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Autism Spectrum Disorders and Schools

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Autism Spectrum Disorders and Schools Technical Aid Packet Autism Spectrum Disorders and Schools (Updated 2016) *The Center is co-directed by Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor and operates under the auspice of the School Mental Health Project, Dept. of Psychology, UCLA, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 (310) 825-3634 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu . Permission to reproduce this document is granted. Please cite source as the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA Preface This Technical Assistance packet is designed to provide those working in schools with a brief set of resources for understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders and what is done to treat them – with a special emphasis on the role of the school. There is a particular interest in this topic at this time because of the increasing number of youngsters being labeled, revived speculation about cause, and ongoing controversy about best practices and what the mental health focus should be. One major concern has been the implications for special education. With increased diagnoses comes enhanced competition for sparse resources and concerns about the ability of schools to be in compliance with special education mandates. This packet provides introductory information, highlights controversies and concerns, and outlines best practices and available resources. I. Introductory Perspectives 1 A. 10 things to know about new autism data 1 B. Increasing prevalence of autism is due, in part, to changing diagnoses 3 C. Autism spectrum disorder defined 4 D. New data on autism: Five important facts to know 6 E. What really causes autism 9 F. Learn the signs and ask for help if you’re concerned 10 G. Screening and diagnosis 12 >Screening and diagnosis for healthcare providers 14 >DSM-5 diagnostic criteria 18 II. Treatment 20 A. About treatment options 21 B. If autism is suspected, what’s next? 22 C. Words of support for parents of a child with autism 24 D. Types of treatment 25 III. The School’s Role 31 A. Teaching students with autism - Guide for educators 32 B. What supports can general education provide for the 33 organizational difficulties of students with ASD? C. Inclusion strategies 35 >Inclusion strategies for students with autism spectrum disorders 35 35 >Strategies to promote successful inclusion experiences 42 IV. Additional Resources A. Web resources 47 B. Agencies 48 C. Our center’s quick find 50 D. Additional references 51 Afterword What are Parents told about Autism on the Internet? 53 I. Introductory Perspectives A. 10 Things to Know About New Autism Data http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsautismdata/ 1 in 68 children were identified with autism spectrum disorder. Read more about CDC’s new data on autism spectrum disorder and learn what you can do to help. New Data on Autism Spectrum Disorder New data (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6302a1.htm?s_cid=ss6302a1_w) from CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network (http://www.cdc.gov/addm) show that the estimated number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, and the picture of ASD in communities has changed. These new data can be used to promote early identification, plan for training and service needs, guide research, and inform policy so that children with ASD and their families get the help they need. CDC will continue tracking the changing number and characteristics of children with ASD, researching what puts children at risk for ASD, and promoting early identification, the most powerful tool we have now for making a difference in the lives of children. Learn the 10 things you need to know about CDC's latest ADDM Network report. You can also read the full report here (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6302a1.htm?s_cid=ss6302a1_w). 10 Things You Need To Know About CDC's Latest Report from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network The following estimates are based on information collected from the health and special education (if available*) records of children who were 8 years old and lived in areas of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin in 2010: 1 1. About 1 in 68 children (or 14.7 per 1,000 8 year olds) were identified with ASD. It is important to remember that this estimate is based on 8-year-old children living in 11 communities. It does not represent the entire population of children in the United States. 2. This new estimate is roughly 30% higher than the estimate for 2008 (1 in 88), roughly 60% higher than the estimate for 2006 (1 in 110), and roughly 120% higher than the estimates for 2002 and 2000 (1 in 150). We don't know what is causing this increase. Some of it may be due to the way children are identified, diagnosed, and served in their local communities, but exactly how much is unknown. 3. The number of children identified with ASD varied widely by community, from 1 in 175 children in areas of Alabama to 1 in 45 children in areas of New Jersey. 4. Almost half (46%) of children identified with ASD had average or above average intellectual ability (IQ greater than 85). 5. Boys were almost 5 times more likely to be identified with ASD than girls. About 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls were identified with ASD. 6. White children were more likely to be identified with ASD than black or Hispanic children. About 1 in 63 white children, 1 in 81 black children, and 1 in 93 Hispanic children were identified with ASD. 7. Less than half (44%) of children identified with ASD were evaluated for developmental concerns by the time they were 3 years old. 8. Most children identified with ASD were not diagnosed until after age 4, even though children can be diagnosed as early as age 2. 9. Black and Hispanic children identified with ASD were more likely than white children to have intellectual disability. A previous study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23582871) has shown that children identified with ASD and intellectual disability have a greater number of ASD symptoms and a younger age at first diagnosis. Despite the greater burden of co-occurring intellectual disability among black and Hispanic children with ASD, these new data show that there was no difference among racial and ethnic groups in the age at which children were first diagnosed. 10. About 80% of children identified with ASD either received special education services for autism at school or had an ASD diagnosis from a clinician. This means that the remaining 20% of children identified with ASD had symptoms of ASD documented in their records, but had not yet been classified as having ASD by a community professional in a school or clinic. 2 I. Introductory Perspectives B. Increasing prevalence of autism is due, in part, to changing diagnoses http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2015-news/Girirajan7-2015 22 July 2015 Go to URL and click on the image for a high-resolution version. This graph shows the number of students (per 10,000) diagnosed with autism (blue) and intellectual disability (red) in special-education programs in the United States from 2000 to 2010. The increase in autism diagnoses during this period was offset by decreases in the diagnosis of intellectual disability, suggesting that shifting patterns of diagnosis may be responsible for increases in autism diagnosis. Credit: Penn State University The greater than three-fold increase in autism diagnoses among students in special education programs in the United States between 2000 and 2010 may be due in large part to the reclassification of individuals who previously would have been diagnosed with other intellectual disability disorders, according to new research. In a paper to be published online in the American Journal of Medical Genetics on July 22, 2015, scientists at Penn State University report their analysis of 11 years of special-education enrollment data on an average of 6.2 million children per year. The researchers found no overall increase in the number of students enrolled in special education. They also found that the increase in students diagnosed with autism was offset by a nearly equal decrease in students diagnosed with other intellectual disabilities that often co-occur with autism. The researchers conclude that the large increase in the prevalence of autism is likely the result of shifting patterns of diagnosis that are complicated by the variability of autism and its overlap with other related disorders. 3 I. Introductory Perspectives The National Institute of Mental Health: C. Autism Spectrum Disorder Defined www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a group of developmental disorders. ASD includes a wide range, “a spectrum,” of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability. People with ASD often have these characteristics: Ongoing social problems that include difficulty communicating and interacting with others Repetitive behaviors as well as limited interests or activities Symptoms that typically are recognized in the first two years of life Symptoms that hurt the individual’s ability to function socially, at school or work, or other areas of life Some people are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. Treatments and services can improve a person’s symptoms and ability to function. Families with concerns should talk to their pediatrician about what they’ve observed and the possibility of ASD screening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) around 1 in 68 children has been identified with some form of ASD. What is the difference between Asperger’s syndrome and ASD? In the past, Asperger’s syndrome and Autistic Disorder were separate disorders.
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