Sensory Characteristics.
The neurodiversity movement started as a means to normalize an atypical existence. Many autistics experience sensory challenges related to overstimulation often resulting in meltdowns. Sensory triggers are different for each individual, but may include scents, sounds, crowds, lights, vestibular or temperature discomforts, or visual sensations. Individuals approaching overload may start to stim, and this should be taken as a communication signal, possibly the only warning the individual is able to express when feeling overwhelmed. EBB: The neurodiversity movement is seeking to bring awareness to the autistic experience and help those outside autism understand the sensory challenges experienced so that they may be more sensitive when offering assistance to those experiencing overstimulation (Masataka, 2017).
EBB: Occupational therapists have been shown to help tremendously in reducing sensitivity by stimuli desensitization and working with autistics to understand their aversions to different textures and process appropriately. When working with children in the school system, teachers have the benefit of asking others in their field what strategies have worked at their school site and with their particular student demographics. Each individual on the autistic spectrum has unique needs and every school site has a different make-up of students. It is highly likely that what has worked for one teacher may work for a second at the same school site, especially if the student is from a similar demographic group as the first. However, there is a danger in assuming that because one strategy seemed to have worked, that it is good. In addition to collaboration and strategizing as part of a team, the interventions discussed need to be research-based and have positive impacts on long-term success and happiness of the recipients and their families (McNeill, 2019).
Masataka, N. (2017). Implications of the idea of neurodiversity for understanding the origins of developmental disorders. Physics of Life Reviews, 20, 85–108.
McNeill, J. (2019). Social validity and teachers’ use of evidence-based practices for autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(11). Pages 4585–4594.
Biel, L. (2012, December 03). Sensory Smart Child [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7UIFMpoab
The neurodiversity movement started as a means to normalize an atypical existence. Many autistics experience sensory challenges related to overstimulation often resulting in meltdowns. Sensory triggers are different for each individual, but may include scents, sounds, crowds, lights, vestibular or temperature discomforts, or visual sensations. Individuals approaching overload may start to stim, and this should be taken as a communication signal, possibly the only warning the individual is able to express when feeling overwhelmed. EBB: The neurodiversity movement is seeking to bring awareness to the autistic experience and help those outside autism understand the sensory challenges experienced so that they may be more sensitive when offering assistance to those experiencing overstimulation (Masataka, 2017).
EBB: Occupational therapists have been shown to help tremendously in reducing sensitivity by stimuli desensitization and working with autistics to understand their aversions to different textures and process appropriately. When working with children in the school system, teachers have the benefit of asking others in their field what strategies have worked at their school site and with their particular student demographics. Each individual on the autistic spectrum has unique needs and every school site has a different make-up of students. It is highly likely that what has worked for one teacher may work for a second at the same school site, especially if the student is from a similar demographic group as the first. However, there is a danger in assuming that because one strategy seemed to have worked, that it is good. In addition to collaboration and strategizing as part of a team, the interventions discussed need to be research-based and have positive impacts on long-term success and happiness of the recipients and their families (McNeill, 2019).
Masataka, N. (2017). Implications of the idea of neurodiversity for understanding the origins of developmental disorders. Physics of Life Reviews, 20, 85–108.
McNeill, J. (2019). Social validity and teachers’ use of evidence-based practices for autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(11). Pages 4585–4594.
Biel, L. (2012, December 03). Sensory Smart Child [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7UIFMpoab
Social Characteristics.
Autistic individuals often struggle with social interactions, and by definition, all autistics have a social impairment. Individuals across the spectrum have many different social challenges such as social anxiety, social communication challenges, lack of eye contact, inability to initiate or reciprocate conversation or play, face blindness, or unwelcome bluntness. Autistics frequently have difficulty reading facial emotional signatures and often do not express their own emotions in typical facial features leading to social communication troubles when speaking to non-autistic individuals. EBB: Many of non-verbal communication techniques can be taught to autistic individuals thorough speech therapy (Liu, Wang, Yang, Hsiao, Su, Shyi, Yen, 2019).
