High Functioning Autism Social Impairment Inability to interact

High Functioning Autism Social Impairment • Inability to interact with peers • Lack of understanding of social cues • Inappropriate social and emotional responses

Limited interests preoccupations • Hyper focused • Exclusive of others interest

Repetitive routines Rituals • Imposed on self • Imposed on others

Motor Clumsiness

Why do we need to look at people? • To see if we recognize them • Judge gender and age • Determine their mood

STATISTIC 65% of adolescents with AS have an affective or mood disorder… OCD, PTSD, depression, paranoia, anxiety…

Challenges are a function of AS • • • Empathetic difficulties Impaired conversation skills Atypical learning styles Sensory processing deficits Reduced social reasoning This predisposes them to : Stress Anxiety Emotional exhaustion Frustration

People with AS are unaware how others see them… Odd, weird, rude, foolish, goofy, strange… • Inability to identify and describe feelings • Can’t read emotions in others • Limited vocabulary to describe feelings

Executive Functioning (The ability to engage in goal-directed activity, along with the mental processes that make this possible) Typical characteristics associated with AS… • Disinhibited • Impulsive

I DON’T CARE !!! Why is it important to CARE ? ? ? I only want to talk about the things I like…

WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP Interpersonal Distance • • Too close/too far Floor tiles Arms length Hoola hoop

No Means No! • Don’t fall into the trap of an argument Define work areas • Help with organization skills • Use visual cues to assist in organization

continued… • Help students to recognize social problems and develop choices to deal with them • Each choice has a consequence • Break up work loads into manageable units • Remember to reinforce

Room consistency • Change creates anxiety • Anxiety creates emotional distress • Emotional distress creates behaviors Use a Tutor • Tutors help individuals without the interaction and difficulty of having mom and dad do it

Proximity • Just get closer to redirect • Don’t need words Task lists • A form of visual strategy • May require a more detailed description of how to complete the task Timeline • Assists in executive functions

Academic issues identify the issues • • • Exam taking Initiating work Motivation Attention Reading comprehension Cognitive processing

Four major behaviors that can develop if we don’t help in supporting these individuals • • Inappropriate behaviors Creepiness Dangerous Criminal

60% - 80% IS NOT WHAT YOU SAY TO THESE INDIVIDUALS ITS HOW YOU SAY IT !