Autism Book Copy

IntroductionWhy Autism Today is providing this e-bookThe purpose of this “first of a kind” publication isto help people, no matter what their role is in theautism field, to find the resources they need. Parents,family members, educators, professionals and peopleon the autism spectrum can learn to understandthis condition and what they can do to reach for thebest possible outcome for the person with autism. Inthis book you will learn about where to start, whatinterventions are available and even glimpse the futureby hearing what people on the autism spectrum haveto say.This book aims to provide current, relevantinformation in a way that is easy to understand anduser friendly. The e-book format gives us an abilityto update the book’s content. As a “living book,” thisone will always be alive with current information,providing or directing you to critical resourcesdescribing new discoveries, treatments, scientificupdates and personal accounts—all while helping toraise awareness of this mysterious condition and bringits mysteries to light.We welcome your feedback, suggestions andcomments. They will help us keep this book a vital,easy-to-use reference for those with autism, theirfamilies, professionals, educators and anyone elseinterested in learning more about autism and someattention deficit disorders.As a parent of a child with autism, author andeducator of sorts, I have hosted many conferenceswith world-class speakers in North America and havetravelled to other conferences gathering a great deal ofinformation. I have sold copies of leading publicationsin the autism field, while gaining knowledge alongthe way. At many of the conferences I have hosted, Iam asked to recommend resources for behavior, socialskills, communication and sensory issues.Throughout this book I will be doing just that,from my own personal experience, of course, andfrom the recommendation of many Autism Todaymembers. I feel my unique perspective can help manyparents, educators and professionals find what, inmy viewpoint, are the true gems of knowledge andunderstanding that they are seeking. I hope this bookhelps each and every one of you tremendously.— Karen L. Simmons,Founder of Autism Todayiii

Chapter 1What exactly are autismspectrum disorders?CHAPTER 11

What is autism?Contributing Author Lori Ernspberger, Ph.D., Special Education, Indiana University—An expert in thefield of autism and behavioral disorders, Dr. Ernspberger has over 17 years of experience as a public schoolteacher, administrator and behavioral consultant. She owns and operates Autism and Behavioral Consulting,a firm based in Henderson, Nevada, that works with school district personnel and parents to provide effective educational programs and best practice strategies for students with autism and behavioral disorders. Dr.Ernspberger’s book, Keys to Success for Teaching Students with Autism, has been very well received sinceits publication in 2003.Resources and links— Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D. suggests visiting her Autism Today website to learn about herother products and services: Visit http://ernsperger.autismtoday.com today! (*Please note, don’t put in thewww) You can contact Dr. Ernsperger by writing lorierns@netnevada.net .Autism refers to neurologic disorders involvingserious impairment of abilities to interact andcommunicate socially, and repetitive and restrictedinterests and activities. Classic autism is at one end ofthe autism spectrum. This is associated with delayed orabsent spoken language, and sometimes with cognitivedelay. Asperger’s Syndrome is at the other end of theautism spectrum. It is not associated with delayedlanguage, cognitive development or self-help skills.Generally, people on the autism spectrum havegreat difficulty making friends and understandingsocial rules. They typically have one or a few interests,activities or physical movements, which they engagein repeatedly. They may or may not have mentalretardation and/or a marked delay in language,although even those using superficially “normal”language will have problems using language in asocially fluent and appropriate way.What is the cause of autism?Researchers worldwide are devoting considerable timeand energy to find an answer to this critical question.Medical researchers are exploring various explanationsfor the forms of autism. Although a single specificcause of autism is not known, current research linksautism to biological or neurological differences in thebrain. In many families there appears to be a patternof autism or related disabilities. This suggests there is agenetic basis to the disorder, although at this time nogene has been directly linked to autism. The geneticbasis is believed by researchers to be highly complex,probably involving several genes acting together.Several outdated theories about the cause of autismhave been proved false. Autism is not a mental illness.Children with autism are not unruly kids who choosenot to behave. Bad parenting does not cause autism.Furthermore, no known psychological factors in thedevelopment of the child have been shown to causeautism.How is autism diagnosed?There are no medical tests for diagnosing autism.An accurate diagnosis must be based on observationof the individual’s communication, behavior anddevelopmental levels. However, because many of thebehaviors associated with autism are shared by otherdisorders, various medical tests may be used to ruleout or identify other possible causes of the symptomsbeing exhibited.Diagnosis of autism is difficult for a practitionerwith limited training or exposure to it. Since thesymptoms of autism vary so much, a child shouldideally be evaluated by a multidisciplinary teamthat may include a neurologist, psychologist,developmental pediatrician, speech/languagetherapist, learning consultant or another professionalknowledgeable about autism.A brief observation in a single setting cannotpresent a true picture of an individual’s abilities andbehaviors. Parental (and other caregivers’) input and3