Autistics seem to simply communicate differently than their neurotypical peers. This is especially visible when comparing autistics in communication with themselves, autistics in conversation with neurotypicals, and neurotypicals among themselves. The double-empathy challenge shows that when autistics are conversing with neurotypicals, there is anxiety and awkwardness on both sides of the conversation, but when autistics converse among themselves, they have the same degree of conversational efficiency as when neurotypicals converse among themselves. It is almost as if autistics and neurotypicals function on different operating systems as akin to Windows and Mac. EBB: The double-empathy challenge reveals the benefits of fostering autistic communities and social groups. It is much more likely for autistic individuals to develop happy and healthy relationships and learn social skills successfully among other autistics (Song, Nie, Shi, Zhao, Yang, 2019).
Liu, T.-L., Wang, P.-W., Yang, Y.-H. C., Hsiao, R. C., Su, Y.-Y., Shyi, G. C.-W., & Yen, C.-F. (2019). Deficits in facial emotion recognition and implicit attitudes toward emotion among adolescents with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 90, 7–13
Song, Y., Nie, T., Shi, W., Zhao, X., & Yang, Y. (2019). Empathy Impairment in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Conditions From a Multidimensional Perspective: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 10:1902.
Autistic individuals often struggle with social interactions, and by definition, all autistics have a social impairment. Individuals across the spectrum have many different social challenges such as social anxiety, social communication challenges, lack of eye contact, inability to initiate or reciprocate conversation or play, face blindness, or unwelcome bluntness. Autistics frequently have difficulty reading facial emotional signatures and often do not express their own emotions in typical facial features leading to social communication troubles when speaking to non-autistic individuals. EBB: Many of non-verbal communication techniques can be taught to autistic individuals thorough speech therapy (Liu, Wang, Yang, Hsiao, Su, Shyi, Yen, 2019).
Autistics seem to simply communicate differently than their neurotypical peers. This is especially visible when comparing autistics in communication with themselves, autistics in conversation with neurotypicals, and neurotypicals among themselves. The double-empathy challenge shows that when autistics are conversing with neurotypicals, there is anxiety and awkwardness on both sides of the conversation, but when autistics converse among themselves, they have the same degree of conversational efficiency as when neurotypicals converse among themselves. It is almost as if autistics and neurotypicals function on different operating systems as akin to Windows and Mac. EBB: The double-empathy challenge reveals the benefits of fostering autistic communities and social groups. It is much more likely for autistic individuals to develop happy and healthy relationships and learn social skills successfully among other autistics (Song, Nie, Shi, Zhao, Yang, 2019).
Liu, T.-L., Wang, P.-W., Yang, Y.-H. C., Hsiao, R. C., Su, Y.-Y., Shyi, G. C.-W., & Yen, C.-F. (2019). Deficits in facial emotion recognition and implicit attitudes toward emotion among adolescents with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 90, 7–13
Song, Y., Nie, T., Shi, W., Zhao, X., & Yang, Y. (2019). Empathy Impairment in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Conditions From a Multidimensional Perspective: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 10:1902.
Communication Characteristics.
One of the defining characteristics of autism is having impaired social communication. There are some gendered differences in autistic communication, but while girls have a more complex vocabulary on average than boys, both male and female autistics are behind their neurotypical peers. This gendered difference may be one of the reasons that girls on the spectrum are under-diagnosed. Because their language skills are typically higher than autistic boys, they are often able to mask their autistic traits and not get a diagnosis (Boorse, Cola, Plate, Yankowitz, Pandey, Schultz, Parish-Morris 2019).
Autistic individuals who are not diagnosed in childhood pay a significant mental health cost. A majority of adults who received their diagnosis later in life found other reasons to explain their differences. In the same vein as the infamous “Black Doll, White Doll” experiments that ended school segregation in the 1950s, when children are separated from their peers, they know. What they don’t know is why. What children of all types assume if they do not know why they are separated is that they are separated because they are bad. Children do not have the means to comprehend their ostracization, so they internalize it as correct if it is not explained to them. EBB: In this respect, we need to be more invasive with girls diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depressive disorders to be able to get them effective social skills interventions and prevent them internalizing negative effects. EBB: For those individuals who already have anxiety, depression, C-PTSD, or other symptomatic mental health conditions related to autism (87% of autistics have a mental health concern), it is helpful to receive mental health therapy to process through their experiences and problem-solve future scenarios (Stagg, Belcher, 2019).
