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Summary Characteristics of ASD

Disclaimer on Characteristics: “If you’ve seen one child with autism, you’ve seen one child with autism.”  Not every child with ASD will exhibit the characteristics listed.

EDUU - 575 Video Journal #1

Social Characteristics Journal

EDUU - 575 Video Journal #2

Behavior Characteristics Journal

EDUU - 575 Video Journal #3

Cognitive & Neurological Characteristics

Sensory processing disorder (hypersensitivities or hyposensitivities); Elevated internalizing problems (anxiety, social withdrawal, physical complaints); Elevated externalizing problems (aggression, defiance, rule-breaking) - See Reference #1

Behavioral & Sensory Characteristics

​Motor Stereotyped Behaviors (spinning, hand-  clapping, teeth grinding); Self-Injurious Stereotyped Behaviors (head banging, self-biting, hitting their body); Vocal Stereotyped Behaviors (yelling, screaming, squealing); Repetitive Behaviors with Objects (wiggle, bounce or balance objects; play with parts of objects only) - See Reference #2

Communication & Language Characteristics

​Echolalia, reversal of pronouns, speech too formal, verbose in grammar and vocabulary; Difficulty understanding metaphorical language;   Atypical speech prosody (i.e., rate, pitch or intonation, stress, pauses, intensity, and duration); Approximately 30-40% of all persons with ASD remain nonverbal or minimally verbal for life;  15% of children with ASD nonverbal, 10% minimally verbal, 75% verbal - See References #3 and #4

Social Characteristics

​Ignoring the attempts of others to communicate; Only interacting with others to get something;   Not making eye contact; Unsuccessful attempts to interact with others; Sensitivities and behaviors which impede social interactions; Obsessive interests - See Reference #5

References

1. Levinson, S., Neuspiel, J., Eisenhower, A., & Blacher, J. (2021). Parent–teacher disagreement on ratings of behavior problems in children with ASD: Associations with parental school involvement over time. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(6), 1966-1982. doi:10.1007/s10803-020-04675-1
​2. De Vaan, G., Vervloed, M. P., Knoors, H., & Verhoeven, L. (2020). Profiles of stereotyped behaviour in people with combined sensory impairments and intellectual disabilities. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 38(2), 168-183. doi:10.1177/0264619619890901
3. Chavers, T. N., Morris, M., Schlosser, R. W., & Koul, R. (2021). Effects of a systematic augmentative and alternative communication intervention using a speech-generating device on multistep requesting and generic small talk for children with severe autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 30(6), 2476-2491. doi:10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00353
4. Maemonah, S., Hamidah, Notobroto, H. B., Sulystiono, D., & Widarti, L. (2021). Factors affecting the ability to speak in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Public Health Research, 10(2). doi:10.4081/jphr.2021.2236
5. Vanderbilt University, The Iris Center. (2022). Autism Spectrum Disorder (Part 1): An Overview for Educators. Retrieved July 23, 2022, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/asd1/#conte