What is it?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder depicted by markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests.

What are the features of it?
Children with Autism are less able to interact with the world as other children do. Typically they have deficits in three key areas: Verbal and non-verbal communication, social awareness and interactions and imaginative play (variable interests and behaviours).

Common challenges experienced by those with ASD:

• Poor understanding of the conventions of social interaction.
• Limited play interests.
• Do not initiate conversation with others.
• Poor imaginative play.
• Resistant to change, very rigid in routine.
• Preference for solitary play.
• Can be impulsive or aggressive.
• Poor non-verbal communication.
• Poor understand instructions, questions or jokes.

Management strategies that support the child with ASD (at pre-school/school or home):

• Routine/planned and structured events.
• A good knowledge of the child's strengths and weakness, and interaction preferences and early signs of distress.
• Social stories to help teach the child how to act in given situations.
• Use of visual cues to describe the routine. Visual cues are especially useful when preparing for changes in routine.
• Extra time/support to transition to school

Occupational Therapy approaches and activities that can support the individual or their carers include:

• Developing a broad range of skill areas.
• Assisting in the transition to school.
• Providing ideas and education around social story development.
• Advocating and professionally supporting the transition to school, and liaising with teachers, as required.
• Developing visual cues to support routine and to introduce new, or a change in, tasks.
• Social stories

Speech Pathology Therapy approaches and activities that can support the individual or their carers include:

• Helping the family to understand how the child is processing, understanding, learning and using language and communication.
• Providing the family with strategies and techniques to increase and enhance communication with the child.
• Helping the child to understand the environment, routines and language.
• Helping the child to understand and use richer language and to use language more spontaneously.
• Developing conversation skills e.g. back and forth exchange, turn taking.
• Developing concept skills, especially abstract concepts, such as time (e.g. yesterday, before, after, etc.).
• Developing visuals which help with understanding and ability to express needs, wants and thoughts.
• Developing   social skills (i.e. knowing when, how to use language in social situations).
• Enhancing verbal and non-verbal communications, including natural gestures, speech, signs, pictures and written words.
• Using visual information to help understand, organise and plan the routine for the day.
• Liaising with educational staff re: nature of the difficulties and ways to help the child to access the curriculum.