Boorse, B., Cola, M., Plate, S., Yankowitz, L., Pandey, J., Schultz, R. T., & Parish-Morris, J.. (2019). Linguistic markers of autism in girls: evidence of a “blended phenotype” during storytelling. Molecular Autism, (1), 1. Pages 1-12.
Stagg, S., & Belcher, H. (2019). Living with autism without knowing: receiving a diagnosis in later life. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 7:1. Pages 348-361.
One of the defining characteristics of autism is having impaired social communication. There are some gendered differences in autistic communication, but while girls have a more complex vocabulary on average than boys, both male and female autistics are behind their neurotypical peers. This gendered difference may be one of the reasons that girls on the spectrum are under-diagnosed. Because their language skills are typically higher than autistic boys, they are often able to mask their autistic traits and not get a diagnosis (Boorse, Cola, Plate, Yankowitz, Pandey, Schultz, Parish-Morris 2019).
Autistic individuals who are not diagnosed in childhood pay a significant mental health cost. A majority of adults who received their diagnosis later in life found other reasons to explain their differences. In the same vein as the infamous “Black Doll, White Doll” experiments that ended school segregation in the 1950s, when children are separated from their peers, they know. What they don’t know is why. What children of all types assume if they do not know why they are separated is that they are separated because they are bad. Children do not have the means to comprehend their ostracization, so they internalize it as correct if it is not explained to them. EBB: In this respect, we need to be more invasive with girls diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depressive disorders to be able to get them effective social skills interventions and prevent them internalizing negative effects. EBB: For those individuals who already have anxiety, depression, C-PTSD, or other symptomatic mental health conditions related to autism (87% of autistics have a mental health concern), it is helpful to receive mental health therapy to process through their experiences and problem-solve future scenarios (Stagg, Belcher, 2019).
Boorse, B., Cola, M., Plate, S., Yankowitz, L., Pandey, J., Schultz, R. T., & Parish-Morris, J.. (2019). Linguistic markers of autism in girls: evidence of a “blended phenotype” during storytelling. Molecular Autism, (1), 1. Pages 1-12.
Stagg, S., & Belcher, H. (2019). Living with autism without knowing: receiving a diagnosis in later life. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 7:1. Pages 348-361.
Behavioral Characteristics.
Autistic individuals typically have behaviors different from the neurotypical population. When experiencing anxiety or excitement, many autistic individuals engage in “stims”, short for self-stimulating behaviors. These actions are often repetitive actions that some people perceive as socially unacceptable. Typical among children is flapping of hands, twisting hair, or rubbing a comfort object. EBB: Many groups like TACA (Talk About Curing Autism) seek to fund research on interventions like Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) that will train children to cease these stims so that their children can blend in with typical society. What they often fail to look into is the personal mental health costs of stopping self-stimulating behaviors. Stims are actions that children use to reduce their anxiety, so teaching children to stop their stims without teaching them alternate methods to reduce their anxiety means that they internalize their anxiety with no outlet and are taught to mask their feelings. When children’s caregivers and teachers tell them not to emote, the message received is often that their feelings are not valid. This can lead to Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder relating to the feelings of being an invalid person who is ordered to mask their feelings and feign happiness and normalcy. If someone is not allowed to exist as they are, and is not valued for who they are, what message does this send to the child? (Keenan, Dillenburger, Moderato, Röttgers, 2010).
