SLK 310 Chapter 6
Erin Polyblank
CHAPT 6- AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)
Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A complex
neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by abnormalities in social
communication and unusual behaviours and interests.
ASD impacts every aspect of the child interaction with their world, involves
many parts of the brain, and undermines the traits that make one human
(Social responsiveness, communication and feelings towards others).
DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY
ASD is a DSM-5 disorder characterized by significant and persistent deficits in
social interaction and communication skills and by restricted and repetitive
patterns of interests and behaviours.
Children vary widely in the form, pervasiveness, and severity of their
symptoms, abilities, associated conditions, and needed supports.
In 1943, Dr. Leo Kanner described 11 children as displaying more attention to
objects than to people, avoided eye contact, lacked social awareness, had
limited or no language, and displayed stereotyped motor activities.
o They also exhibited Preservation of sameness.
o Preservation of sameness: An anxious and obsessive insistence on the
maintenance of sameness in daily routines and activities, which no one
but the child may disrupt.
Dr. Hans Asperger described a milder form of this disorder that became
known as Asperger's disorder.
Kanner used the term early infantile autism to describe these children.
o He described the parents of the children he observed as highly intelligent
and obsessive people who were cold, mechanical, and detached in their
relationships-called the "refrigerator parent".
Autism is now recognized as a strongly biologically based lifelong
neurodevelopmental disorder that is present in the first few years of life.
Children with ASD behave in unusual and frequently puzzling ways.
1
, SLK 310 Chapter 6
Erin Polyblank
o They may squeal with excitement at small things yet ignore or have a full-
blown tantrum if someone attempts to play with them.
o When you speak to a child with ASD, she may act as if she is deaf, but
then quickly turn in the direction of the faint crinkling sound of a candy
wrapper in another room.
o Some children with ASD display extreme fear or avoidance of noisy or
moving objects.
Although children with ASD fear many things, they are also attracted to and
preoccupied with other objects and activities.
o These children often develop unusual attachments or reactions to odd
objects, such as a rubber band, a piece of sandpaper, or a string.
Other children with ASD may have extraordinary perceptual abilities.
o These abilities may result in distress in response to minor changes in the
environment-shown.
Eg. Screaming, kicking, and lashing out at others if a chair is moved
from its usual location.
Children with ASD are much more likely to fixate on a minuscule object or
event in their world, such as a tiny spot on their shirt.
Section summary
ASD is a DSM-5 disorder characterized by significant and persistent deficits in social
communication and interaction skills and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviours,
interests, or activities.
Historically, autism and childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) were lumped together as a
single condition; now recognized as separate disorders, recent research suggests that
there may be more overlap of the two disorders than was previously thought.
ASD has increasingly come to be recognized as a biologically based lifelong
neurodevelopmental disorder that is present in the first few years of life.
Children with ASD behave in unusual and frequently puzzling ways.
They may spend hours engaging in stereotyped or repetitive motor activities or focus on
minuscule details of their world rather than their entire environment.
2
, SLK 310 Chapter 6
Erin Polyblank
DSM-5: DEFINING FEATURES OF ASD
ASD are represented by two symptom domains:
1. Social communication and interaction.
DSM-5 lists three symptom types in this category, with all three required
for an ASD diagnosis:
Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity.
Deficits in nonverbal communication behaviours used for social
interaction.
Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding
relationships.
2. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or
activities.
Four types of symptoms are specified in this category, with at least two
types required for an ASD diagnosis:
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or
speech.
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or
ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviour.
Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity
or focus.
Hyperreactivity or hyperreactivity to sensory input or unusual
interest in sensory aspects of the environment .
To receive a diagnosis of ASD the child must display symptoms in both domains.
o The symptoms must also be persistent, occur in multiple settings, and be
present early in development.
Those who display only deficits in social communication and interaction, but not
restricted and repetitive behaviours should be evaluated for Social (Pragmatic)
Communication Disorder.
