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autism spectrum disorders

5 Ways Teachers Can Help Children With Autism In The Classroom

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The number of American children on the autism spectrum increases every year.  New Jersey diagnosticians are finding that 1 in every 54 children has ASD. If you’re a teacher, you’re likely to teach a child with autism. Parents feel frustrated when their child’s teacher does not understand what makes their child tick, and teachers feel helpless when they cannot guide their students to achieve success at school.  

Young Girl Reading Book At School Wearing A Mask

Working with children with autism brings a huge amount of joy, like any endeavor which takes effort and grit. But only for those who embrace the challenge and learn how to succeed with a child that has unique needs. As the new school year approaches, let’s take a moment to prepare for a successful year at school. 

Teachers, prepare to help every child succeed this year!

If you are a teacher, read on for tips on helping your student with autism succeed in school, but first, remember this. Just because you’re told a child in your class has autism, it doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of being academically successful. In fact, if you’re kind, patient, and persistent when working with your student, you’ll eventually discover that there’s much more to your student than their neurological disorder and undesired behaviors. Children with autism are talented, smart, and creative. Give the child’s parents reason to be happy that they shared the diagnosis with you instead of feeling disappointed (like so many of their friends share) that you used the diagnosis to label and absolve yourself from trying to help.

So, without further delay, here are five ways you, as a teacher, can help children with autism and guide them in unlocking their inner potential:

1. Focus on the positives

Studies show that positive reinforcement is much more effective than punishment or other forms of discipline. In other words, rewarding positive behaviors in children with autism is better than punishing their undesired behaviors. That’s because praising them makes them (and you) feel good, which increases the likelihood that they’ll repeat those positive behaviors.

Also, punishment can damage a child’s physical and mental health in the long run, so if you want them to develop positive behaviors, positive reinforcement would be the way to go.

Rather than zeroing in on a child’s undesired behaviors and judging them by their past behaviors or developments, look for things to enjoy and appreciate about your student. For example, does your student with autism happen to be good at reading comprehension? If so, let them know, and you can even look for ways to incorporate that into other academic areas they may struggle with.

Letting your student know about their strengths and positive qualities, as well as using positive reinforcement, will be an excellent way to encourage and motivate your student.

And don’t forget to accept the child for the way they are. Instead of trying to change who they are on a fundamental level, try to teach them in a way that’s tailored to their special needs and allows them to make progress in the classroom.

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2. Be specific with your behavior

Male Teacher Showing Group Of Kids Science Experiment In Class

Whenever you’re praising and positively reinforcing your student with autism, make sure the child knows exactly which behavior you’re praising and what exactly you like about their behavior. Otherwise, your student may get confused about which of their behaviors are considered positive or undesired, which may impede your student’s educational progress. For example, rather than saying, “thanks for being helpful” try saying, “thanks for picking up my pencil”.

And, going back to what we said about positive reinforcement, find ways you can reward your student. This may involve giving them extra playtime or rewarding them with more tokens or gold stars on their reward charts.

3. Keep conversations focused and simple.

Because children with autism tend to take things literally, idioms and phrasal verbs are confusing. Try to keep directions and conversations simple and focused. Phrases that neurotypical children (those without autism) may think are literal and easy to understand but actually aren’t include:

  • “What’s up with you?” (Instead, you can ask, “How are you feeling?”)
  • “I’m all ears.” (Instead, you can say, “I’m listening.”)
  • “That’s a piece of cake.” (Instead, you can say, “That’s very easy to do.”)

Keep directions and conversations simple and focused. This means instead of giving long-winded reasons and explanations, use simple language so as not to overwhelm the child. For example, instead of saying “it’s important that you always keep your desk clear of any food, drink supplies, or toys so that you can learn well”, simply say, “Put nothing on your desk”. 

Also, children with autism may not be able to understand your nonverbal communications, so don’t immediately assume they can understand all your facial expressions and gestures.

