-       The severest expression of impaired communication or language abilities for children who an ASD is the silent child who has a vocabulary of sounds, but of words. In the next area of the communication spectrum, vocalizations can occur, but speech often requires an external prompt.

-       In the next area on the spectrum ASD level 1 according to DSM-5 the child has remarkable verbal fluency and vocabulary but encounters significant problems with the pragmatic aspects of language.

Cognition:

-       This spectrum starts with the child who has profound learning difficulties and a significant intellectual impairment as assessed on a standardized intelligence scale. 

-       The next stage is the child who is familiar with and has relatively advanced skills in such activities as construction toys or jigsaw puzzles.

-       Academic abilities such as reading or mathematics may be self-taught and sometimes the child is precocious in these areas. In contrast, some children with ASD have significant difficulties with reading and number skills despite an IQ that suggests that such abilities are within their intellectual capacity.  

-       Although autism is considered a neurodevelopment disorder not all aspects of the brain functioning are necessarily adversely affected. Approx. 10% of children with autism develop savant characteristics that is remarkable abilities compared to the child’s overall ability.

Special interests

-        Children with ASD are known for having wide range of intense of special interests that can change in focus and complexity over the years

-       The first stage is preoccupation with parts of objects.

-       The next stage is acquisition of information and remembering facts about a topic or concept

-       The complexity and number of interests vary according to the child’s development level and intellectual capacity. Over time there is a progression to multiple and more abstract or complex interests. This domain of the child with ASD level 1 according DSM-5

Sensory Sensitivity

-       The spectrum of sensory sensitivity is the dimension of ASD that we know least about empirically. 

-       In the severest expression the child appears to be living in a “war zone” with sudden explosion of excruciating noises, visual sensation that are blinding, and touch and aromas that are perceived as extremely aversive and frightening. 

-         As a future teacher it should be known that there can also be a sensitivity to the degree of natural light or artificial light. Certain lights you have in the classroom can be a trigger for someone with ASD.

-       The continuum of sensory sensitivity can also include a lack of visible response to certain sensory experiences. 

o   For example, the child might not communicate pain when injured or indicate medical problems as severe as a fracture. 

-       Sensory meltdown is when sensory experiences have be overwhelming and unavoidable.

Expression of emotions:

-       DMS-5 diagnostic criteria refer to a deficit in social-emotional reciprocity. 

-       A thorough assessment of a child with an ASD should include an evaluation of the child’s ability to express reciprocal emotions as well as to label and describe emotions in others and himself and to express and manage intense emotions, especially anxiety, anger, and despair.

-       Level 1 requiring support

o   Social communication: Without support in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments. 

o   Restricted, repetitive Behaviors: inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. 

-       Level 2 requiring substantial support

o   Social Communication: Marked deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills, social impairments apparent even with support in place. 

o   Restricted, repetitive behavior: Inflexibility of behavior, difficulty coping with change or other restricted/repetitive behaviors appear frequently enough to be obvious to casual observer and interfere with functioning in a variety of contexts.

-       Level 3 Requiring very substantial support

o   Social Communication: Severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills cause severe impairments in functioning

o   Restricted, repetitive behaviors: inflexibility of behavior, extreme difficulty coping with change