1. The Basics of Autism
Spectrum Disorders
Training Series
RAAC Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Task Force

2. Adult Training Series Modules
 Module One: Autism Defined, Autism Prevalence
and Primary Characteristics
 Module Two: Physical Characteristics of Autism
 Module Three: Cognition and Learning in Autism
 Module Four: Autism and Sensory Differences
 Module Five: Communication and Autism

3. Adult Training Series Modules
 Module Six: Behavior Challenges and Autism
 Module Seven: Understanding Behavior in Persons
with Autism
 Module Eight: Functional Behavior Assessment
 Module Nine: Autism and Leisure Skills to Teach
 Module Ten: Special Issues of Adolescence and
Adulthood
 Module Eleven: Safety and Autism

4. Autism Spectrum Disorder Defined
An Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is
a brain-based or neurobiological
disorder of development.
ASD causes differences in the way the
brain processes
ASD affects understanding and use of
language to interact and communicate
with people.

5. Big Idea
ASD is a brain-based disorder
that results in differences in the
way individuals understand and
interact with their world.

6. Effects of ASD on Individuals
ASD affects:
• the way a person relates to people, events, and
objects in the environment.
• the way a person responds to sensory stimuli
such as pain, hearing, taste, smell, etc.
• the way a person learns and thinks.

7. Different Types of
ASD

9. Autistic Disorder
Biggest Challenges:
• Difficulties with social interaction.
• Difficulties with communication.
• Restricted interests and activities
that they like to do over and over
again.
• Repetitive behaviors, such as
rocking or arm flapping.

10. Autistic Disorder Continued
Other Characteristics:
• Usually behaviors can be seen by
three years of age.
• Some children develop regularly the
first years, then begin to lose their
learned skills.

11. Asperger Syndrome
Biggest Challenges:
• Difficulty with social interactions.
• Individuals appear to understand directions
even when they don’t. For example, we may
think they are being uncooperative.
• Individuals like to talk a lot about things that
really interest them.

12. Asperger Syndrome Continued
Other Characteristics:
Intelligence ranges from average to well
above average, so they may appear really
smart, but cannot do everyday things
independently.

13. PDD-NOS
(Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not
Otherwise Specified)
Diagnosis often made when a person
does not meet the criteria for a
specific diagnosis (i.e. Autism,
Asperger).
• There is generally an overall
impairment in communication, social
interactions, and individuals may have
restricted interests.

14. Who Gets ASD?
All races, nationalities and socioeconomic
groups
Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with
ASD
More common within families

15. Prevalence of ASD
Leukemia 1 in 25,000
Muscular Dystrophy 1 in 20,000
Pediatric Aids 1 in 8,000
Childhood Cancer 1 in 7,000
Polio (1952 peak rate) 1 in 4,000
Hearing Impairment 1 in 900
Visual Impairment 1 in 800
Down Syndrome 1 in 800
Juvenile Diabetes 1 in 500
Cerebral Palsy 1 in 400
Autism (per Centers for Disease Control (CDC) March 1 in 110
2011)

16. Why are more people diagnosed today?
Better rules for diagnosis
Asperger Syndrome added to ASD in 1994
Increased awareness of ASD
People believe there are more services for
an individual if the person has a diagnosis
of ASD.
Wrong diagnosis

17. There are no two persons with
autism exactly alike
“If you’ve met one person with
autism, you’ve met one person
with autism.”
Stephen Shore, Adult with Autism

18. Quick Facts about Autism
 Autism is the most common developmental disability,
affecting 1 in 110 births … most recent March 2011
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study.
 A decade ago the rate was thought to be 4-5 in 10,000.
 4 children with autism are born in the USA every hour …
35,000 per year.
 Autism is 4 times more common in boys than in girls.
 Autism is often under-diagnosed in children – typically
diagnosed by age 3-7.

19. Autism Facts Continued
 Autism is the fastest growing serious developmental
disability in the US, growing 10-17% per year.
 Cost of autism is estimated at $35-$90 billion –
90% of that is spent on adult services.
 Recent estimate (by Harvard) is that cost is
$3.2M/person over their lifetime.
 The costs are expected to more than double in the
next decade.
 For more information, see: www.autism-society.org
or www.autismspeaks.org.
“The greatest underserved disability group”