ASD characteristics

Question 1

What is ASD?

Answer 1

A lifelong developmental disorder that begins in childhood and impairs everyday functioning.

Question 2

What does it mean that ASD is a spectrum disorder?

Answer 2

Everyone shares the same core difficulties but is affected to different degrees.

Question 3

What are the two categories for diagnosing ASD?

Answer 3

• Social communication/interaction
• Repetitive behaviors/restricted interests

Question 4

what are the characteristics under social communication and interaction?

Answer 4

• social and emotional reciprocity
• non-verbal communication
• developing and maintaining relationships

Question 5

What is social-emotional reciprocity?

Answer 5

• The back-and-forth of communication and the ability to maintain flow in conversations ,struggles to convey others interests and emotions
• sometimes medium of response may be inappropriate (touching)

Question 6

What is non-verbal communication in ASD?

Answer 6

• rare facial expressions m=not used often or may not match the content of the conversation and use of other non-verbale cues may be used inappropriately
• difficulty understanding personal space (too close or turn their back to others)

Question 7

How do individuals with ASD struggle in developing and maintaining relationships?

Answer 7

• They find it hard to see the world from others’ perspectives and unaware of social rules.
• struggle to understand social cues showing others are uncomfortable

Question 8

What are the characteristics under repetitive behaviours and restricted interests?

Answer 8

• repetitive behaviours
• restrictive or fixed interests
• routines, rituals and resistance to change
• unusual response to sensory inputs

Question 9

What is an examples of a repetitive behaviour in ASD?

Answer 9

• use of languages: echolalia, little professor syndrome
• Repetitive hand gestures or rocking
• use objects in the same way

Question 10

What is an indication of routines, rituals and resistances to change?

Answer 10

• inflexibility and rigidity regarding routines
• overreact to change in routines
• difficulty recognising sarcasm and iron as it goes against rules of proper speech

Question 11

What characterizes restricted and fixed interests in ASD?

Answer 11

Intense preoccupation with a very narrow interest to the total exclusion of others.

Question 12

What unusual reactions to sensory input might people with ASD have?

Answer 12

• Aversive to touch
• Distressed by loud sounds
• Obsessive interest in movement of objects
  *indifferent to pain and may have a high tolerance to it