Setting Rules And Boundaries For Autistic Children

1) explain why it is important to recognise that each individual on the autistic spectrum has their own individual abilities, needs, strengths, preferences and interests

Autism spectrum condition affects a range of different individuals and is a spectrum condition and affects people in a number of different ways. It is important when supporting an individual with autism to identify and recognise each individuals’ abilities – what they can do successfully, needs – what the individual needs support with, strengths and gifts – what the individual is good at, what they have a real talent in, and interests – what is motivating for the person.

Many treatment approaches have developed different ways of dealing with the challenges of autism. First, there is the theory of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which consists of giving a child a specific task, which teaches skills from basic ones to more complex ones, such as social interaction. Children taking this approach, work 30-40 hours a week with a trained professional. (West 66) It may be emotionally difficult for the child, and his/her parents to dedicate so much time, yet it is worth it. However, it has been proven that ABA methods have shown consistent results in teaching new skills and behaviors to children with autism. (West 68)

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 is a brain disorder that is characterized by slow and difficult comprehension of spoken and non-verbal communication and repetition of behaviors. Autism is normally noticed in the first two years of a child (Myers & Johnson, 2007). Asperger syndrome is an autistic disorder that has almost the same similarities with autism. People with Asperger syndrome have little comprehension of the world and its surroundings and poor communication with other people. People with Asperger syndrome are hard to recognize, as they do not show on their outward appearances. They are average or above average intellectually and have fewer problems in terms of speech and specific learning disabilities unlike in autism. These difficulties include dyslexia, epilepsy, and attention

The purpose of social mainstreaming is so that children are better able to observe and learn how other children react and behave correctly in social situations. Autistic children often learn through imitation, or learning how to “copy” the behavior of someone else. Studies have shown that a structured routine is very helpful because it supports the need to be constantly aware of what everyone else is doing and begin doing it as well. If there is too much unpredictable change, most autistic children have the tendency to become more withdrawn socially. The most obvious reasoning for this is because they must work harder to imitate the behavior of the others around them. One helpful way to help children cope with change or transition is through the use of verbal or physical representations of the process of change (Davis 57). This not only demolishes the excuse for autistic children to remain in inclusion classrooms, but it also provides a very real suggestion in order to deal with the social and structural changes within a classroom. With a view of correct behavior within a regular classroom with regular learners, an autistic child is better able to grasp his or her personal behavioral patterns, and react or “imitate” appropriately in certain

Children with autism usually play alone. Often they engage in repetitious activities, such as arranging objects in meaningless patterns, flipping a light switch on and off, or staring at rotating objects. Some engage in repetitious body movements, such as spinning, flapping their arms, swaying, rocking, snapping their fingers, and clapping or flapping their hands. In some cases these movements may be harmful, involving repeated biting of their wrists or banging their head. Children with autism frequently become upset at minor changes in their surroundings and daily routines.

Autistic children may become aggressive when pulled away from their routine behaviors (i.e. rocking back and forth). However, being pulled away from their routine behaviors will help autistic children become more flexible and comfortable with their environment. Additionally, autistic children should be encouraged to engage in conversation. Autistic children need to be taught the meaning of various facial expressions and how to make eye contact when speaking to someone (Akshoomoff, Carper, Townsend, Courchesne 2004). Parents and early childhood teachers must find ways to help autistic children with learning new behaviors so they are able to cope in their environment.

Raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be an unexpected and overwhelming experience for parents and families. ASD is a developmental disability that can cause significant delays in communication, social and behavioral challenges (CDC, 2016). With the growing prevalence of ASD comes the increasing need for health, education and social services. As previously mentioned, it is estimated that 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with ASD (CDC, 2016). Additionally, children with ASD can obtain significant challenging behaviors that can include tantrums, aggression, self-injurious behavior, noncompliance, property destruction and hyperactivity (Bearss et. al, 2013). Compared to parents of typically developing children, parents of children with ASD report a greater sense of helplessness along with avoiding conflict when dealing with challenges of parenting. To decrease noncompliance and unwanted behaviors along with increasing independence, parents of children with ASD may need specific instruction in behavioral interventions and procedures (Bearss et. al, 2013). This being said, young children with ASD can benefit immensely from early intervention. Early intervention can be defined as the experiences and opportunities utilized by primary caregivers of infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities that use behavioral concepts to shape and influence social interaction with people and objects (Odom, Horner, Snell & Blacher, 2007). The purpose

Most kids today are diagnosed with autism at a very young age, usually in their preschool and toddler years. This is the time of the “terrible twos”. These kids are not only new to walking and running and jumping and exploring, but they are also the most curious little people. This turns into a potential disaster at every corner, with hot plates to pull down with clumsy fingers and grandma’s medicine to snack on.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. Accordingly, ASD has a substantial role in special education which requires educators to gain additional knowledge and training in order to meet those needs of students in their classrooms who are dealing with ASD. Educators in the field must be aware of the historical, legal, and ethical or unethical practices of Autism in order to gain a better understanding of the disorder and the mental and physical impact it has on their students.

Autism is a lifelong brain disorder that affects the development of the brain and makes it harder for a person to communicate and interact with others. Different parts in the brain fail to work together. Repetitive behaviors are manifested in autistic persons. Since Autism is a spectrum disorder, their condition will affect them in different ways. One child can have mild autism and another child can have severe autism. Since people with autism have a harder time trying to talk and interact with other people, they will have a harder time trying to establish a friendship. Many children with autism, have unusual behaviors or repetitive movements. Some repetitive behaviors include: Twirling, opening and closing doors, switching lights on and off, and walking in circles. Children with autism may become fixated on a particular object. Sometimes, so fixated that they ignore everything that’s around them. It is very important the parents of an autistic child have patience and

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a condition that manifests in children through impaired language, speech, impaired social skills and abnormal patterns in individual interest and behavior and activities (Gavalas, Christina, Toron, & Marjorie, n.d., p. 32). Children with ASD in most cases involve in unusual behaviors such as rocking, flapping of arms and maneuvering of objects. Such children engage in harmful and injurious personal behaviors ranging from medium to severe. Sometimes such children are always aggressive and move around aimlessly in an attempt to balance sensory inputs in the body (Leew, Stein, & Gibbard, 2010, p. 36).

This helps to eliminate some of the stereotypical behaviors of autism, such as isolation repetitive movements, and other types of inappropriate play). Parents, teachers, and others help to guide the child towards more appropriate types of play with a small amount of prompting and modeling, mostly letting the child lead the way in play as they build off of the child’s play (Boutot & Myles, 2011). The use of contingent imitations by the parent, as well as letting the play be within the child’s area of interest are critical to the success of the program (Arbesman & Case-Smith,

Given the many social skills training methods that have been evaluated, practitioners have several considerations when formulating intervention. Although many children with autism attend public schools, attempting to improve social skills simply by increasing their proximity to peers who do not have a developmental disability may be insufficient. Instead, skill acquisition often requires adult delivered intervention that prompts and reinforces desirable social interactions. However, most training research has concentrated on the social responses of children with autism and not their social initiations. This makes initiations toward peers critical because it ensures that children with autism have skills in orchestrating interactions, and not