For example, instead of turning your nose up or expecting that a glance in their direction will be enough to convey your intent, clearly say, “Put away the snack” or “We don’t color on our desks” or whatever you’re trying to convey to the child.

4. Provide a supportive environment for the child

Children with autism often feel overwhelmed or overstimulated by their surroundings. As a teacher, you can help students with autism thrive in your classroom by keeping the environment calm and emotionally supportive.

Female Teacher Helps Children With Autism Finish Lesson In School

Students with autism also perform best in familiar environments, so bear that in mind whenever you’re considering changing up a learning routine, moving their desk, or replacing the decorations in your classroom. You may decide to forgo the change for his sake, or you may want to prepare him in advance so he knows what to expect. Either way, don’t try to force change on him, but rather be flexible to create an environment that takes his needs into consideration

After all, you want to provide a conducive environment for your children to learn and thrive, and this applies to children with autism as well as neurotypical children.

5. Be patient when giving instructions

Children with autism, who often have difficulty following verbal explanations, need more time to process complex verbal commands. And, as we already established, it’s important to keep your instructions simple and focused. 

You should also remember that younger children often struggle to understand instructions, and that may make them seem uncooperative. In reality, their “uncooperative” behavior may actually be an inability to understand your verbal instructions, so always keep that possibility in mind.

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Conclusion

As a teacher, working with children with autism can be uniquely challenging, but thankfully there are many ways you can support our growing autism population and put them on a trajectory to academic success. From focusing on their positive qualities to being specific when positively reinforcing them to adapting the way you communicate to fostering a strong supportive environment, you can unlock your student’s inner strengths, open doors of opportunity, and help them thrive and succeed in the long run.

Want to know how else you can help your child? Get in touch with Circle Care so we can show you all the services we provide. And don’t forget to join our email list so you can gain some helpful information about ABA and parenting tips for those who have children with autism.

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Why is Positive Reinforcement so Effective

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Is Positive Reinforcement Good for Autism?

When a child with autism is learning new behaviors that are socially appropriate, they are usually unlearning socially inappropriate behaviors at the very same time. In fact, many times the new skills or behaviors that these children are learning in their ABA sessions are carefully planned replacements for socially inappropriate behaviors that the BCBA and parents have discussed and determined to work on as part of the child’s treatment plan.

One of the most successful methods of teaching and sustaining new skills and behaviors is the use of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is simply the addition of a reinforcing stimulus (incentive) immediately following a behavior that makes it likely that the behavior will be repeated again. For example, if a child washes their own dishes after dinner without being asked and gets rewarded with compliments from mom and dad and a bowl of ice cream- the chances are high that this child will wash their own dishes again after dinner.

The ice cream is the stimulus immediately following the desired behavior of washing the dishes. As long as the ice cream is reinforcing to that child, they will most likely wash dishes with a smile on their face. It’s also a win-win because all parties are happy. Mom and Dad don’t have to argue with the child to wash the dishes and the child gets dessert.

Why is positive reinforcement more effective than punishment?

Positive reinforcement is more effective than punishment because it has more beneficial outcomes all the way around. Positive reinforcement involves adding something that is motivating and reinforcing to the child with autism while punishment requires subtracting or taking something away from the child. Taking things away from a child with autism can be frustrating for them and end up causing the exact opposite of the behavior goal in mind.

Father Giving Thumbs Up to Son as Positive Reinforcement

Just as an adult goes to work to earn a paycheck at the end of each week (positive reinforcement), it would cause great frustration and it would feel like punishment to be expected to work hard all week with little or no reward at the end of the week if a paycheck were reduced or withheld.

The idea behind positive reinforcement in ABA Therapy is to elicit a response or increase the likelihood that the child will repeat positive behavior. The goal is to teach appropriate social, academic, communication, and behavior skills that will become a regular part of their repertoire. Positive reinforcement is ideal for this because as human beings we are drawn to positive words and actions and we tend to find ways to avoid things we don’t like.

