Answers to the quiz Characteristics of Special Needs and Disabilities Hand out 2

Autism  Marked impairment in reciprocal social interaction or play  Particular interests to the exclusion of all others  Highly repetitive behaviour  Severe tantrums  Unusual memory  Lining things up  Insistence on routines  Anomalous language development (pedantic or staccato)  Poor non-verbal communication  Preference for adult company  Bossy and controlling

Dyslexia  Persistent difficulties with spelling - erratic  Difficulties putting ideas down onto paper  Difficulty with writing  Difficulty copying text  Difficulty reading – often missing out lines  Difficulty with proof-reading text  Difficulty with note-taking  Can be distracted  May be disorganised/time management difficulties  May have low self-esteem/confidence

Dyspraxia  Clumsy, accident prone and messy.  Difficulty mastering a new skill  Motor skills – carried out with stiff, awkward movements rather then smooth fluent ones  Particular difficulty carrying out co-ordinated actions smoothly  Particular difficulty carrying out sequenced actions smoothly  Particular difficulty carrying out actions to a timed sequence  Difficulty integrating learnt motor skills with other skills and  generalising skills  Poor posture

Epilepsy  Brief staring spells (5 – 10 seconds) no response when approached  Periods of confusion  Episodes of rapid blinking or eyes rolling upwards  Inappropriate movement of mouth/face/blank expression  Aimless, dazed behaviour, walking or repetitive movements  Involuntary jerking of arm or leg.  Short term memory problems  Cognitive functioning difficulties

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder  Excessive oppositionality  Disruptive behaviour disorders  Anxiety or depression  Obsessions  Developmental co-ordination difficulties  Auditory processing difficulties  Speech and language problems  Poor self esteem  Poor social skills  Excessive dogmatism  Time management and organisational problems