High Functioning Autism: Meet Our Panelists

A+ Solution’s is pleased to partner with Advanced Pediatrics and Who’s the Boss Parenting to bring you the following panel:

High Functioning Autism: Behavioral, Academic and Language Perspectives

When: Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Time: 7:30 PM

Where: Residence Inn by Marriot

3628 Park East Dr.

Beachwood, OH, 44122

This program will be moderated by:

Courtney Evenchik, MA. NCSP

Our panelists:

Dr. Arthur Lavin, MD.

Anna Fredman, MS. CCC-SLP

Nikki Jaras, MS., BCBA COBA

Favia Becker, Psy.S., NCSP

We asked our panelist the following question:

What do you think is the most important thing
that Parents and Professionals need to know about High Functioning Autism?
Here is what they said:

Anna Fredman, MS. CCC-SLP

From a language perspective, it is important to realize that social communication skills we take for granted do not come naturally to many individuals with high functioning autism, even if they seem to have strong verbal skills. We can’t assume that individuals with high functioning autism understand or are even aware of unspoken social rules that “neurotypical” children and adults know intuitively. Our abilities to look at a situation, infer social norms, read facial expressions, understand body language, and decipher the message from someone’s tone of voice, are just a few examples of the skills that these children and adults may have to learn through direct teaching and practice. To many individuals on the spectrum, these underlying social pragmatics can be like a whole second language to learn, layered on to the actual words we speak.

 Favia Becker, Psy.S., NCSP:

“From the education standpoint, it is important for parents
to know that children with High Functioning Autism are each unique and will require
their educational plan to be highly individualized to meet their needs
in the classroom setting.  These needs may address academic, social/emotional and/or behavioral skills that require further intervention and supports.  Students may also require more explicit instruction or more concrete representations of abstract concepts or ideas.  In addition, there is often a “hidden curriculum” for social norms or expectations which will need to be directly taught and applied to various contexts at school. ”

Nikki Jaras, MS BCBA COBA:

Individuals who present with high functioning autism can often be mistaken for having more capabilities to understand social cues and abstract concepts, when in fact these individuals may very well benefit from an additional social or visual cue for the situation. Examples of these misconceptions could range from struggling to politely indicate no thank you, or how to approach making peer friendships and relationships. Pairing intensive teaching around these concepts with natural environment teaching is a great way to practice responses to these scenarios as they would naturally occur. The natural environment also offers opportunities for sensitization and practice around a variety of experiences including the use of universal and portable coping skills. These supported opportunities to learn to adapt to a variety of environments can be very beneficial and facilitate successful interactions to increase predictability, flexible thinking, a reduction of anxious responses and positive social behavior.

Dr. Arthur Lavin, MD.:

High functioning autism reflects differences in brain and mind development that have an impact on a child and adult’s approach to connecting, communicating, and relating to other people. These differences have a physical explanation, but even typical mind function is too complex to have a clear grasp yet.

Before these puzzles are completely solved, we do have preliminary information that can help clear up confusion about the risk of a child developing any type of autism spectrum disorder has changed over the years, the role genetics plays, and the role environmental impacts play in causing the various types of autism spectrum disorder.

It is also helpful to know how the conditions now defined as autism spectrum disorders are defined.