Expert: James Michael Roan - 7/21/2009

Question
I have been a "yard duty" for two years now and I have observed a child with no real social skills, I thought he was a shy child who wouldn't speak to me. I was just offered a job to be a one on one aide for him as it turns out he has autism. I am being trained in a classroom full of severely autistic children and I am learning a lot. I think my question is how do I apply my training to this child who 'seems' to be very mild in his autism? He is in a general population classroom.

Answer
Hi Cindy;

My first suggestion is to read a little about Asperger's syndrome, which is a high functioning form of autism. I cannot list all of the characteristics here but will list a few:

1. These kiddos have a very concrete and literal thinking style and thus respond well to rules and do NOT respond well to the "situationality" of things. They are often bullied because other children quickly determine that these kids don't understand the hidden curriculum at school, those unarticulated rules of what you do and don't do. You can help him with that.

2. They have significant impairments with taking the perspective of other children often preferring the company of adults. They take every accidental encounter with peers as intentional and will react extremely. Their impaired executive functions prevent them from regulating emotions and behavior, and combined with a "black or white" mentality, they react strongly when reality does not line up with their expectations. You can help him with that by adding predictability to his schedule with a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and verbal cues and a Time Timer.

3. They also have sensory sensitivity to hair cutting, teeth brushing, lights, sounds, clothes tags, etc. These can add to emotional arousal and increased opportunity for breakdowns.

Dr. Tony Attwood has an extremely good book on this subject.

I hope this helps you a bit. These kids are wonderful to know and work with. They just need support and understanding by those of us who work with them. They are very loving and so desperately want to be liked and accepted. They just don't know quite how to do it when left on their own.

Kind regards,
James


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Bio

James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting assessment professional responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.