There is a fine line between intervention and abuse. It is difficult for parents to feel social pressure when a child acts out in strange ways in public, and not all families want to advertise that their child is autistic. Many families want to be able to be “normal” and do typical activities. What we must all be careful of is balancing children’s health with family health (Kirkham, 2017). EBB: Repetitive behaviors should not be suppressed in autistics. If necessary, alternate self-stimulating behaviors may be taught that are more socially acceptable, but autistics need to be able to release their anxiety through stims and their mental health needs to be valued in addition to family shame at “how it might look” to those on the outside (Houting, 2019).
Houting, J. D., (2019, September). Why everything you know about autism is wrong. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/jac_den_houting_why_everything_ you_know _about_autism_is_wrong
Keenan, M., Dillenburger, K., Moderato, P., & Röttgers, H.-R. (2010). Science for Sale in a Free Market Economy: But at What Price? Aba and the Treatment of Autism in Europe. Behavior & Social Issues, 19(1), Pages 126–143.
Kirkham, P. (2017). “The line between intervention and abuse’’ - autism and applied behaviour analysis.” History of the Human Sciences, 30(2), Pages 107–126.
Autistic individuals typically have behaviors different from the neurotypical population. When experiencing anxiety or excitement, many autistic individuals engage in “stims”, short for self-stimulating behaviors. These actions are often repetitive actions that some people perceive as socially unacceptable. Typical among children is flapping of hands, twisting hair, or rubbing a comfort object. EBB: Many groups like TACA (Talk About Curing Autism) seek to fund research on interventions like Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) that will train children to cease these stims so that their children can blend in with typical society. What they often fail to look into is the personal mental health costs of stopping self-stimulating behaviors. Stims are actions that children use to reduce their anxiety, so teaching children to stop their stims without teaching them alternate methods to reduce their anxiety means that they internalize their anxiety with no outlet and are taught to mask their feelings. When children’s caregivers and teachers tell them not to emote, the message received is often that their feelings are not valid. This can lead to Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder relating to the feelings of being an invalid person who is ordered to mask their feelings and feign happiness and normalcy. If someone is not allowed to exist as they are, and is not valued for who they are, what message does this send to the child? (Keenan, Dillenburger, Moderato, Röttgers, 2010).
There is a fine line between intervention and abuse. It is difficult for parents to feel social pressure when a child acts out in strange ways in public, and not all families want to advertise that their child is autistic. Many families want to be able to be “normal” and do typical activities. What we must all be careful of is balancing children’s health with family health (Kirkham, 2017). EBB: Repetitive behaviors should not be suppressed in autistics. If necessary, alternate self-stimulating behaviors may be taught that are more socially acceptable, but autistics need to be able to release their anxiety through stims and their mental health needs to be valued in addition to family shame at “how it might look” to those on the outside (Houting, 2019).
Houting, J. D., (2019, September). Why everything you know about autism is wrong. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/jac_den_houting_why_everything_ you_know _about_autism_is_wrong
Keenan, M., Dillenburger, K., Moderato, P., & Röttgers, H.-R. (2010). Science for Sale in a Free Market Economy: But at What Price? Aba and the Treatment of Autism in Europe. Behavior & Social Issues, 19(1), Pages 126–143.
Kirkham, P. (2017). “The line between intervention and abuse’’ - autism and applied behaviour analysis.” History of the Human Sciences, 30(2), Pages 107–126.
Cognitive Characteristics
Many of the characteristics of ASD are inter-related. Approximately 60% of autistic children also have language problems in receptive and expressive language skills. This complicates social interactions because it is common for the child to be misunderstood due to not pronouncing their words in ways clearly identifiable to others. It is also often the case that individuals with autism have trouble deciphering speech of others. Some individuals get frustrated paying such close attention to be able to comprehend others’ speech that they may give up at times and “tune out”. Many caretakers are hurt and frustrated when this happens, not understanding how much work the individual expends to understand casual speech. Many autistics also experience “word-salad” or an inability to organize their speech into patterns easily digested by their listeners. About 25% of autistics use no or few words. It is very common for autistic individuals to know what they are trying to convey in their minds, but be unable to articulate the thoughts out loud. EBB: For individuals who are hampered socially by their language ability, speech therapy is very important to help those people in their comprehension and expression of language. It is also important for autistic people to learn how to self-advocate for their needs, such as captions on a movie screen or someone to speak clearly and slowly to be understood (Kjellmer, Fernell, Gillberg, Norrelgen, 2018).