All criteria must be met to diagnose ASD
3
Erin Polyblank
CHAPT 6- AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)
Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A complex
neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by abnormalities in social
communication and unusual behaviours and interests.
ASD impacts every aspect of the child interaction with their world, involves
many parts of the brain, and undermines the traits that make one human
(Social responsiveness, communication and feelings towards others).
DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY
ASD is a DSM-5 disorder characterized by significant and persistent deficits in
social interaction and communication skills and by restricted and repetitive
patterns of interests and behaviours.
Children vary widely in the form, pervasiveness, and severity of their
symptoms, abilities, associated conditions, and needed supports.
In 1943, Dr. Leo Kanner described 11 children as displaying more attention to
objects than to people, avoided eye contact, lacked social awareness, had
limited or no language, and displayed stereotyped motor activities.
o They also exhibited Preservation of sameness.
o Preservation of sameness: An anxious and obsessive insistence on the
maintenance of sameness in daily routines and activities, which no one
but the child may disrupt.
Dr. Hans Asperger described a milder form of this disorder that became
known as Asperger's disorder.
Kanner used the term early infantile autism to describe these children.
o He described the parents of the children he observed as highly intelligent
and obsessive people who were cold, mechanical, and detached in their
relationships-called the "refrigerator parent".
Autism is now recognized as a strongly biologically based lifelong
neurodevelopmental disorder that is present in the first few years of life.
Children with ASD behave in unusual and frequently puzzling ways.
1
, SLK 310 Chapter 6
Erin Polyblank
o They may squeal with excitement at small things yet ignore or have a full-
blown tantrum if someone attempts to play with them.
o When you speak to a child with ASD, she may act as if she is deaf, but
then quickly turn in the direction of the faint crinkling sound of a candy
wrapper in another room.
o Some children with ASD display extreme fear or avoidance of noisy or
moving objects.
Although children with ASD fear many things, they are also attracted to and
preoccupied with other objects and activities.
o These children often develop unusual attachments or reactions to odd
objects, such as a rubber band, a piece of sandpaper, or a string.
Other children with ASD may have extraordinary perceptual abilities.
o These abilities may result in distress in response to minor changes in the
environment-shown.
Eg. Screaming, kicking, and lashing out at others if a chair is moved
from its usual location.
Children with ASD are much more likely to fixate on a minuscule object or
event in their world, such as a tiny spot on their shirt.
Section summary
ASD is a DSM-5 disorder characterized by significant and persistent deficits in social
communication and interaction skills and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviours,
interests, or activities.
Historically, autism and childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) were lumped together as a
single condition; now recognized as separate disorders, recent research suggests that
there may be more overlap of the two disorders than was previously thought.
ASD has increasingly come to be recognized as a biologically based lifelong
neurodevelopmental disorder that is present in the first few years of life.
Children with ASD behave in unusual and frequently puzzling ways.
They may spend hours engaging in stereotyped or repetitive motor activities or focus on
minuscule details of their world rather than their entire environment.
2
, SLK 310 Chapter 6
Erin Polyblank
DSM-5: DEFINING FEATURES OF ASD
ASD are represented by two symptom domains:
1. Social communication and interaction.
DSM-5 lists three symptom types in this category, with all three required
for an ASD diagnosis:
Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity.
Deficits in nonverbal communication behaviours used for social
interaction.
Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding
relationships.
2. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or
activities.
Four types of symptoms are specified in this category, with at least two
types required for an ASD diagnosis:
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or
speech.
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or
ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviour.
Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity
or focus.
Hyperreactivity or hyperreactivity to sensory input or unusual
interest in sensory aspects of the environment .
To receive a diagnosis of ASD the child must display symptoms in both domains.
o The symptoms must also be persistent, occur in multiple settings, and be
present early in development.
Those who display only deficits in social communication and interaction, but not
restricted and repetitive behaviours should be evaluated for Social (Pragmatic)
Communication Disorder.
All criteria must be met to diagnose ASD
3