The Official Autism 101 Manualdevelopmental history are very important componentsof an accurate diagnosis. At first glance, some peoplewith autism may appear to have mental retardation, abehavior disorder, problems with hearing, or even oddand eccentric behavior. To complicate matters further,these conditions can co-occur with autism.Sometimes professionals who are not knowledgeable about the needs and opportunities for early intervention in autism do not offer an autism diagnosiseven if it is appropriate. This hesitation may be dueto a misguided wish to spare the family. Other times,well-meaning professionals have misdiagnosed autism.Difficulties in the recognition and acknowledgmentof autism often lead to inadequate provision ofthe services required to meet the complex needs ofindividuals with autism. An accurate diagnosis andearly identification of autism provide the best basis forbuilding an appropriate and effective educational andtreatment program.What is Asperger’s Disorder(Asperger’s Syndrome)?Asperger’s Disorder—also known as Asperger’sSyndrome—is one of five Pervasive DevelopmentDisorders (PDDs) that also include autism, Rett’sSyndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder,and PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).PDDs are a category of neurologically-baseddisorders characterized by a range of delays in variousdevelopmental stages.Asperger’s Disorder was first described in the 1940sby Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger, who observedautistic-like behaviors and difficulties with socialand communication skills in boys who had normalintelligence and language development.Many professionals felt Asperger’s Disorder wassimply a milder form of autism and used the term“high functioning autism” to refer to it. Professor UtaFrith, with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience,of University College London, and author of Autismand Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals withAsperger’s Disorder as “having a dash of autism.”Asperger’s Disorder was added to the AmericanPsychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical4Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 asa separate disorder from autism. However, manyprofessionals still consider Asperger’s Disorder to be aless severe form of autism.What distinguishes Asperger’s Disorder fromautism is the severity of the symptoms and the absenceof language delay. Children with Asperger’s Disordermay be only mildly affected and frequently havegood language and cognitive skills. To the untrainedobserver, a child with Asperger’s Disorder may justseem different.Children with autism are frequently seen as aloofand uninterested in others. This is not the case withthose with Asperger’s Disorder. Individuals withAsperger’s Disorder usually want to fit in and haveinteraction with others; they simply don’t know howto do it. They may be socially awkward, because theydo not understand conventional social rules, or mayshow a lack of empathy. They may engage in limitedeye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversationand not understand the use of gestures.Interests in a particular subject may border onthe obsessive. Children with Asperger’s Disorderfrequently like to collect categories of things, suchas rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient inknowing categories of information, such as baseballstatistics or the Latin names of flowers. While theymay have good rote memory skills, they have difficultywith abstract concepts.One of the major differences between Asperger’sDisorder and autism is that, by definition, there is nospeech delay in Asperger’s Disorder. In fact, childrenwith Asperger’s Disorder frequently have goodlanguage skills; they simply use language in differentways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lackinginflection or having a rhythmic nature. Speech may beformal and too loud or high pitched. Children withAsperger’s Disorder may not understand the subtletiesof language, such as irony and humor, or may notunderstand the natural give and take of a conversation.Another distinction between Asperger’s Disorderand autism concerns cognitive ability. While someindividuals with autism experience mental retardation,by definition a person with Asperger’s Disorder cannotp

The Official Autism 101 E-Book: Autism Today Experts Discover the awesome in Autism! DISCOVER THE AWESOME IN AUTISM! The Official Autism 101 E-Book: Autism Today