficulties and making them aware of strategies to help the child with ASD integrate into the school environment.
Effective and positive educational experiences for the child with ASD depend on the staff having an understanding of ASD and how it relates to the individual child in their classroom. (DoE, 2002, P.140)
family involvement was identified in both models as an integral component of children’s educational success. The involvement of parents and/or guardians in their children’s academic programmes promotes consistency across all environments and assists in the generalisation and main- tenance of skills acquired at school. (Lynch and Irvine, 2009, p.855)
Effective whole school practice involves informing all staff of the nature of the child’s difficulties and making them aware of strategies to help the child with ASD integrate into the school environment.
Effective and positive educational experiences for the child with ASD depend on the staff having an understanding of ASD and how it relates to the individual child in their classroom. (DoE, 2002, p. 143)
Children with autism need an education that allows them to acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding that other children acquire intuitively.(Stewart, 2014, p.5