Positive reinforcement works because it encourages a child to comply without having to resort to yelling, threatening, punishing, shaming, or any other sort of damaging and ineffective technique that may result in long-term emotional harm like chronic anxiety or fear. Rather, positive reinforcement helps to develop good character, self-discipline, personal responsibility, and healthy self-esteem.

Children who are raised with parents who use positive reinforcement feel loved and cared for. They tend to exceed behavioral expectations as they seek more positive reinforcement and their behavior is consistently compliant on a more long-term basis rather than on a short-term basis because they are not responding to the moment in fear of punishment. They are confident and comfortable. They feel good about themselves and their surroundings and they show it in their behavior.

Why is reinforcing positive behavior important?

The most important reason for reinforcing positive behavior is that it teaches children with autism what is appropriate and acceptable. There is no cure for autism that will magically make it go away. However, according to a study by Lovaas in 1987, ABA has been successful at treating autism to the extent that half of all children with autism were considered “indistinguishable from their peers” after receiving intensive applied behavior analysis therapy for forty hours each week. Another 90% showed significant improvement.

ABA Therapist Uses Play Time With Blocks as Positive Reinforcement

Autism affects social skills, and without treatment, children with autism do not have a clear understanding of what is socially appropriate and inappropriate. Many children with autism lack the ability to filter their comments when they are speaking to their peers or adults and may seem rude or uncaring by saying exactly what they are thinking.

They may fail to be discreet with bodily functions or table manners. It may not occur to them to wait or raise their hand before speaking. They may cut others off in line without understanding why this would anger someone.

Whatever their atypical behavior may be, a new skill will need to be learned in order to establish a replacement behavior. The best way to teach a new skill is to continuously reinforce the appropriate behavior. The most successful way to reinforce a new skill so that it is likely to be repeated and generalized into other areas of the child’s life is to use positive reinforcement.

How is positive reinforcement used?

Positive reinforcement is delivered immediately following the desired behavior to encourage the child to repeat that particular behavior. But, that isn’t all there is to it. When a child is evaluated for ABA services, they are also evaluated for their preferences- their likes. What motivates your child? Do they like drawing? Playing outside? Video games? Dancing? Playing board games? Whatever it is that your child loves is what will motivate them to work with the ABA therapist as they learn new skills. When they complete a task the way that they are supposed to they earn their preferred item or activity.

Positive Reinforcement Is Fun and Rewarding for Children

Sometimes their preferences change and the things that motivate them aren’t inspiring anymore. That’s okay! There’s always something else that will encourage them and that’s what keeps ABA exciting for the child and the therapist! As the child learns, the sessions evolve, the treatment plans change and things can get pretty challenging for the child and therapist! But all the while, when the child is displaying appropriate behavior, the therapist is delivering positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement can be any of the following depending on what works for the child:

  • A tangible item (i.e. preferred item- toy, bubble, game, tablet)
  • Verbal praise delivered with enthusiasm ( “wow! Great job!)
  • An engaging play activity (tickles, tag, swing, trampoline, etc)
  • Food item (small snack, candy, cookie- with parent permission)
  • Break from “working”

The idea is to keep it interesting and to make it feel rewarding and fun. If it doesn’t feel rewarding and fun, then it isn’t positive and the child will not feel like completing any of the tasks during a session. Momentum during a session is part of keeping it positive.

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What are some examples of positive reinforcement in the classroom?

Is your child going to school? Some schools are gracious enough to allow ABA sessions in the classroom. More and more teachers are aware of ABA and learning how to implement some of the concepts in the classroom with success.

Some easy ways to use it in the classroom are to use the very same ideas mentioned above. When a student is on task- offer verbal praise instantly- right then and there! Catch them while they are on task and praise them with enthusiasm!

If a student is easily frustrated, allow that student to work in smaller segments of time, and before he/she gets to the point of frustration offer that student a break and tell them how good they are doing and tell them that you notice how hard they are working. Keep it positive!

