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Information
Section: Conditions
Condition:
PDD
Article: Overview of
Autism
Source: Leslie E. Packer, PhD
(2002, revised 2009)
File Last Updated: February 2, 2009
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Page 1 of
1
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OVERVIEW
OF AUTISM
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Autism, or Autistic
Disorder, is usually recognized by the time a child
is 30 months old and is almost always recognized by
three years of age. The child's development is
atypical in the sense that: (1) there has been
language delay or regression in language skills
("regression" means that the child's speech was
developing normally, and then the child started
"losing ground" or losing the speech skills they
had), (2) the child doesn't cuddle or interact
normally with family or others and (3) the child
generally appears unresponsive or nonresponsive to
the environment. The precise diagnostic criteria
are contained in the DSM-IV
and in the European alternative, ICD-10
(both pages open in windows).
The autistic child
may engage in unusual or ritualistic behaviors like
rocking, hand waving, or an obsessive need to
maintain order. Many children with autism do not
speak at all, and those who do speak may speak in
rhyme, exhibit echolalia (repeating a person’s
words like an echo), refer to themselves as a "he"
or "she," or use otherwise atypical language.
Imagination is also impaired and many autistic
children will have abnormal responses to sensory
events, being either under- or
over-reactive.
Data collected in 2002 by the CDC from states participating in a monitoring network found that between 51% and 91% of children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) had documented
developmental concerns before the age of 3 years, but the median age range of earliest reported ASD diagnosis ranged from 4 years, 1 month (for Utah) to 5 years, 6 months (for Alabama). Thus, although concerns may show up early, diagnosis is often delayed.
Although autism is
about 3 to 5 times more common in boys, an early study indicated that girls with
the disorder tend to have more severe symptoms and
greater cognitive impairment.(Fombonne, 1998). In 2007, the CDC published data on this issue compiled from states participating in a multi-state monitoring program. Their results, depicted below, provide support for Fombonne's findings. In all three states where IQ data were available, females were more likely to have IQs
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WHERE ARE CHILDREN WITH AUTISM EDUCATED?
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In 2007, the CDC published an analysis based on data collected on 8 year-olds with autism from state programs participating in a network monitoring program. Their measures, collected in 2000 and 2002 from the participating states, included questions about whether diagnosed children were receiving special education services. The CDC reported that in 2000, between 70% (Maryland) and 97% (Arizona) of the 8-year-old children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) were receiving special education services. In 2002, between 61% (Maryland) and 97% (New Jersey) of the 8-year-old children with ASDs were receiving special education services.
According to the CDC, in 2005, about 223,942 children ages 3–21 were classified for special education services under the “Autism” classification of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Because not all children with ASD receive services under that classification, but do receive special education services under other classifications, it is impossible to get a precise estimate of how many students with ASD are receiving special education. For 2005, students classified under "autism" comprised 3% of all classified students in special education. In South Carolina, 79% percent of cases enrolled in the monitoring program in 2000 and 2002 were served in special education, with 36% of these under the "Autism"classification.
Autism represents a
significant predictor for referral to special
education, although whether the special education
program is provided in a mainstream school or a
segregated special education school may be more of
a function of what country you are in. In India, for example, about 46.8% of parents of children with ASDs preferred home-based instruction, while 25.8% of children with ASDs were enrolled in special schools and 19.4% were in inclusive schools (Narayan et al., 2005).
In the U.S., for the
1998 - 1999 school year, over one half of all
children classified under I.D.E.A.'s "autism"
classification spent more than 60% of their school
day outside of a regular
classroom:
Percent
of Autistic Students x Educational Placement, 1998
- 1999*
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Placement
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Percentage
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Regular
classroom (outside of regular classroom
for less than 21% of the day)
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20.3
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Resource
room (outside of regular classroom more
than 21% of the day but less than 60% of
the day)
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13.1
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Separate
class (outside of the regular classroom
for more than 60% of the day)
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51.1
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Public
separate school facility
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7.8
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Private
separate school facility
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5.7
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Public
residential facility
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.2
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Private
residential facility
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1.2
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Homebound/hospital
placement
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0.4
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In a more recent study, White, Scahill et al. (2007) looked at 101 high functioning autistic students who had an average IQ of 101.77 (+/- 19.50). They found that lower-cognitive ability and communication skills were associated with placement in special education. Most students stayed in the same placement (regular or special education) in which they began first grade and the majority of students received special services in their schools (most often speech/language intervention).
In the UK, a study in a single health district (Keen & Ward, 2004) on students
diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
compared placements in 1997 and
2001:
Educational Provision:
1997, 2001
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Placement
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Percentage
in 1997
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Percentage
in 2001
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Mainstream:
- with statement of special educational
needs
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54.2
87
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69.9
89
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Severe
learning difficulty:
- main school
- autistic unit
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3.1
15.6
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4.1
11.7
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Moderate
learning difficulty:
- main school
- autistic unit
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4.1
14.5
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6.1
6.1
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Language
unit, mainstream school
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--
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1.5
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Non-LEA
autistic school
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6.3
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1.5
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Specialist
residential placement
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1
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1
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Out of
school
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0
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.5
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EBD school
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--
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.5
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ARE OTHER CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH AUTISM?
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Individuals with
autism often have symptoms of various co-occurring
mental disorders, including Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),
psychoses, depressive
disorders,
obsessive-compulsive
disorder, and
other anxiety
disorders. About
one-third of children and adolescents with autism
develop seizures (Giovanardi, Posar, &
Parmeggiani, 2000).
As with other
conditions, autism is a spectrum disorder and the
severity of the symptoms and presence of other
conditions varies quite a bit. Some autistic
individuals are very bright and may do very well in
many domains but have significant social
impairment, while others may be profoundly retarded
and unable to live independently.
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MUST SEE!
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Autism
Every Day."
This 13-minute documentary is available for viewing
free online at AutismSpeaks.org and is a fabulous
resource for gaining awareness and empathy.
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NOTE
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SOURCE: U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, 2001 Annual Report to Congress
on the Implementation of The Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act. Table
53, reproduced on the
NCES site.
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Information
Section: Conditions
Condition:
PDD
Article: Overview of
Autism
Source: Leslie E. Packer, PhD
(2002, revised 2009)
File Last Updated: February 2, 2009
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Page 1 of
1
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Syndrome "Plus" © Copyright 1998 - 2006 Leslie
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This page last updated May 16, 2006.
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