# data[].attributes.body
Ciara, I also gained a lot of insight during this weeks assignments. They were very in depth and it allowed me to see much more about ASD than what I have usually been presented with. It also gave me such a better understanding of how people with ASD percieve the world around them. What they think and just a deeper explanation on why the react to certain things the way they do.

Mary, I enjoyed reading your first take away. It also really appreciated that the lady took us through different life stages of autism. Starting with younger people and then going up to a couple barely moving in together. It really showed how different they can be despite having the same disabilites. The younger one is in drama to try and better his social interactions, as for the couple, they would much rather stay in than go socialize with others. It showed me the different stages of life and how they percieve things. It was all very intersting to say the least.

# data[].attributes.body
Take Away #1: The video 'Living with Autism', was really interesting to watch. There were many aspects which suprised me. Starting off with Kenny and his special ability. It was really interesting to see. I liked how they asked Kenny if he saw anything in his mind when asked the question. If he saw the calender or any sort of picture which would help him identify the day of the week. It was really insightful to know that the day just pops up in his head when he hears a date.
Take Away #2: The article that I read on ASD helped me understand ASD a little bit further. This article stated that half of the time, people with ASD are not given the proper environment to do things or to experiment new things. It also discussed the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness when it comes to this disability. What I appreciated most from this article was the insight on Self-Determination Theory (SDT). This helped me understand what must go into the process of helping people with autism help themselves. Providing adequete services and support for them to gain this determinaiton and motivation that the theory discusses.

Block, M., Whaley, D., Johnson, M., Judge, J. (2022). Utilizing Self-Determination Theory to Promote Physical Activity in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Palaestra, 36(3). 52-57 https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=88768a15-bf38-4dc1-8636-a50d31c148f5%40redis

# data[].attributes.body
Response #1 to Kathleen Dahl
I found this video very interesting and eye opening. I too also thought the Triangle social scenario was interesting. Watching the experiment you can see that everyone has a different thought and explanation of what is happening. Some more detailed than others. But thinking back to the video where the professor is speaking with the mom and her son and the son is wondering the what, why and how autism develops. He provides his own definition " Peoples brains are different". We can clearly see this in the triangle experiment.
Response #2 to Vanessa Child's, vaccinations has definitely become a hot topic especially with the development of possible autism. But I wonder why vaccinations and the link to possible autism have side effects in one person but none in another person? What is different now than when I got my vaccinations?
Kathleen Dahl and Vanessa Child's thank you for posting your insightful information.

# data[].attributes.body
Response to Lindsey
I agree training is key as well as best practices. The more information the better instructional decisions I can make for my students. One of my SPTAs and I were wondering why the KIDS program is 5 full days and though this class it stated the recommended instruction is 25 hours per week. This is a high amount of house a week for a 3-4 year old. But with strong training and using research based instruction/interventions the students are able to be successful.

# data[].attributes.body
Response to Norma-
It does seem as though the beginning of school and the end of school are the scariest and toughest for families. In the beginning once the diagnosis is made it can be difficult to navigate the options the child and family have. Also as students "age out" of school it can be difficult to know what is best.

# data[].attributes.body
Take Away 1-
I chose an article "The Diagnostic Period for Autism: Risk and Protective Factors for Family Quality of Life in Early Childhood" by Rivard, M., Morin, D., Coulombe, P. et al.
The article looked at how families navigate assessment,  a diagnosis and early interventions. My take away was how long of a waiting list many places have to just assess a child. Then once the assessment is complete accessing the "right" or "appropriate" intervention services is the next challenge. Each of these can effect the quality of family life. It can add stress and uncertainty which impacts how a family interacts and functions. It is definitely a challenge to determine which interventions are best for the child as well as what works for family life. For example if both parents work then a half day program may not work for the child or a full day program if the child needs before or after school care. Also, trying to juggle multiple therapies is a challenge as well.

Take Away 2:
My second take away came from the slides. It is interesting that there is no "one" cause of autism. Also once students "age out" of school the options that are available to families and are the options realistic and appropriate for the child?