When a student finishes a task, offer them a reward. Have a basket of snacks or small items available to reward them for completing a task. Praise them for getting the work done so quickly. Or just praise them for trying so hard. 

Look for opportunities to deliver praise and encouragement. Try to praise students so much that it outweighs the correction. This is positive reinforcement!

Reinforcement Schedules

How often reinforcement should be delivered is different for each child. For some children, it might take continuous praise to keep them focused and staying on task. This means that each and every time a child does the right thing, they should receive an enthusiastic response. One reinforcement for each appropriate response (1:1). You will know which child needs this because the one time that they don’t receive the positive reinforcement- the inappropriate behavior comes back. This one-to-one ratio (1:1) needs to keep happening until the appropriate behaviors start becoming automatic. In time, it will become possible to reduce the reinforcement to every other, or perhaps every third response, and eventually fade out reinforcement completely as the child becomes independent.

How Positive Reinforcement is used in ABA

Positive reinforcement is at the heart of applied behavior analysis and it is at the heart of what we do at Circle Care Services. Your child’s treatment plan is specifically designed to accommodate your child’s needs and our staff is trained to keep the experience fun and motivating for your child. By keeping the experience positive for your child, all of the work will feel like play!

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Why Does ABA Therapy Get a Bad Rap?

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Applied Behavior Analysis is currently the most common method of treatment that is prescribed by physicians for autism spectrum disorders and other behavioral disorders. It has often been referred to as the “gold standard” treatment for children with autism and other developmental conditions.

This reputation has been established over time as ABA has collected decades of data-based evidence of its effectiveness with children who have received ABA treatment. The evidence consistently shows increased communication skills, improved attention, decreased problem behaviors, improved attention skills, and improved social skills – to name a few. But, just like anything “good for you” or “popular” or even something factual that has a proven history attached to it, there will always be opposition to counter all of the claims in favor of….ABA in this case.

The History of ABA Therapy: Where the Controversy Started

What are the controversies that surround ABA therapy? What is it about applied behavior analysis that people are opposed to? To put it simply, the biggest complaint from the opposition is that ABA is an overwhelming and cruel attempt to force children with autism to appear or behave “normal”. Those who oppose ABA would prefer to promote neurodiversity, “ the idea that people with autism or, say, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or Tourette syndrome, should be respected as naturally different rather than abnormal and needing to be fixed.”

It helps to understand some of the histories behind ABA. Dr. Lovaas, one of the founding fathers of ABA, had a mission to make people with autism “indistinguishable” from their typical peers. There was a time when behavior therapy practices included treatment methods that are not acceptable norms in behavioral therapy today.

Daughter Imitating Her Father’s Thinking Pose While Doing a Drawing Activity

Electric shock therapy is one example of an aversive reinforcement method that was used to eliminate behaviors that were difficult to resolve with positive reinforcement. Behaviors that were self-injurious or harmful to others were often treated with punitive measures like shock therapy. However, as behavioral sciences have evolved and patient rights gained more attention, these methods were replaced with more acceptable and positive reinforcement methods.

Many people with autism use these outdated practices to speak out against ABA therapy. They cite Dr. Lovaas’ goal of making autistic people “indistinguishable” from their peers as an implication that autistic people are “broken” and need to be fixed. Many autistic people take offense to this notion and call this a human rights violation that strips people with autism of their dignity.

Why Are Some Advocates Against ABA Therapy?

One of the criticisms that are commonly heard is that ABA is too tough on children with autism spectrum disorders. Much of this opinion stems from the early 1960’s principles of applied behavior analysis and the use of Discrete Trial Training (DTT). Discrete trials were done in a clinical setting by requiring a child to sit at a table while a therapist presented the instruction (stimulus) in a formal teaching manner and waited for the child to respond. For example, the therapist would present two-color cards (yellow and red) and say “touch yellow”. The child would then respond correctly by touching the yellow card. If the child touched the wrong color card or failed to respond or left his/her seat- then that would be an incorrect response.

