What is ASD? Autism is a developmental disorder that affects how an individual perceives the world. It is associated with profound problems of speech, behaviour and social relationships. High-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS)

HFA ? or AS ? Social skillsSeverely delayed Restricted interestsThing-based (trains)Fact-based (train schedules) LanguageDelayed speech; few words; regression; echolalia Advanced vocab; speak early; odd speech; literal; poor pragmatics IQ scores (>70)Nonverbal skills > verbal skills Verbal skills > nonverbal skills Motor abilitiesOften typical in early lifeClumsy; poor coordination Gender ratio4 males to 1 female10-15 males to 1 female GeneticsHighly heritableEven highly heritable PrognosisBetter than in children with both autism & Intellectual disability Educational outcomes better than those with HFA

Characteristics Stereotyped behaviours –Obsessed about a certain topic or object –Repetitive actions or movements –Fixate on parts of an object Communication deficits –No speech –Delayed speech –Echoalia Social interaction deficits –Little or no eye contact –Unemotional facial expressions –No interactive dialogue

Strengths Good attention to detail Deep narrow interests Islets of ability –Splinter skills (often memorize and have obsessive pre-occupations with trivia and obscure information) –Talented skills (more highly developed and specialized skill such as working out difficult calculations mentally) –Prodigious skills (rarest and remarkable – e.g. capability to play an entire concerto on the piano after listening it only once)

Some Useful Tips… Keeping predictability/ orderliness/ sameness Seating arrangement (e.g. front middle seat) Incorporate visual learning modes