# data[].attributes.body
Using Two Formats of a Social Story to Increase the Verbal Initiations and On‑Topic Responses of Two Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Nicole Anthony & Jonna Bobzien
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2022) 52:4138–4149
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05298-w
The following article related much to what this week's slides and video were about.
The first takeaway is: autism is difficulty demonstrating appropriate communication skills. This was evident in the slides, video and this article. Communication is difficult for individuals with ASD. What I found interesting is how and the ways communication effects people differently.
The other takeaway and again this was evident in all learning this week is how to provide interventions. One of the main ways to help with communication is through social stories. The article used two different types of social stories. The first is the use of technology and the other paperback. What was discovered is that the participants preferred using the IPAD rather than the paperback.
Another thing the article discussed is the struggle for individuals with ASD to transition into post secondary education. Again, this was related to break down and the misunderstanding of communication skills and that some people just think differently. I like in the video how the young man wanted to know why and what causes it and he gave his own explanation "peoples brains are different". I think that is so important and helps to guide us in better understanding of Autism.

# data[].attributes.body
Ciara- I enjoyed learning about the daily lives of what people with autism experience. There are so many levels and skills that people possess and I find it so interesting the more I learn.

Danielle-
I too am interested in learning more about early intervention. I can see why it can be hard to diagnose infants, especially because at that age it is harder to recognize if there is a development or educational delay.

# data[].attributes.headline
Alysha McCord- Living with Autism Response

# data[].attributes.subject
Alysha McCord- Living with Autism Response

# data[].attributes.body
I found this video beautiful. This woman's dedication to her research focused on what people with Autism are capable of more than what they lack. There are so many talents that exist within the Autistic brain. When mentioning what they are uncapable of such as social interactions, she mainly focused that their perception is different rather than "not able". I found it interesting that people with Autism study the people around them to mimic social interactions. Overall I really loved the video and found it very informational.

# data[].attributes.body
Daisy,
I agree that most teachers, without proper training, would be hesitant to teach a child with autism. Knowing what I know now, I would tell them that they should find out more about this child to discover his abilities, interest and possible talents. There may be a way for this child to bring a new level of intellectuality to the classroom dynamic.

# data[].attributes.headline
Ciara Espinoza My thoughts on living with autism

# data[].attributes.subject
Ciara Espinoza My thoughts on living with autism

# data[].attributes.body
After completing the slides and the videos, I have a much deeper understanding of autism. I have always heard many characteristics about people with autism but to see it in the videos gave me more perspective. I can see how difficult it could be to relate to others or to understand others, who do not have autism. There is so much, yet so little, understanding about autism so it can be challenging to find the perfect form or intervention or assistance to help improve the life of a person with autism. However, because of the growing rates of people diagnosed with it, it seems to be less isolating and more of an opportunity to join a community of people who life each day successful with ASD.

# data[].attributes.body
Isn't that amazing that now we can usually determine if a child is Autistic by the age of 2? My Son is going to turn 22 tomorrow and is Autistic. He was previously diagnosed on on the old DSM as PDD and then Asperger's. So when we watched this video, this really hit home with me. If we think about it, my son is only 22 and Autism, what we know of it and how we describe it, has changed so much. It took my son until 5th grade to get a diagnosis and now we can have children by the age of 2 be diagnosed. I think that can be a blessing for the parents so at least they can somewhat understand what is going on. Thank you for your post.

# data[].attributes.body
The article I read was focused on identifying ASD in Early Childhood and implementing early interventions. What I found most interesting from this article was the lack of research and evidence of diagnosis in preschool aged children.  It seems that in ECE programs educators do not typically appear to be specifically trained in either ASD or its evidence-based interventions as a routine feature of professional preparation.
As a preschool teacher I can confirm this. When ever I suspect that a child may be on the spectrum, I am often told that it is too early to determine this because they are still developing language and cognitive abilities.

Article : https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1238400&authtype=sso&custid=s2892362&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Maich, K., Davies, A. W. J., Penney, S. C., Butler, E., Young, G. D., & Philpott, D. (2019). Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Early Education and Care: The Earlier We Begin Together, the Better. Exceptionality Education International, 29(3), 77–91.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
First, please try resetting your password here.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mary Durham response to Daisy Meza Take away 2

# data[].attributes.subject
Mary Durham response to Daisy Meza Take away 2

# data[].attributes.body
You are right some teachers are nervous about having students with ASD in their classroom. It is such a wide spectrum you are not sure how severe the student is. I think that sometimes the label hurts the student before they can even get to the classroom in that regard. you have said it well that just like everyone, they have different strengths and weaknesses. I think if the teacher could meet the student and parent before school and find out information and get to know that child, that would alleviate a lot of stress for the teacher when school starts. Thank you for your post.