Depending on how the child responded, the therapist would deliver reinforcement or correction and repeat the procedure for a predetermined number of times.

In addition to the lack of consideration for the autistic viewpoint, the following misconceptions are often offered as rationale for the contempt of ABA.

  1. ABA benefits people around the autistic person rather than the person with autism.
  2. ABA does not accept the differences in autistic people within society and aims to “normalize” autistic people – even if they never asked to be “normalized”. Many people with autism like who they are, and they do not wish to change.
  3. ABA ignores emotions by not responding to “unacceptable” behaviors. Some of the “unacceptable” behaviors (like meltdowns or eloping) are a response to the overwhelm that an autistic person feels when they are forced to do something they do not want to do. The question becomes, who is the behavior “unacceptable” to?

Additional Controversial Claims

If you have ever heard that ABA therapists are “robotic” and that they lack emotion during therapy then you are probably speaking with someone who had a bad therapist. Discrete trial training (a repetitive step-by-step process of teaching) can be boring and tedious if you don’t put some fun and momentum into it.

Son Giving an Enthusiastic Positive Response to Father at Arcade

Discrete trials go something like this: The teacher (therapist) presents something to the child to provoke a correct response, the child responds (no response is also a response) and then there is a consequence to the response (reinforcement or no response if the child did not respond correctly). Therapists are trained to give an enthusiastic positive response to the correct answers and to quietly move on without response when the child answers incorrectly. This can easily be misconstrued as an emotionless response to the child. It isn’t meant to be emotionless. It is simply in contrast to the exciting positive reinforcement that is given when the child answers correctly. Children with autism need that clear distinction and there is a method at work here.

The same method is used for tantrums when the function of the tantrum is attention. If the child throws themself down on the floor for attention because two adults are talking, then it is in the best interest of the two adults talking to ignore the child until the child understands that the tantrum is not the best method for getting attention. Then the child will perhaps try something else. If they say “excuse me” then positively reinforce that with immediate attention! “Yes? What do you need?” Many people in the autistic community would argue that this approach lacks empathy. ABA therapists know that the evidence shows that this helps to shape positive behaviors while reducing negative behaviors.

Is ABA Abusive?

The term abuse implies a misuse of something, maltreatment of someone, or forcing someone to do something against his/her will. ABA therapy does not do any of the following:

  • ABA does not seek to force anyone to do things against his/her will. When properly practiced, ABA motivates or encourages a child with autism to practice a new, appropriate behavior or to stop a behavior that is interfering with daily living.
  • ABA therapy should never be conducted in a way that brings harm or maltreatment to an autistic person.
  • ABA should never be misused to teach or persuade a child with autism to do anything for the benefit of someone else. Every skill they learn should benefit the autistic child first.

The reality is that the benefits of ABA far outnumber and outweigh the complaints against the therapy. ABA is a well-established, evidence-based science that has helped many families to teach children early functional skills. Skills such as toileting, dressing, communicating, playing, and holding utensils or writing tools are all skills that children with autism will need in school and in real-world settings.

In addition to functional skills, ABA therapy is important for social skills as it helps to reduce behaviors that hinder social interactions and increases the ability to make and maintain friendships. Making friends is an important aspect of life, and children with autism often need assistance to understand which behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable in making and establishing friendships.

ABA also promotes independence in children with autism. The earlier these children learn independence, the more likely they will succeed in school and in the workplace as an adult. ABA teaches children how to be the absolute best version of themselves. Most importantly, ABA is family-centered and teaches parents their important role on how to help their own children with their difficulties or disabilities.

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Is ABA Therapy Too Tough on Children with Autism?

Therapy is not easy in any situation. It is challenging to work with a young child that may have difficulty with communication and sensory issues. Everything that an autistic child does has a purpose. They may pace, flap hands, vocalize or cry from anxiety or frustration, and their behaviors may bring relief.

