Assessments For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders Essay

Autism is a developmental disorder, which is characterized by a dyad of difficulties in a) communication and social interaction and b) restricted interests and imagination (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might find it challenging to understand what other people think or what the reasons for their behaviours are, as their ‘theory of mind’ may not be well developed (Schuwerk, Vuori & Sodian, 2015). It is possible that this is why they might behave in socially inappropriate ways, being unable to differentiate between different contexts, while they might also find it difficult to make friends. Moreover, it is likely that they are fond of routines, repetition and structure (Carnahan, Musti-Rao, & Bailey, 2009), as they might be nervous with unknown, new situations. In addition, some of them might not do eye contact with other people, whereas some others might not endure to be touched and might have a difficulty developing speech (Jordan, 2005). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might sometimes be prohibited to initiate conversations and might struggle with finding different ways to play and behave, due to the possible deficit of imagination, which in some cases might result in them having a narrow sphere of interests. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this group of people is rather heterogeneous, as characteristics of autism may differ from one individual to another (Gwynette, 2013). Another point is that people with Autism

According to the U.S. Department of Education, autism is defined as a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interactions and verbal and nonverbal communication. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may also display attention deficits, engage in repetitive behaviors, resist environmental changes, have unusual sensory experiences, and may exhibit inappropriate behaviors that have adverse impacts on educational performance (Delano, 2007). The incidence of children identified with ASD has steadily increased and has thus changed the dynamics of education. Due to the number of children diagnosed with autism dramatically increasing over the last fifteen years, the demand for research-based

Learning about Autism is important for any type of teacher. With many different types of testing for Autism within this article ICD-10R, DSM-IV-TR, and DSM-5 are discussed. Many people do not know that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is serious. It is a neurodevelopment disorder. “In recent years there has been a rise in reported rates of ASD” (Wilson et al., 2013). There is information about how Autism is diagnosed on three domains. Those domains are abnormal communication, impaired social interaction and restricted and repetitive behaviors along with interests. There were research and testing completed that included 158 individual participants/ All of the individuals were assessed for ASD.

Neurological disorders are complex in nature and often the least understood. Given the recent boom in imaging technology and other diagnostic methods, it is now possible to see more clearly into the scope of neurological development and accurately determine the etiology of these diseases. One of such disorders is Autism; a multifactorial condition impairing normal brain development. It affects many aspects of development, including social behavior, cognitive ability and communication skills1 and is commonly diagnosed in children before the age of three1. The symptoms of this condition can vary greatly between individuals; hence its classification as a spectrum disorder. Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome and pervasive

Autism spectrum disorder is an umbrella term used in diagnosing a collection of developmental disorders of the brain that vary in severity1. People with ASD may have trouble with social interactions, problems with different types of communication, may practice repetitive actions or behaviors1,2, struggle with paying attention, and suffer from motor disfunctions1. ASD is usually diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 3, this early diagnosis is very beneficial because it leads to intervention which intern leads to more positive outcomes later in life1. ASD affects 1 in every 68 American children1 and is 4-5 times more common in boys than girls1. Prevalence of this disease is on the rise, with a 10-17% increases in cases per-year1, which could be due to improved diagnostic methods, environmental factors, and other reasons that are unknown1. One well established diagnostic tool is the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) which is 15-point rating scale3 used to diagnose children with ASD and determine its severity2. Another less accredited, but still informative diagnostic tool is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)2 which differs from the CARS because it is a parent rater form of measurment2. ASD has no cure, but there have been studies that show behavioral outbursts can be reduced with the use of certain movements and breathing techniques4. This encourages confidence that more aspects of ASD can be improved with similar methods.

In today’s world, it is easy to label people based on what society defines as “normal.” Society dictates how we view people on a daily basis and this forces people to view things from a singular perspective. Unfortunately, this single point of view may lead to discrimination against people who are “different.” For example, those with disabilities and other diagnoses are neglected, overlooked, or judged by those who are influenced by that singular perspective. In specific, Autism which is referred to as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, is something that the public has heard before but they do not fully understand or are unaware about its true definition. “According to the Centers for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM), approximately 1 in 68 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)” (CDC, 2016). This increased prevalence is why it is important to continue educating the public about those living with Autism as well as critical for social awareness and for the overall health of the community.