# data[].attributes.body
#1 My thoughts on living with Autism:
I enjoyed watching the video and that she took us through many ages of life through individuals with Autism. Not only did she talk about Autism, but she got the individuals who have ASD, their thoughts on it as well. I think that a lot of times I have seen people talk about ASD, but never have individuals who have ASD talk about it themselves.
The boy who is in drama could seem like he understands others because he does well in that area. However, when talking with him one on one we realize that he still struggles with interacting with people, "small talk".  This would be exhausting as so much of what we learn is through interacting with others. I think that is what hit me the hardest. If we didn't have the ability to have that piece of the brain to work, how difficult it would be in life to understand what was going on. It is not a wonder that many of individuals with ASD have depression.

#2 Peer reviewed article:
Dance movement-based intervention reduces stereotypical behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder.

This article was so interesting as it tried to find a way to minimize negative behaviors in the school system, such as tantrums, screaming, and throwing items. It postulated that dance movement could be helpful for those with ASD because it involves movement and music. It helped autistic children be aware of their bodies and self-sensings for 60 minutes. At the end of the study it did help lower negative behavior for the students. I think that this would be a great way for all the kids to be involved. I know that at least up until third grade in the school I work in there is dancing for brain breaks. I think that this is a great destresser for all students and will incorporate the students with ASD.

Ziadat, A. H., Alramamneh, A. K., & Al-Sabaylehr, O. A. (2021, November 30). Dance

movement-based intervention reduces stereotypical behavior in children with autism

spectrum disorder. European Journal of Educational Research. Retrieved March 3,

2023, from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=autism%2B&ff1=dtysince_2021&pg=25&id=EJ1352738

# data[].attributes.headline
Danielle Wolf's response to Brittney Salway

# data[].attributes.subject
Danielle Wolf's response to Brittney Salway

# data[].attributes.body
The doll experiment was very interesting to me as well. I knew that some characteristics of autism are only being able to identify your wants/needs, but I guess I didn't really think of how they don't understand the views and thoughts that others may have. This explains a lot and helped me have a visual representation of what it is like to live with autism.

# data[].attributes.headline
Danielle Wolf's response to Lindsey Robbins

# data[].attributes.subject
Danielle Wolf's response to Lindsey Robbins

# data[].attributes.body
I agree that there needs to be more training on different ways to teach children with ASD in a general education environment. It is unfortunate that inclusion. still to this day, is just a physical location. Often times, I see students who go into the general education environment for social skills, and the teacher and other students aren't interacting with them!!! It is almost like,"well, Johnny got his 15 min gen ed time". If all teachers got training and became familiar with PECS or other researched based methods, Johnny would feel truly included and able to interact with peers in a general education setting.

# data[].attributes.body
Response to Jennifer Yupangco
Thank you for sharing about the importance of maternal conditions during pregnancy and the idea that the MMR vaccine is one of the suspected reasons why children develop Autism.
I feel that with the number of children being diagnosed with Autism rising, prenatal care needs to be an important topic. Women need to know how important it is for them to take care of themselves while they are pregnant, and even before that. I wish as a country we were more health conscious and took our health more serious.
After this whole Covid 19 experience, I am now wondering if there could be a tie to the MMR vaccine. I feel like I experienced an era where the public was not told all of the correct Covid-19 information at the time and that little by little the truth is now coming out. It seems now that it would be very easy to "sweep under the rug" any links to MMR vaccines in children and the onset of ASD.