A Woman Standing With Her Arms Up Looking Confused

If a therapist arrives and blocks these stress-relieving behaviors, the anxiety and frustration will rise. Yes, ABA is tough; therefore, it is essential to consider some of the points that are brought up by the autistic community:

  • Who is the therapy going to benefit?
  • Will eliminating certain behaviors improve learning and living for the child?
  • Will eliminating certain behaviors cause more stress and additional disruptive or inappropriate behaviors in the child?

If ABA is beneficial to the person with autism, then it may take some hard work – and yes, it may be tough; but sometimes it takes hard work to reach a goal that will help improve someone’s life.

On the Topic of Reducing or Eliminating Behaviors

Most parents are seeking ABA services for the purpose of eliminating socially awkward or inappropriate behaviors. However, as time has progressed and some of the patients of ABA have grown up to voice their own opinions, it has become increasingly clear that there is a population of people who do not appreciate being forced to hide their autism.

The opinions and feelings from the parents and the grown children with autism range from mildly irritated over the feeling of being overly compliant, to claims of outright abuse and PTSD over being forced to make eye contact or feeling controlled.

ABA therapy is never about force or control. ABA therapy is about teaching a child with autism the skills that they will need to communicate and to be able to do what their peers are doing. It is never the goal to remove someone’s identity or to cause anyone to feel less valuable because of a label or a disorder. The goal of ABA is to work in conjunction with a family that is seeking help because the child and the family are struggling with daily living.

Helping a person with autism to communicate a want or a need should not be torturous. Teaching eye contact should not be something that feels like a control issue. There are opportunities when a child will make eye contact and it is at those times that the therapist will use positive reinforcement to praise the child in hopes that they will repeat the eye contact again. There is no need to grab their face and demand that they look at you. Seeking opportunities to praise them is enough.

Stimming (flapping, clapping, waving, or any other repetitive movement or vocal tic)  is another area that people with autism take issue with. Many former ABA clients have spoken out against being taught how to control their stimming behaviors in public. This is an automatic behavior that helps people with autism to regulate emotions and by teaching them to withhold this behavior, many people with autism struggle with frustration and anxiety. There is a running sentiment from a segment of the autistic community that wants to be appreciated for their neurodiversity. This part of the community does not want to be “fixed”.

Modern Day ABA Therapy Practices

Positive reinforcement is at the core of everything we do in ABA therapy. The sterile clinical environment is in the past where it belongs. Unregulated behavioral modification programs are also in the past where they belong.

There may be times when it is appropriate for a child and their therapist to sit at a table in a clinical setting and do some work, but when it is obvious that a child can no longer focus their attention on the work then it is the responsibility of the therapist to give the child a break and keep frustration from settling in. It is also worth mentioning that a clinic back in the 1960s and 1970s looked much different than what we see now.

When you walk into an ABA center today, such as ours at Circle Care Services New Jersey, you are likely to see a room filled with equipment that is specifically designed for children who have sensory issues. There are hammock swings that squeeze a child into a fetal position while they swing, crash pads for children who need to bang their head or other body parts into people or objects, weighted medicine balls for children who tend to throw objects due to frustration, yoga balls to sit and bounce on, pads and balls to roll over and on the child who likes to feel squeezing or pressing for relief and much more.

By keeping things fun and by keeping sessions highly reinforcing with positive reinforcement, there should be little need for punishment procedures. If there is a need to use them, the positive reinforcement and redirecting of the child back to appropriate behavior would far outweigh any of the punishment procedures mentioned above (reprimands, overcorrections, response cost, and response blocking).

At Circle Care Services, we understand the concerns that parents have about finding the right team of professionals to help their children. If ABA is new to you and your family, it can be overwhelming trying to sift through the vast amount of information that is available online. The lingering controversies of the past can leave parents of a newly diagnosed child with autism feel conflicted and anxious. We have a great team of professionals at Circle Care Services who can answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding ABA therapy and practices. We also encourage building community with other families in New Jersey who are experiencing some of the same joys and challenges with their children.

