Piece By Piece By Piece Piece

By: Carlie Chaney, Savannah GreenBy: Carlie Chaney, Savannah Green& Alice Walls& Alice Walls

One man is deaf; another is blindNo one alike in the race of mankindNot one should we judge, whether

they are wrong or they’re rightWhat’s going on may not be what

we thought at first sightLook here at this boy, what a sweet

little grin.He’ll push and he’ll pull and will

wear someone thinThen an angel shines through with

a hug and a smileKnowing Eric this way makes it all

worth the whileHe’s loving and sweet, kind, funny

and smart.Look past autism, and see a kid full

of heartWritten by: Lori Schiavone, Our Guardian Angel

• Autism is a disorder that causes impaired thinking, social functioning, and feeling.

• It appears during the first three years of life.

• It impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.

Autism Cont.Autism Cont.

•People with autism typically have difficulties in People with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.interactions, and leisure or play activities.•In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behaviors might be present.behaviors might be present.•There are no medical tests that can be used to There are no medical tests that can be used to diagnose autism.diagnose autism.

Autism Autism StatisticsStatistics

• 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

• Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls.

• Research shows that 50% of children diagnosed with autism will remain mute throughout their lives.

• Approximately 10% of autistic individuals have savant abilities(special abilities in some areas).

Symptoms of Children With Symptoms of Children With AutismAutism

•Children with Autism:•Avoid eye contact• Act as if deaf• They develop language, then abruptly stop talking.• Fail to use spoken language, without using gestures•When speaking, use visual language

Communications

Symptoms Cont.Symptoms Cont.

• Act as if unaware of the coming and going of Act as if unaware of the coming and going of othersothers

• Fail to seek comfortFail to seek comfort• Fail to develop relationships with peersFail to develop relationships with peers• Have problems seeing things from another Have problems seeing things from another

personperson’’s perspective, leaving the child unable to s perspective, leaving the child unable to predict or understand other peoplepredict or understand other people’’s actionss actions

Social Relationships

Symptoms Cont.Symptoms Cont.

• Remain fixated on a single item or activityRemain fixated on a single item or activity• Show no sensitivity to burns or bruisesShow no sensitivity to burns or bruises• Is intensely preoccupied with a single subject, Is intensely preoccupied with a single subject,

activity or gestureactivity or gesture• Show distress over changeShow distress over change• Insist on routine or rituals with no purposeInsist on routine or rituals with no purpose• Lack fearLack fear

Exploration of Environment Exploration of Environment

What Causes Autism?What Causes Autism?

• A specific cause is not known, but current research links autism to biological and neurological differences in the brain.

• By examining the inheritance of the disorder, researchers have shown that autism does run in families, but not in a clear-cut way.

• Siblings of people with autism have a 3 to 8 percent chance of being diagnosed with the same disorder.

Teaching Tips for Children with Teaching Tips for Children with AutismAutism

•Use visuals•Avoid long strings of verbal instruction•Use child’s fixations to motivate school work•Protect child from sounds that hurt his/her ears•Teach with tactile learning materials (e.g., sandpaper alphabet)•Use printed words and pictures on a flashcard

Parenting Parenting •Seek assistance of other parents•Take it one day at a time•Get involved with a support group•Seek information•Maintain a positive outlook •Keep daily routines as normal as possible

Respect peoples’ differences. Never

make fun of a person for being different or

doing different things. They could have a

condition you aren’t aware of!

Sources: Sources: •http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1592&bih=832&q=autism+awareness+banner&oq=autism+awareness+banner&gs_l=img.•http://autism.emedtv.com/autism/autsim-information.html•http://www.act-today.org/autism-facts/•http://autismsupportnetwork.com/resources