# data[].attributes.body
Response to "Services should be provided as soon as autism is suspected":
I agree that as soon as we suspect autism, the child and family should have every service available at their disposal. From my study of ASD this week, I have learned how important early intervention is and that students should be getting at least 25 hours a week of school. I am frustrated by this because I currently have a student with an ASD medical diagnosis, but his mother does not want him in a "class full of autistic children". The frustrating part for me is that my half day/4 days a week program only allows him to have 10 hours of instruction per week. This student is in daycare in the morning, comes to me from day care and then returns to daycare after our class is over. I feel he should be able to take advantage of the full day, 5 day a week Kid's program to get him all of the help he needs. If he were able to access the curriculum in my ECSE classroom, that would be different. I have other students with ASD that are with me in my program, but they do not share the same struggles as this other student, so I feel their placement in an ECSE program is appropriate. If I could help parents see how important early intervention is, perhaps they would change their mind. It is very frustrating to me.

# data[].attributes.body
After reading the study titled: Comparing parental stress of children with neurodevelopmental disorders: The case of William's syndrome, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders, I gained a better appreciation for what the families of my students go through on a daily basis. This article discussed the elevated stress parents are under when they have a child or multiple children with ASD. I thought it was interesting that parents of younger children with ASD were more stressed than parents of older children with ASD. The article stated that oftentimes behaviors of children with ASD will have improved as the child ages and that that helps with the parents' stress levels. Spending time with as a family also seemed to help parents feel better by increasing their "parental life satisfaction", perhaps due to the TD children acting as a buffer against the stress of raising a child with ASD. As the ASD child grows older, many parents begin to feel stressed as they begin to worry about their child as an adult with ASD. I really wish we could figure out a way to cure or reverse ASD in infants. I am hopeful that one day science will have found a way to protect children in utero against ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Take away #1-as teachers, we need to be patient and helpful with not only our students, but with their parents. Having a special needs child can be overwhelming and stressful. We have access to resources and information that could be helpful to parents and we need to be mindful of sharing that with them.
Take away #2-having a special needs child is stressful for the whole family and for the whole life of the special needs child. Just becuase they age out of pre-k does not mean that the child and their family no longer need special help. Letting parents know about resources as their ASD child grows up, such as career placement assistance and housing can alleviate a lot of parent stress for the future.

# data[].attributes.headline
2 Things I learned..-Peer Reviewed Article-Danielle Wolf

# data[].attributes.subject
2 Things I learned..-Peer Reviewed Article-Danielle Wolf

# data[].attributes.body
I am especially interested in early intervention, so I was excited when I came across an article on infant identification and intervention.  I was not surprised that early identification of children with autism is tricky.  However, it was interesting to learn that there is not a universal screening tool for diagnosis or identification of infants with the suspected disorder and there is not a clear consensus of traits that could be signs the disorder.  Furthermore,  I was surprised at the scarcity of early intervention trials and research. "To date, there have been only a handful of trials of ASD specific treatment in infancy, all delivered via parent coaching."(Tallbot & Miller, 2020).  Currently, there is no answer to the question of when to intervene and for whom in infancy.  In summary, what I learned when researching this subject was:
1. most agree that early intervention is effective, but not enough research has been done in infancy due to limitations.
2. no universal screening for infants

# data[].attributes.body
Sarah great take-aways! I find it interesting too on the amount of adults that have gone undiagnosed with autism for years. I think a lot of it comes from the fact that many people would think certain kids were just quirky. I think the term autism scared a lot of parents and they did not want their children labeled. We know a lot more about autism now than a couple years back. We have resources that a lot of parents did not know about. I think that early intervention is not talked about enough and every parent should know about it. I think there needs to be more information out to parents on the steps to take if they suspect autism or a developmental disability.

# data[].attributes.body
Vanessa, I also think it is confusing how it is recommended yet it does have a lot of questionable side effects. I think every parent just hopes for the best when it comes to vaccines because they do not know how their child's body will react to it. We still do not know what causes autism so we have to continue to encourage parents on the importance of early intervention. Early intervention does really work and help s a lot of children to have a successful start to their schooling.

# data[].attributes.body
Take away 1

After reading the article,”Early Interventionists’ Appraisals of Intervention Strategies for Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Peers in Inclusive Childcare Classrooms”, I was able to learn about effective intervention strategies that serve both children with autism as well as those without autism. Being in an early childhood classroom and having children with multiple disabilities can be challenging but if the right interventions are implemented it really eases each day and you are filled with successful stories of students accomplishing their goals. Some interventions might not work for children with autism however they might work for a child with developmental disabilities. As a teacher it is important to find those strategies that can be incorporated for both peers and children with autism. The article listed many different interventions but 8  strategies they used worked for both groups of children. Modeling tasks was a big strategy that worked for both groups of students.