Don’t let website controversies overshadow the overwhelming scientific evidence that ABA has provided for the last five decades. At Circle Care, we are not here to “fix” your child. We are here to teach and help children and families that are struggling with daily living skills and academics due to autism or other behavioral disorders. We appreciate everyone in all of their diversity and uniqueness and we want everyone to have skills for success. If you have any questions for our trained professionals at Circle Care, please feel free to contact us today. We offer free consultations and would be more than happy to answer any questions about ABA therapy.

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Autism vs. Autism Spectrum Disorders: What is the Difference?

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Autism Spectrum Disorder is a term that refers to the wide variety of types of autism that children are diagnosed with. Autism can present symptoms ranging from mild to severe and display a wide variety of characteristics from person to person. Because of all of the differentiation from one person to the next, the use of the word spectrum is extremely appropriate when diagnosing a child with autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is far more appropriate because of the wide variety of characteristics that each individual with autism displays. Oftentimes, it is referred to as low functioning or high functioning autism during conversations between educators and parents or others who work closely with students who have autism. But, that is such a brief and inadequate description because each child on the autism spectrum has a unique presentation that puts them in a different place on the spectrum.

One example of an image that is used to portray the range of abilities on the spectrum is a rainbow, with the lower functioning characteristics of autism on one side of the rainbow and the higher functioning abilities of autism on the other side of the rainbow. In between, are all of the variables of autism from low to high with some abilities on the higher end of the spectrum and others on the lower end. There is no truly consistent pattern from one child to another- only common traits that qualify them to be diagnosed on the spectrum.

How Many Types of Autism Are There?

With such a wide range of characteristics in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders, you might wonder how many types of autism there are and how they are categorized.

Autism has been defined by five different types:

autism

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

A rare neurological disorder that affects children who have normal development for the first three to four years and then suffer a reversal in language, motor, and social skills within a matter of months.

Classic Autism

A neurological impairment that affects social interaction, communication, and speech, restricts imagination, sometimes causes repetitive motor behavior patterns and rigid inflexibility that makes any changes in routine or environment very difficult for the person with autism.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

A child that is diagnosed with PDD has a developmental delay, and usually shows many traits of higher functioning autism but doesn’t meet all of the criteria for autism. Many children who are diagnosed with PDDs outgrow the symptoms over time.

Aspergers (Level 1)

This would be considered high functioning autism

In 2013, Asperger Syndrome was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5 is a diagnostic tool used by physicians) and placed under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorders. It made a lot of “aspies” unhappy because they enjoyed the unique position of being placed on a long list of brilliant minds who were suspected of having Aspergers. From Hans Christian Andersen to Jerry Seinfeld to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to Tim Burton- the list is impressive and so are many of the accomplishments of those with Aspergers.

Rhett Syndrome

A neurological disorder with severe physical impairments that are primarily found in girls.

There have been some exceptions and changes over time as research has progressed.

In 2011, Rett Syndrome was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5 is a diagnostic tool used by physicians) and it is no longer considered an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It was removed because it was discovered to be a genetic mutation that can look very similar to autism for a short time when a child is developing.

The Controversy with Rhett and Aspergers

Both Rhett and Aspergers are controversial because they are considered Autism Spectrum Disorders but they both stand alone on their own. Rhett has been removed because the autism symptoms only appear for a small window of time and it is almost exclusive to girls. Aspergers has been wrapped into the spectrum rather than standing apart as its own type of autism- mostly because it was felt that “aspies” should be included in aba services and be eligible for insurance to receive services- so it was necessary to put them under the umbrella rather than stand-alone. So, the DSM has gone from 5 types to 3 levels in order to continue to include Rhetts and Aspergers as spectrum disorders.

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Levels of Autism

According to the DSM-5, there are three levels of autism that require some level of support.

