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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interactions, communication skills, fixated interest, and repetitive behaviors.
IDEA '04 defines Autism as a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction.Resistance to change, need for a daily schedule, and unusual sensory responses are also common characteristics. Autism that doesn't affect educational disturbance is qualified as emotional disturbance.

defined. An important note is even though these two disabilities are the same Autism is defined by IDEA '04, U.S. Department of Education, and The Office of Head Start and ASD is defined by the American Psychiatric Association, DSM-5, The CDC and Autism Speaks.

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There are other disorders under ASD:

Asperger's disorder/syndrome

Pervasive Development Mental Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

Childhood disintegrative disorder

Rett's disorder/syndrome

ASD Severity Levels:

Level 1- High Functioning. Requires support, difficulty initiating social interaction, inflexibility of behavior, and difficulty switching activities.

Level 2- Autism. Substantial support, marked deficits with social interactions, inflexibility of behavior, difficulty coping with change, and repetitive behavior.

Level 3- Severe. Very substantial support required, severe deficits with social interaction and communication, inflexibility of behavior, extreme difficulty coping with change, and their repetitive behavior interferes with functioning.

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Autism has effects on mannerisms and behaviors that can not be controlled and can have effects on relationships.
Social-emotional reciprocity- They don't initiate interaction or respond/engage.
Nonverbal social communication- Do no keep eye contact, have atypical body language, and difficulty interpreting or displaying facial emotion.
Due to uncontrollable difficulties understanding and engaging in relationships, along with the need for structure and uncontrollable repetitive actions, people with autism often experience strain in relationships; even with their parents. That is why awareness is important.

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There are many accommodations that can be made to help students with autism keep up and feel comfortable in the classroom.

1. Explicit and differentiated instruction. Leaving no room for confusion or questions can relieve anxiety.

2. Behavioral Therapy. This should include formal analysis, assessment, and intervention plan.

3. Visual Supports. A visual schedule, videos, visual clocks or timers, and printing.

4. Auditory Supports. Giving auditory cues and warnings.

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People with ASD can inflict self-injury or demonstrate aggression on others. Often times communication struggles cause frustration.
There are also many health concerns. People with ASD are more likely to have seizures, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and nutritional deficits due to food aversions. Pica, for example, is only eating non-food items (mashed potatoes, pudding, sticks, grass, etc.,)

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A resource I personally suggest is reading The Reason I Jump which would help parents and teachers understand what it is like to be in the mind of someone with Autism.

There are support groups on Facebook for parents, to help give them tips on things that work and to show them they are not alone.

www.nea.org has resources for teachers of students with autism

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VitalSource Bookshelf Online. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/

National Education Association. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2020, from http://www.nea.org/