Take away 2

Some teachers are nervous about having an individual with autism in their classroom. Incorporating fun and engaging activities help children with autism really open up and show their full potential. We have to keep in mind that every child with autism is different and they do not all have the same deficits and strengths. It is our job as teachers to help our students learn how to use those strengths to be successful.

# data[].attributes.headline
Brittney Salway's Reply to Sarah Cuison 

# data[].attributes.subject
Brittney Salway's Reply to Sarah Cuison 

# data[].attributes.body
I agree that more people need to be aware of the signs and symptoms in order to catch ASD early and start interventions. Though through my reading, I have found that they also believe that many people are misdiagnosed, or that the way we diagnose is bias since most are diagnosed by scales and judgment calls. I Believe there should be a universal agreement on a screening tool, and agreement on where on the scale a diagnoses should start.

# data[].attributes.headline
Brittney Salway's Response to Courtney Robertson 

# data[].attributes.subject
Brittney Salway's Response to Courtney Robertson 

# data[].attributes.body
I do it interesting that even with all the research that has been conducted, researchers still cannot find the for sure known cause. It is very interesting that they did have enough information to recategorize ASD.

# data[].attributes.body
Another take away I took from this week, was from the Video Living with Autism. During the segment where they were having the child listen to the story about the dolls, and the item being moved from one container to the next. I found it very interesting that young children without Autism were able to say that the doll would look in the place she left it, where the children with Autism couldnt, and would say it was in the place that it was put after the doll left. I never knew that part of Autism was the person not understanding that people have different views and thoughts of their own. It does help me better understand moments that I have seen in my classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
The first take away from this week learning was a better understanding of what students feel when they go into sensory overload. At the beginning of the powerpoint, we had to watch videos of what it was like to live with Autism. When I started to watch those videos, I had energy and was ready to start this weeks course work. After completing the activity, I feel like I was in sensory over load myself. I was unable to concentrate and complete the work needed to be done. I was frustrated and had to walk away from the assignments for the day. It made me really understand why my student tend to tantrum when they are in overload. It was difficult as an adult, with copy skills to regulate and move on.

# data[].attributes.headline
Lindsey Robbins reply to Sarah Cuison's take away #1

# data[].attributes.subject
Lindsey Robbins reply to Sarah Cuison's take away #1

# data[].attributes.body
It is fascinating that Autism symptoms usually appear in the first two years of life. I would imagine that new parents who are not familiar with typical behaviors of infants/toddlers, would have a hard time figuring it out so early on. Pediatricians play a big role in helping parents know developmental milestones. Early intervention is key!

# data[].attributes.body
Take away #1

The peer reviewed article I chose said “The outlook for many individuals with autism spectrum disorder today is brighter than it was 50 years ago; more people with the condition are able to speak, read, and live in the community rather than in institutions . . . ”(Johnson, 2021). I thought this was very interesting, but it goes on to talk about how we can still do better. Teachers need to be trained with a knowledge of Autism and be prepared to teach students on the spectrum. I have noticed personally that there are many students functioning in general education classrooms that are undiagnosed, but show many of the same characteristics as students with ASD. It is important that all teachers, not just special education teachers, be trained on ASD.

Take away #2

Without proper training, inclusion becomes a physical location instead of a fully inclusive educational environment. Teachers who are comfortable and familiar with using research based practices such as PECS, DTT, etc, have better self-efficacy and are more effective in teaching students with ASD.

# data[].attributes.headline
Lindsey Robbins response to Kathleen Dahl's take away #1

# data[].attributes.subject
Lindsey Robbins response to Kathleen Dahl's take away #1

# data[].attributes.body
I thought that the video of Kenny's calendrical calculator abilities was very fascinating as well. It is hard to imagine being able to do that! I would love to have the ability to do mental math like Kenny does. Some of my brightest students have been those with ASD.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kathleen Dahl’s response to “Services should be provided as soon as autism is suspected.”