Level 1 – (Requiring Support)

As mentioned above this would be the level that a person with high functioning autism or Aspergers would fit into. Level 1 would require the least amount of support. Socially, this person might find it difficult to initiate a conversation without someone else’s support, maintain a conversation or stay interested in what the other person is saying and may not respond as others would expect. Change might be difficult to manage in new situations or environments. Time management, organization skills, and planning are also areas that someone in this category may struggle with. It is also common for a person with high functioning autism to have rigid or inflexible habits, schedules, or behavior patterns.

types of autism

Level 2 – (Requiring Substantial Support)

This person would have greater difficulty with communication than someone who is considered a level 1. The communication with this person may be reduced to short sentences, limited topics, incoherent speech, odd facial expressions, and sometimes inappropriate responses and gestures. People with level 2 autism are more visibly distressed in social situations and have a much more difficult time with change. Daily life is difficult to cope with and the prospect of living and working independently without support is unlikely. However, some do very well in transitional programs out of high school with mentors and living in adult assisted living while working a part-time job.

Level 3 – (Requiring very substantial support)

People with level 3 autism are extremely limited in verbal and nonverbal communication. Because of their inability to communicate, they are unable to interact with other people, establish friendships, and join peers in activities. These people are usually highly focused on their own behaviors which are almost always repetitive- hand flapping, waving, clapping, flailing, rocking, spinning, or flipping objects- to the point where they cannot focus on anything else. If anyone tries to take their attention away from their focus it causes distress for them. People with level 3 autism do not like change whether it be in their routine, food, activities, or to people they are exposed to. Any sort of change causes distress. It is unlikely that a person with level 3 autism will ever become independent, communicate fluently or be free from the repetitive behaviors that they seem to enjoy and focus so intently on.

Mild to Severe Forms of Autism

When you hear terms such as mild autism or high functioning autism this is usually considered level 1 autism which will require some support in communication, social skills, and behavior. As the levels progress, the support that is required increases. Level 2 autism, for example, may require more support in teaching proper communication skills and how to behave in certain social settings. Level 3 autism would require a substantial amount of support and this support would most likely extend throughout this person’s lifetime.

autism types

That is exactly why it is called a spectrum disorder. By definition, the word spectrum is used to classify something, or suggest that it can be classified, in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme or opposite points. The two extreme opposite points of the autism spectrum are mild and severe. Everything between those two points as you move from mild toward severe is open to variations in the characteristics or deficits that you may see in each person with autism.

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Does Autism Run in Families?

We have learned a lot about autism since it was first diagnosed in the 1940s by Dr. Kanner. There is still a lot we don’t know but one thing that seems to be true about autism is that it does have some genetic tendency to run in families. To put it very simply without summarizing entire studies, the average risk of a subsequent child being born after one child with ASD has been born into a family is 10% based on group averages. This is a very loose number, but the point is that it has been well established that the tendency is there.

It is not unusual for therapists who work in the field to serve families who have more than one sibling who has been diagnosed with ASD.

Conclusion

As research on autism continues, sometimes we see changes that can seem a little confusing. That’s where our autism experts at Circle Care New Jersey can help. Are there five types or are there three types of autism? To put it simply, the three levels of autism include all of the disorders that were mentioned in the five types. By placing Aspergers and Rett Syndrome under the umbrella of spectrum disorders, it is easier for families to receive referrals for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services. If these disorders were not categorized with autism spectrum disorders, chances are that these children may have been referred to another type of doctor (or no doctor at all) rather than receive ABA services.

So, to sum all this up-there are basically three levels of autism but how many specific types of autism and varieties of characteristics differ from one child to the next from one side of the spectrum to the other. The answer to this question could change as research continues and we continue to learn more about our loved ones on the spectrum!

Read the Studies:

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/autism-spectrum-disorder/#inheritance

https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(20)31384-6/fulltext

https://www.autismspeaks.org/science-news/large-family-based-study-finds-80-percent-autism-risk-inherited-genes

https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20190717/autism-largely-caused-by-genetics-not-environment-study

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