Autism Download
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is amongst the most prevalent of all neurodevelopmental disorders affecting at least 1 in 100 Australian children.There has been a 25-fold increase in the number of diagnoses in the past 30 years and there are now more children with ASD than the combined number of children with cerebral palsy, diabetes, deafness, blindness and leukaemia.
An autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to others. Each person with ASD is affected differently but shares impairments in the following areas described in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM V).
'Autism a Guide for Teachers' is a one page overview of the difficulties experienced by people on the autism spectrum. Click on the blue button opposite to download the guide for Teachers. |
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Educational Impacts & Cognitive Features associated with Autism
Theory of mind, weak central coherence and executive functioning difficulties are underlying cognitive features associated with Autism. These cognitive features effect the way students process the environment;
- Impairments recognizing the mental states of others (theory of mind) can result in difficulty understanding social interactions, relating to their peers and knowing what to do to fitting in.
- Hyper focus on the details of a lesson, piece of work or social situation (weak central coherence) can result in difficulty understanding the big picture and coping when things change.
- Problems organising and coordinating multiple tasks (poor executive functioning) can lead to difficulty coping with the workload, prioritising and displaying flexibility in problem solving.