Children With Autism Children with autism have the possibility to improve greatly, and some even overcome the effects of autism if appropriate therapies are begun early enough. A multifaceted disorder, autism has long baffled professionals and parents alike. At a point in time, doctors gave parents absolutely no hope for the recovery of their children. But recently, new treatments and therapies have shown that improvement is possible. With early intervention, intensive care, some children have if not fully recovered, improved, and have been integrated into schools, indistinguishable from their peers.

Autistic infants often show little or no interest in other people and lack typical social behaviors. For example, they may not smile at their mother's voice or make eye contact with caregivers. Autistic children fail to develop normal relationships with their parents, brothers or sisters, and other children. Often they seem unaware of the needs and feelings of other people, and may not respond if another person is hurt or in distress. They also fail to make friends.

Even with a substantial amount of research on the complex concept of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), much remains unknown when it comes to the root of this disorder. Study after study have shown that there are multiple brain regions of the ASD brain that act differently when compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. One area of the brain that researchers have shown an interest in is the fusiform gyrus. The fusiform gyrus is a section of the brain that is located between the parahippocampal gyrus and the lingual gyrus medially and the inferior temporal gyrus laterally on the basal temporal and occipital cortex ( ). The reason why this area is critical to understanding the ASD brain is its functions in color processing, word

Autism spectrum disorder has become the most common neurological and developmental disorder diagnosed in children today. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) estimate that 1 out of every 88 American children have been properly diagnosed. There is no known cure for autism, and the inconsistencies of the symptoms of autism in each case make it difficult to target a particular set of effective treatments. However some behavior management therapies, specifically physical therapy, may help to significantly control the unwanted symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is one of many developmental disabilities that affect students learning. In fact, in the United States, Autism is the fastest-growing severe developmental disorder (“What is Autism,” n.d.). Also, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder is 1 in 68 children and the prevalence in boys is 1 in 42 children (“What is Autism,” n.d.). Furthermore, Autism Spectrum Disorders also affects the way a child learns and over the years, several teaching strategies have been developed to help teachers to effectively educate students with Autism. Research has also been conducted to develop and test new teaching strategies for Autism and continues in playing an important role in the education of students with Autism.

The areas particularly to be assessed for students with autism spectrum disorders are communication skills, social interactions, and repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior. , The Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised are appropriate methods of assessment. Assessments and monitor progressing in language development and in social/adaptive behavior.

“Never underestimate a child with autism. It’s their differences that make them unique and beautiful.” Autism can be defined as a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits is social interaction and communication, by an extremely limited range of activities and interests, and often by the presence of repetitive, stereotyped behaviors. Children that are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have increased at a rapid rate in the last decade. Some of the reasons it is becoming more prevalent in society is due to improved diagnoses, broader array of conditions falling within the range of autism, and increased rates of autism in the general population. As a result the number of autistic children in the general classrooms has increased leaving teachers to create strategies that work within their own classrooms to accommodate every student. Teachers are required to prepare students for the classroom with intervention techniques, make specific changes in their classroom based on the students in their class, utilize collaboration among professionals, create supportive interactions among peers, and create a classroom that support student/teacher differences.

     Autism is a developmental disability that affects all areas of behavior and perception. Approximately 10 out of every 10,000 children are diagnosed with autism and four out of five are males. Autism is the third most common developmental disability, more common than Down Syndrome. Children with Autism are characterized by impairment in several areas of development such as: Cognitive, Language, Play/Socialization skills and exhibit many challenging behaviors. Behavior Patterns of Autism:

There has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism or other autism spectrum disorders. It is likely as an educator that you will have at least one child with this diagnosis in your classroom. This paper explores some of the methods used to teach autistic children.