Autism Spectrum Disorder: Origins, Theories, Diagnoses and Interventions for School-based Settings

"Autism is as much a part of humanity as is the capacity to dream." - Kathleen Seidel Introduction:   Welcome! My name is Christian Avard. I am a graduate student at Rivier University in Nashua, N.H. I am pursuing a Masters in Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling, grades K-12. I currently work as a second-grade paraprofessional at an elementary school in Sullivan County, New Hampshire.  Purpose for my blog:   Are you a new teacher who's working with a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the elementary school level? Are you looking for answers how to work, how to communicate, and how to make a positive difference in ASD student lives? My hope is to provide you with answers to all of the above. I hope to provide you with basic knowledge of ASD, basic interventions that work, and a resource guide for everyone (especially parents) that people can turn to for information.  We aren't powerless. Knowledge is power. Learn how to be the best teacher with ASD elem...

From the beginning:  For those of you who have never worked with an adolescent diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), don't worry. You're not alone!  My goal is to walk you through the basics so you know how to effectively teach students with ASD.  What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disorder that is diagnosed early (typically by age 3). Children with ASD are characterized by difficulties in social development, showing impairments in basic skills necessary for building a theory of mind  (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020, p. 640) .   The image below are common characteristics of students with ASD. Click on the image to enlarge.                                                            ...

When Was It First Identified?   In his 1943 seminal work "Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact," psychiatrist Leo Kanner described autism as a distinct condition (Elias, 2024). Kanner observed 11 children with similar behavioral patterns. He observed that these children had difficulty forming social connections and maintaining relationships ( Rosen et al., 2021) .  He also noted they had limited language skills and struggled with nonverbal communication (Rosen et al., 2021). Kanner described repetitive behaviors such as hand flapping and body rocking (Rosen et al., 2021). He also observed that these children had a strong need for sameness and resisted changes to routine (Rosen et al., 2021).         Leo Kanner/Austism U.K. Independent Why Does It Matter? Kanner's paper was groundbreaking because it identified autism as a separate condition from other developmental disorders at that time (Elias, 2024). It was a groundbreaking study that first rais...

  Exon Publications Theories That Explain ASD: Developmental Psychopathology We know Leo Kanner published the first seminal work on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Kanner concluded that ASD was a neurodevelopmental disorder (a condition that affects the development and functioning of the brain). There is one theory that explains ASD well: Developmental Psychopathology .  Developmental Psychopathology Theory is the study of how psychological disorders develop over time. Developmental Psychopathology views ASD as a deviation from typical development that emerges early in life, arising from complex interactions of biological factors, environmental factors, and cognitive processes where key social and communication difficulties manifest as a result of disruptions in normal trajectories. Developmental Psychopathology Theory emphasizes studying how ASD symptoms develop over time within the context of of a child's overall development (Fein et al., 2021), ( Developmental Psychopatholo...

Creative Commons Zero 1.0 https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/  How is ASD Diagnosed? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the national public health agency of the United States, diagnosing ASD relies on two main sources of information: #1. Parents' or caregivers' descriptions of their child's development; #2. A professional observation of the child's behavior ( Clinical Testing and Diagnosis for Autism Spectrum Disorder , 2024).  The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual , 5th edition (or DSM-5) provides a standard criteria to help diagnose ASD. DSM-5 is a common diagnostic used by special educators and other qualified personnel in elementary education. The following is a brief overview of DSM-5.  DSM-5 Explained: The CDC states that a student must show evidence of the following to be diagnosed with ASD. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts; ...

  Interventions to Treat ASD: Applied Behavior Analysis Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a behavioral therapy method widely used to treat individuals with ASD. It focuses on identifying and modifying behaviors by reinforcing desired actions and decreasing problematic ones  ( Treatment and Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder , 2024). The core principal is to reward positive behaviors while minimizing the negatives. The benefits of ABA include improved communication skills, enhanced social interaction, and an overall reduction in challenging behaviors ( Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) , 2023), (Bhandari, 2023). Researchers conducted a comprehensive overview of ABA's effectiveness. They examined eight categories including cognitive, language, social/communication, problem behavior, adaptive behavior, emotional, autism symptoms, and quality of life outcomes. Improvements were observed across seven of the eight outcome measures.   Due to the increasing prevalence of AS...

  Interventions to Treat ASD: Peer Mediated Interventions Peer Mediated Interventions (or PMIs) are interventions that teach "normally developing peers to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) participate in social interactions.  PMIs can be beneficial for children and adolescents with ASD for several reasons. First, peers can model appropriate social behaviors. Second, peers often are readily accessible in school settings to act as intervention agents, and third, children with ASD can use peers to practice their newly acquired social skills  (Chang & Locke, 2016). Interventions are needed to build peer interaction skills of children with ASD. PMIs generally fall into two categories. Direct training is the most common of the two, in which social skills training is provided directly to the child with autism, either in groups or individual context.  Peer-mediated models, on the other hand, focus intervention on the peers of the child with ASD.  In ...

  Simple Strategies for Teachers and Parents Alike As educators we deal with academic and behaviors challenges with students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It's important to have some strategies on hand to deal with both areas of concern.  Academic Strategies  Visual Supports:  Visual supports help students with ASD focus on the task at hand. They provide clarity, supporting focus, and provide structure and predictability.   Using visual aids like pictures, posters, erasable writing boards, written-out schedules, color-coded prompts, etc. For more on visual supports and their usage, click here. Structured Teaching: Students with ASD  are sensitive to abrupt changes in routine and will learn best in routine situations. Therefore, whenever possible, it is most effective to maintain a predictable routine when teaching children with autism. This ensures that each child will know what is coming next so that they can anticipate and prepare.  ...

    I hope my blog posts on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have given you a broader picture of what you can do as a teacher or as a parent. I've included additional resources of organizations leading the way on ASD awareness in schools and families alike. Click on the links below for more information. It's been a pleasure to inform you about this issue.  Christian Avard cavard@rivier.edu CNSL-505-AO1.SP25 ASD Educational Resources Organization for Autism Research National Education Association (NEA) Autism Speaks Autism Society V ideo: Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Teacher's Guide to Supporting Students ASD Family Resources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Autism Speaks Autism Society New Hampshire Family Voices Video: Free Resources for Parents of Children with Autism - Five Resources You Didn't Know

  References Al-Huseini, S., Al-Barhoumi, A., Al-Balushi, M., Al-Hosni, A., Al-Mahrouqi, T., Al-Mahrizi, B., Jaju, S., & Mizra, H. (2022, January 31). Effectiveness and Adverse Effects of Risperidone in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Naturalistic Clinical Setting at a University Hospital in Oman (S. Salloum-Asfar, Ed.). Autism Research and Treatment . 10.1155/2022/2313851 Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) . (2023, August 16). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 17, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25197-applied-behavior-analysis Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) . (n.d.). Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved February 17, 2025, from https://www.massgeneral.org/children/autism/lurie-center/autism-diagnostic-observation-schedulesecond-edition-ados2 Autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis of executive function. (2017, 25 April). Molecular Psychiatry , 23 (5), 1198-1204. 10.1038/mp.2017.75 Bhandari, S. (202...