Basic Guidelines for Parents of Children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Information sheet

The National Autistic Society produces fact sheets on a wide variety of topics. These are available from our Autism Helpline and on our website.

The National Autistic Society 2003 Not to be reproduced without permission

The National Autistic Society 393 City Road London EC1V 1NG The National Autistic Society is a Company limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 1205298 Registered as a Charity. No. 269425 T: 020 7833 2299 E: nas@nas.org.uk www.nas.org.uk

It is not always easy for parents or other family members to take in all that a diagnosis of autism or Asperger Syndrome entails. It is with this in mind that these guidelines have been written: they will give you a brief overview of the Autistic Spectrum of Disorders and some tips on communicating with your child and managing his or her behaviour. For more in-depth information please consult the books listed in the recommended reading sections or call the NAS Autism Helpline on 0845 070 4004.

The Triad of Impairments

The Autistic Spectrum of Disorders (ASD) is a huge continuum and children may present their difficulties very differently. However, to have a diagnosis of autism all children will have difficulties in three main areas known as the triad of impairments. These areas are as follows

Communication

The impairment of communication may show itself in some or all of the following ways

Delayed or complete lack of development of spoken language, and no alternative modes of communication automatically developed to compensate for this In those with speech there may be an impaired ability to initiate or sustain a two-way conversation. You can often get the impression that the child is talking at you rather than to you. Stereo typed and repetitive use of language, often centring around childs special interest Child may be able to ask for their own needs but does not understand that words can be used to convey emotional and social information Poor comprehension of non verbal communication Literal understanding of words, no understanding of irony or sarcasm Pedantic speech Pro noun reversal (for example getting terms such as me you and them confused) Make factual comments often irrelevant to situation Impairment affects both expressive and receptive language Poor control of pitch, tone and intonation

Social Interaction
The impairment of social interaction may show itself in some or all of the following ways

Impaired use and understanding of non verbal behaviours, for example eye contact, facial expression and body postures Difficulty developing peer relationships Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, for example pointing Lack of social or emotional reciprocity Difficulty relating to others Any interaction is often very one sided

There appear to be three main types of impairment in social interaction in children with autism. These are as follows:

The aloof child who may appear rather withdrawn and indifferent to other people, and may be difficult to comfort when distressed The passive child who will not make spontaneous approaches to other people but will accept contact if initiated by others. The active but odd child who will approach other children spontaneously but this will often be in an odd or inappropriate manner. Often they may pay little attention to the responses of those they have approached.

Children can move from one interaction style to another as they develop.

Social imagination
The impairment of social imagination may show itself in some or all of the following ways.

Inability to play imaginatively with objects, toys or other people Tendency to select for attention minor aspects of things in the environment instead of an understanding of the whole picture. For example focusing on the wheel of a car instead of the whole vehicle. Difficulty empathising with other people or seeing things from another point of view Repetitive and stereotyped activities. These can take many different forms, from a very simple repetitive body movement, for example flicking fingers, to an intense attachment to certain objects, to a fascination with certain topics such as Star Wars, train time tables, dates and astronomy. Children with autism can be extremely rigid in their thinking and can have great difficulty coping with any change. They may insist on certain things being the same, for example people sitting in the same places at the dinner table or in the car, or going the same route to places.

Other Associated Difficulties often seen in Children with Autism

Motor Coordination
Some children with autism have difficulties with motor imitation and control. For example, they may have an odd posture or springy tiptoe walk. Some children may appear clumsy and have difficulty differentiating between left and right and up and down.