Individuals with autism vary widely in cognition. Approximately half of individuals with autism have average or impaired intelligence. Quite a number of individuals with autism also have intellectual disability, but it should be noted that the DSM-V specifically requires that an intellectual disability not be a better explanation for ASD traits than an autism diagnosis as these are two separate issues (Kjellmer, Fernell, Gillberg, Norrelgen, 2018). Individuals with autism are significantly more likely to also suffer from anxiety compared to neuro-typical individuals. Autistics often have restrictive interests and experience anxiety when they are not allowed to pursue these interests. Many autistics Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) are more socially aware than their male peers, but not able to engage in the ways they feel they should be. This awareness combined with a perceived ineptitude frequently leads to high levels of anxiety for those who desire for peer interactions but cannot manage to maintain peer friendships and relationships. This becomes more noticeable for girls in late elementary school and middle school and boys when they desire to date (Margari, Palumbi, Peschechera, Craig, de Giambattista, Ventura, Margari, 2019).
Kjellmer, L., Fernell, E., Gillberg, C., Norrelgen, F. (2018). Speech and language profiles in 4- to 6-year-old children with early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2415-2527.
Margari, L., Palumbi, R., Peschechera, A., Craig, F., de Giambattista, C., Ventura, P., Margari, F. (2019). Sex-Gender Comparisons in Comorbidities of Children and Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry 10:159.
Many of the characteristics of ASD are inter-related. Approximately 60% of autistic children also have language problems in receptive and expressive language skills. This complicates social interactions because it is common for the child to be misunderstood due to not pronouncing their words in ways clearly identifiable to others. It is also often the case that individuals with autism have trouble deciphering speech of others. Some individuals get frustrated paying such close attention to be able to comprehend others’ speech that they may give up at times and “tune out”. Many caretakers are hurt and frustrated when this happens, not understanding how much work the individual expends to understand casual speech. Many autistics also experience “word-salad” or an inability to organize their speech into patterns easily digested by their listeners. About 25% of autistics use no or few words. It is very common for autistic individuals to know what they are trying to convey in their minds, but be unable to articulate the thoughts out loud. EBB: For individuals who are hampered socially by their language ability, speech therapy is very important to help those people in their comprehension and expression of language. It is also important for autistic people to learn how to self-advocate for their needs, such as captions on a movie screen or someone to speak clearly and slowly to be understood (Kjellmer, Fernell, Gillberg, Norrelgen, 2018).
Individuals with autism vary widely in cognition. Approximately half of individuals with autism have average or impaired intelligence. Quite a number of individuals with autism also have intellectual disability, but it should be noted that the DSM-V specifically requires that an intellectual disability not be a better explanation for ASD traits than an autism diagnosis as these are two separate issues (Kjellmer, Fernell, Gillberg, Norrelgen, 2018). Individuals with autism are significantly more likely to also suffer from anxiety compared to neuro-typical individuals. Autistics often have restrictive interests and experience anxiety when they are not allowed to pursue these interests. Many autistics Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) are more socially aware than their male peers, but not able to engage in the ways they feel they should be. This awareness combined with a perceived ineptitude frequently leads to high levels of anxiety for those who desire for peer interactions but cannot manage to maintain peer friendships and relationships. This becomes more noticeable for girls in late elementary school and middle school and boys when they desire to date (Margari, Palumbi, Peschechera, Craig, de Giambattista, Ventura, Margari, 2019).
Kjellmer, L., Fernell, E., Gillberg, C., Norrelgen, F. (2018). Speech and language profiles in 4- to 6-year-old children with early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2415-2527.
Margari, L., Palumbi, R., Peschechera, A., Craig, F., de Giambattista, C., Ventura, P., Margari, F. (2019). Sex-Gender Comparisons in Comorbidities of Children and Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry 10:159.
