Bullying and the Autism Spectrum A Presentation by: Eric Weingart and Boy Scout Troop 261

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What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ASD is a general term for a group of complex differences in brain development Characterized by a wide spectrum of issues with social interaction, communication and sensory processing.

ASD Some of the types of ASD include Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS) Under the DSM-5 (the guidelines for diagnosis of psychological and psychiatric disorders), these forms of Autism will be generalized as subtypes of ASD.DSM-5 Obvious signs show between 2 and 3 years of age. 1 in 88 American children are diagnosed with Autism 1 in 54 boys are diagnosed and 1 in 252 girls are diagnosed.

Types of Bullying Different types of bullying include verbal, social, physical and Cyberbullying. Verbal Bullying involves things like name calling and teasing. Social Bullying involves spreading rumors or purposefully excluding others from activities. Physical Bullying involves punching,kicking and other acts with the general purpose of inflicting physical harm. Cyberbullying involves using the internet, texting or any other method of digital communication to hurt others.

ASD and Bullying It has been suggested that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are especially vulnerable to bullying. The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) is now sharing initial results of a national survey on the bullying experiences of children on the autism spectrum. The findings show that children with ASD are bullied at a very high rate, and are also often intentionally “triggered” into meltdowns or aggressive outbursts by ill-intentioned peers. The study found that a total of 63% of 1,167 children with ASD, ages 6 to 15, had been bullied at some point in their lives. The IAN Study Michael John Carley's Statement

How Victims are Affected Victims of bullying show signs such as: Coming home with unexplained injuries Not wanting to go to school Less friends Taking about suicide Feeling helpless Trouble sleeping Change in eating habits Feels inferior and blames themselves for everything

The Experiences of victims 3 people were interviewed at a support group meeting about their bullying experiences. One of the interviewees dealt with verbal and physical abuse. This is what he had to say (Warning: this clip contains profanity) :

The mind of a bully The facts on bullying provide information on what types of signs to look for in children who might be bullying others: Becomes frequently violent Has trouble controlling anger Is manipulative and controlling of others and situations Is quick to blame others Does not accept responsibility for their actions Needs to win or be the best at everything Understanding these warning signs can help parents prevent their children from becoming bullies.

The Dignity for All Act The New York State Legislature found that students’ ability to learn and meet high academic standards are negatively affected by discrimination and harassment and have declared the policy of the state to provide all students in public schools with an environment free of these impacts. – School property is in or within any building or structure. – School function is school-sponsored extra curricular activities. – Harassment is the creation of a hostile environment based on race, weight, ethnic group, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender. More info is available at:

AHA and GRASP AHA (Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Association) is an organization with the intention of raising awareness for Autism; attain appropriate programs for such things as education, social training, recreational opportunities, fair employment and living accommodations. GRASP (Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership) is a partner organization to AHA that runs a support group for people with Asperger’s, their mission statement is similar to AHA.

Looking Beyond Resources: Autism Speaks AHA's Website GRASP's website Interactive Autism Network mychildsafety.net stopbullying.gov Videos: Teens with Autsim Bullied More Teens with Autsim Bullied More Survey: bullies effects on autistic kids Survey: bullies effects on autistic kids Related Article: Stop Cyber Bullying