Autism Spectrum Disorders

WHAT IS AUTISM?

Autism is a developmental disorder that begins within the first two years of life and affects how the child sees and senses the world and relates to others.

Attention and approval are generally unimportant to an autistic child in typical ways for these children are relatively, but not absolutely, disinterested in relationships.

Autism occurs within a spectrum of disorders known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). Symptoms include:

• Impairments in social interaction
  
  
• Lack of eye contact
  
  
• Failure to develop peer relationships
  
  
• Lack of sharing enjoyment or interest
  
  
• Absence of social and emotional connection
  
  
• Delay or lack of spoken language, which may include repetitive use of language or difficulty initiating or sustaining conversation
  
  
• Repetitive, stereotypical patterns of behavior with preoccupations that appear abnormal.
  
  
• An inflexible need for routines or rituals
  
  

Other conditions in the spectrum of Pervasive Developmental Disorder include Asperger’s Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Rett Syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

Children suspected of being autistic or evidencing symptoms of Pervasive Developmental Disorder should be seen for a full Neuro- psychoeducational evaluation.

Margaret J. Kay, Ed.D., has been evaluating and serving the needs of autistic children for over 28 years.

Articles on this Site

On-Line Resources

• AUTISM at Geocities
  
  
• Autism Links
  
  
• Autism Resources
  
  
• The Voice of Autism
  
  
• Autism PDD Resources Network
  
  
• Autism Society of America
  
  
• Autism Speaks: Cure Autism Now
  
  
• NLD on the Web
   
• Autism Link
   
• Talk Autism
   
• School Psychology Resources On-Line
  
  
• T. E. A. C. C. H.
  
  
• Yale Autism Research Projects
   

• Teaching Activities for Autistic Children:  Individualized Assessment and Treatment for Autistic and Developmentally Disabled Children by Eric Schopler (1983)
  
   
• Teaching Children with Autism:  Strategies for Initiating Positive Interactions and Improving Learning Opportunities by Robert Koegel & Lynn Koegel (1995)
  
  
• Coplan, J. (2000). Counseling parents regarding prognosis in autistic spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, vol. 105 (No. 5), p. 65.
   
• Parent Survival Manual:  A Guide to Crisis Resolution in Autism and Related Developmental Disorders by Eric Schopler (Editor) (July 1995)
   
• Autism:  For Parents & Professionals (Harrington)
  
  
• The Source for Autism (Gail Richard)
  
  
• McGinnis, E. & Goldstein, A. P. (1997). Skillstreaming the Elementary School Child:  New Strategies and Perspectives for Teaching Prosocial Skills.  Research Press.
  
  
• McGinnis, E. & Goldstein, A. P. (1997). Skillstreaming the Adolescent:  New Strategies and Perspectives for Teaching Prosocial Skills.  Research Press.

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Last modified: January 03, 2008