# data[].attributes.subject
Kathleen Dahl’s response to “Services should be provided as soon as autism is suspected.”

# data[].attributes.body
From everything I have read including the article I chose titled, Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is advantageous for children with autism to begin interventions as early as possible. This provides the needed support to both the child and parents and by working as a team, strategies can be implemented to help the child reach his or her full potential.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kathleen Dahl's response to Sarah Cuison's Take Away #1

# data[].attributes.subject
Kathleen Dahl's response to Sarah Cuison's Take Away #1

# data[].attributes.body
I too find it interesting that some people are not diagnosed with autism until adulthood. In the video, Professor Uta Frith and her former PHD student explained that we are all on the spectrum but only those who exhibit autistic like traits that affect their functioning are tested and diagnosed with ASD. With this in mind, it is logical that some people are able to function well enough with the supports provided in early life that they are not diagnosed until later. As it was said in the video, “You withhold the diagnosis (of autism) unless there is a clinical need.” “The only thing that differentiates people in the general population from people who have a diagnosis is simply the number of autistic traits.”

# data[].attributes.body
Take away 1:
I was very intrigued by the video. Kenny’s calendrical calculator abilities are phenomenal, and it is interesting to me that when given a date he is able to name the day of the week with hardly a pause. He reported that he did not picture a calendar in his head but instead had the pattern of days in his head, even figuring for leap years. This reminds me of a four-year-old student I had who loved maps and could recall addresses. He was also able to do mental math and answer addition problems of doubles with automaticity.

Take away 2:
Professor Uta Frith speaks of an extra social sense that people with ASD do not have as they do not understand that other people have thoughts and beliefs that are different from theirs. She described the study that she did using triangle animations of social scenarios which were shown while people were having their brain scanned. The results showed that people with ASD had less brain activity in the part of the brain that is active while mentalizing. I find this fascinating and helpful in understanding the social struggles of my students with autism.

# data[].attributes.headline
Vanessa Childs's Response to : Early intervention take away 

# data[].attributes.subject
Vanessa Childs's Response to : Early intervention take away 

# data[].attributes.body
I like how you listed the services that kids with Autism can utilize. I teach inclusion and so it is nice to be reminded that so many services exist such as "speech therapy, occupational therapy, sensory integration, physical therapy....behavior analysis" etc. I'm not sure whose post this was, but thank you for listing them because not all kids need these services but it is great to know that they are out there.
-Vanessa Childs

# data[].attributes.headline
Vanessa Childs's response to:Jennifer Yupangco 

# data[].attributes.subject
Vanessa Childs's response to:Jennifer Yupangco 

# data[].attributes.body
I agree that services should be provided as soon as possible. Early detection means we can provide the necessary support and instruction that children with any type of challenges may need.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Take away: Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine is considered a risk.
I find it confusing that it is recommended we take it but yet there are so many questionable side-effects. Vaccinations are required for students in our school system and the theories are difficult to navigate. This is also relatable to the new Covid vaccinations that are encouraged. So much more research needs to be involved because we really do not know what the side-effects are in long term.

2. Take Away: No one really knows what causes autism or if there is a cause. in research, we talk about possibilities, but no real connections. However, the umbrella for Autism is so far and wide and so early response is key.

# data[].attributes.body
Take Away #1:
Autism symptoms usually appear in the first two years of life. If people are more aware of the symptoms and signs, children may be able to receive early interventions, and early intervention are key! One question that came to mind is how are so many adults diagnosed later on as autistic, but no-one saw the signs earlier in life or when they were children?

Take Away #2:
Autism has a spectrum from low to high and there are a number of useful diagnostic tools that professionals use to assess Autism. Usually symptoms are seen in three significant areas of development: communication, social-interaction and sensory integration.

# data[].attributes.body
Take away #1 reply:
Services should be provided as soon as autism is suspected.

It is shocking with how long it can take for some children to get the important early interventions that they need to provide them the support and skills to help them be successful later in life. Although incurable, it is so important for early intervention as soon as possible.

Take away #2 reply:
Pregnancy is an important environmental factor.

It surprises me how much research as been done for the causes of ASD and how little they are able to find or truly connect. The time a mother is pregnant is so important for the development of the child, so it would make sense to me for this to be a factor.

