Quick Tip (Transitioning): Autism Files Children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have difficulty transitioning from one activity to another. When my son Michael was a toddler (before his diagnosis with autism at age 3) he would tantrum when I tried to finish one activity and move him to another. Example: One day […]
Hidden Curriculum: The Autism Files We live in a world full of unwritten social rules that most people just seem to intuitively understand, without direct instruction. We generally know what behaviour is expected of us in different situations and we have a good idea of the consequences of violating these social rules and behavioural expectations. […]
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often insist on repeating certain behaviours. They may for example spin around in circles, rock back and forward, hand flap, flick fingers, rub certain textures, pick at the skin, twist and pull on their hair, and repeat songs, and segments from television and movies. These behaviours are known as […]
An Iceberg: The Autism Files My son Michael has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and would be described as high functioning. Some people ask ‘what is high functioning – does that mean he’s super intelligent?’ No, this is not what it means and I think ‘higher functioning autism’ is a better descriptor. Autism is on a […]
_ _ The sensory world is perceived differently by people who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). People with ASD can be insensitive to sensory information (don’t feel enough) or are oversensitive to sensory information (feel too much). One sense can be highly tuned while another is muted. Sometimes they find it hard to turn off […]
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with eye contact. They don’t like looking directly into eyes or maintaining eye contact in order to share experiences with others. Looking into a face, and particularly the eyes, gives us information about what people are thinking and feeling. We are reading and interpreting facial expressions. Individuals […]
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) like things to stay the same. And don’t I know it! Michael’s diagnosis of Autism arrived shortly after his third birthday, but the signs were there shortly after birth. These included maniacal screaming fits at all times of the day and night, the obsessive systematic sorting of shoes and books (recorded […]
Children with autism have a lot of problems with communication. Some children with autism can’t speak at all. When my son Michael attended the AEIOU* many of the children could not speak. Some children will grow up and never speak a word their whole lives. They may learn how to communicate their needs with sign […]
One of the most fascinating things about children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is their obsessions or special interests. My son Michael has had numerous obsessions and preoccupations with objects since he was a toddler. It was these special interests that first alerted me to the possibility that he may have autism. […]
If you’ve ever tried learning a foreign language you will know that idioms or figures of speech can make life a bit difficult. People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often feel like they have arrived in a foreign land, where the language and unwritten rules are confusing and frustrating. They are usually literal or concrete […]
