1. The Basics of Autism
Spectrum Disorders
Training Series
Regional Autism Advisory Council of
Southwest Ohio (RAAC-SWO)
RAAC Training Committee 2011

2. Training Series Modules
 Module One: Autism Defined, Autism Prevalence
and Primary Characteristics
 Module Two: Physical Characteristics of Autism
 Module Three: Cognition and Learning in Autism
 Module Four: Getting the Student Ready to Learn
 Module Five: Structuring the Classroom
Environment
 Module Six: Using Reinforcement in the Classroom

3. Training Series Modules
 Module Seven: Autism and Sensory Differences
 Module Eight: Sensory in the Classroom
 Module Nine: Communication and Autism
 Module Ten: Communication in the Classroom
 Module Eleven: Behavior Challenges and Autism
 Module Twelve: Understanding Behavior in
Students with Autism

4. Training Series Modules
 Module Thirteen: Social Skills in the School
Environment
 Module Fourteen: Functional Behavior Assessment
 Module Fifteen: Working Together as a Team
 Module Sixteen: Autism and Leisure Skills to
Teach
 Module Seventeen: Special Issues of Adolescence
 Module Eighteen: Safety and Autism
 Module Nineteen: Special Issues: High School,
Transition, and Job Readiness

5. Training Series Modules
 Module Twenty: Asperger Syndrome: Managing and
Organizing the Environment
 Module Twenty-One: Asperger Syndrome:
Addressing Social Skills

6. The next few slides will
introduce some of the
physical challenges of
students with ASD

7. Pain Differences
 Even if the student can talk, they may not be able to
tell you when they are sick or in pain.
 The student may not seem to notice cuts or bruises
or other injuries.
 The student may seem to be only slightly
uncomfortable even with major injuries.
 The student seems slightly ill even with a serious
illness.

8. Possible Signs of Pain
 The student may have new behaviors that
are different or unusual.
 They may be quieter than usual or may be very
still.
 They may try to hurt or hit themselves.
 They may try to hurt someone else.

9. Stomach or Digestion Problems
 It is believed that up to 70% of all people with ASD
have some type of stomach or digestion problems.
 Some people may have reflux or heartburn.
 Some people may have problems with constipation.
 Some people may have problems with frequent
diarrhea.

10. Stomach or Digestion Problems
 If the student has stomach or digestion problems
they may have behaviors because they are
uncomfortable.
 They may not be able to tell you when their
stomach hurts.
 Sometimes the one way to tell that the student
has stomach pain is if they are bent over or
have difficulty standing up straight when they
are walking.

11. Eating Problems
 Some students with ASD are very picky eaters.
 Some reasons for being picky are
 because they don’t like the way the food feels in
their mouth.
 because the smell of the food may bother them.
 because they don’t like the sound the food makes
when they chew it.
 because they have reflux and that makes them not
want to eat.

12. Eating Problems Continued
 Some students with ASD seem to be always
hungry.
 They may seem to be hungry because they don’t
feel full even if they have eaten a lot of food.
 Some students may be hungry because of a
medicine they are taking.
 Some individuals eat because they don’t have a
lot of other things to do with their time.

13. Eating Problems Continued
 Some children eat things that are not food.
This is called pica.
 This is a very dangerous behavior.
 The things they eat are things that we might
think would taste awful.
 We don’t understand why they eat these
things.
 Usually an expert is needed to work on this
behavior.
 We need to watch the student carefully to
keep them from eating these items.

14. Sleep Problems
Some children with autism have a hard time sleeping.
 Some have a hard time falling asleep.
 Some wake up during the night.
 Some have severe sleep apnea that causes them
to have a hard time breathing.

15. Sleep Problems Continued
 If they are awake at night, they may wander around.
This can be dangerous.
 If they do not sleep at night, they may fall asleep
during the day.
 They may be grouchy during the day because they
are tired.

16. Ideas to Help with Sleep Problems
Some ideas for team members to discuss together with
family if sleeping behavior is a concern:
 Talk about a regular bedtime routine.
 Suggest activities before bedtime are calming activities.
 Recommend to families to report sleep problems to their
doctor because it may be a sign of illness.
 Discuss the sleep environment which may affect the way
their child is sleeping (i.e. noise, light, temperature, bed
clothing, etc.)

17. Seizures
 Some children with ASD have seizures.
 Some students with ASD may not develop
seizures until they are teenagers.
 If a child has seizures and is on medicine to stop
seizures, it is important that they always take
their medication.
 If a seizure lasts for more five minutes you need
to call 911.

18. Big Idea
If a person with ASD acts as if they
don't feel well, pay very close
attention. Any sudden, dramatic
change in behavior should be
considered a possible sign of pain or
illness.