Reply by Courtney Robertson

# data[].attributes.body
Takeaway #1:

The first thing that resonated with me from the article was that an increase of popularity among non-evidence based interventions increased due to the availability of the exposure via public media and simultaneously had a steady decrease with evidence-based interventions. The article indicated that this was due to the general public being more familiar with the exposure of the non-evidence based practices. They attribute this to the “mere exposure” effect where people develop preferences for things based on what they are exposed to.

Takeaway #2:

Based on recent research, it has been found that ASD in individuals primarily involves the interhemispheric connectivity, which is the functional connectivity between one hemisphere to the corresponding areas in the other hemispher. Due to these findings, ASD has been recategorized as a neurobiological disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, although the cause of the dysfunction is still unknown.

By: Courtney Robertson

Article: Fleury, V., & Kemper, T. (2022, September). An Examination of Education Professionals' Beliefs About Causes of Autism and Their Perceptions of Practices. Sage Journals, 37(3), 135 - 198. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/10883576211073685

# data[].attributes.body
"Take Away 1: The article suggests that neuroinflammation, which is the inflammation of the brain, may play a role in the development of autism. Factors contributing to neuroinflammation include maternal inflammation during pregnancy, dietary deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids, and imbalances in gut microbiota."

I am fascinated by how the imbalances in our gut is becoming more and more popular these days. I certainly agree and I do think more research should be done so that we can be more aware of things we have to look out for and take care of so we can avoid or understand Autism more.- Jennifer Yupangco

# data[].attributes.body
"Take away 1: Services should be provided as soon as autism is suspected, even before a formal diagnosis; however, some programs have wait times from 6 months to a year and even then, the intensity of the program does not meet the recommended guidelines of 25 hours per week of interventions."-

I have no idea how to like a post or respond to a post but I agree with this take away. The earlier we detect Autism, the earlier we should start intervention. I think with the amount of therapy kids with autism need to take, it is important they start early. It is also important so they do not keep falling behind and are able to manage themselves emotionally too.- Jennifer Yupangco

# data[].attributes.body
My first take away is that maternal conditions and pregnancy is very big environmental factor when it comes to Autism. Although more research needs to be done. In this paper, different cases during pregnancy and after pregnancy were suspected to have caused Autism or risks in pregnancy.

My second take away is that the MMR vaccine is one of the suspected reasons why children developed Autism. Although I strongly believe that vaccination is important, it is worth doing more research to prove whether this vaccine can really cause Autism. Based on the article I have read, it seems like the accusation was eventually rejected, it is also important to know that people think that the vaccine caused autism because the age of onset of symptoms is similar to age of
vaccination.- Jennifer Yupangco

# data[].attributes.body
I agree that autism is very complex and that there are a multitude of factors contributing to autism. I like how you mentioned that all factors, both genetic and environmental, need to be taken into consideration when developing effective treatment options.

# data[].attributes.body
The idea of neuroinflammation playing a part in the development of autism is an interesting one. I am not familiar with that potential cause and it is something I will continue to look into to learn more.

# data[].attributes.body
Take away 1: Services should be provided as soon as autism is suspected, even before a formal diagnosis; however, some programs have wait times from 6 months to a year and even then, the intensity of the program does not meet the recommended guidelines of 25 hours per week of interventions.

Take away 2: Early intervention in a less restrictive environment leads to gains in IQ, adaptive functioning and language. Many types of services are available for these children, some of which include speech therapy, occupational therapy, sensory integration, physical therapy, behavioral program/applied behavior analysis, DIR/Floortime, 1:1 classroom aide, adaptive physical education, play therapy and special diet/vitamins.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Examining Services for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parent...: EBSCOhost

# data[].attributes.body
Take Away 1: The article suggests that neuroinflammation, which is the inflammation of the brain, may play a role in the development of autism. Factors contributing to neuroinflammation include maternal inflammation during pregnancy, dietary deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids, and imbalances in gut microbiota.

Take Away 2: Autism is a complex and multifactorial condition resulting from genetic and environmental factors interplay. Therefore, understanding the factors that contribute to autism and the mechanisms by which they operate is critical for developing effective treatments for this condition.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Neuroinflammation in Autism: Plausible Role of Maternal Inflammation, Dieta...