Nature and Needs Assessment #1

First Identification

1700

First recordings of a child that possibly had Austism. Other children during this time period were referred to as feral children and were recorded throughout Literature. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Identification: Theodore Hiller

1908

Theodore Hller from Vienna was identifying students who were exhibiting development delays and behavioral problems. He coined the term Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Identification: Hans Asperger

1940

1940- Hans Asperger completed a study in Vienna. He found that
The subjects were found to have average intellectual abilities. The students in his study struggled with communication, movement, and social pursuits. Asperger coined the term “Autistic Psychology” to describe the students in his study. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Etiology: Psycholological Factors

1940

1940's-1960's: Researchers believed that Autism was caused by psychological factors. A predominate theory was that Autism was caused by the parents and their lack of affection towards the child. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Identification: Leo Kanner

1943

1943- Research was completed on a group of children at John Hopkins University by a Psychiatrist named Leo Kanner. Kanner recognized that this particular group of children had the inability to have social relationships and behaviors that were perceived as rigid. Kanner coined the term Autism. He referred to them as “being self absorbed and self-satisfied” (As cited by Kanner, 1943). Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Identification: Asperger's Syndrom

1981

1981- Wing completed a study that coined the term Asperger’s Syndrome. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Etiology: Cerebellum

1988

1988, 1998, and 2000- Researchers found that there are differences in the size of the Cerebellum in individuals diagnosed with ASD. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Prevalence

1988

"Autism occurs three to four time more frequently in males than females (as cited by Bryson; Steffenberg Gillberg, Volkmar, Szatmarai, & Sparrow). Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Etiology: Neural Plasticity

1992

1992- Research by Courchesne found that neural plasticity may aid in the development of Autism. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Etiology: Brain Chemicals

1992

1992- Research completed by Campbell, Small, Anderson, Malone& Locasio showed that “some individuals with ASD have been found to have a higher production and turnover of dopamine (Heflin& Alaimo, 2007). Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007 . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Prevalence:

1996

"Autism is no longer considered rare, occurring more commonly than Down's Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, and several childhood cancers (as cited by Fombonne & Gillberg). Herbert, J., Sharp, I., Gardiano, B. (2002). Separating Fact from Fiction in the Etiology and Treatment of Autism. http://www.srmhp.org/0101/autism.html

Etiology: Memory

1997

1997- Research completed by Bauman recognized that people with Autism have an abnormal Representational Memory. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Etiology: Testing

2000

Researchers in the 2000’s used medical testing of the EEG, CT, PET, and MRI to produce neuroimaging to try to better understand the cause of Autism. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Etiology: Brain Stem

2003

Research 2003, 2004, and 2005 discovered that children with Autism keep their primitive reflexes longer than a normally developing child and that children with Autism reacted differently to sensory stimuli than other children of the same age. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson

Prevalence

2003

2003- Research by Fombonne found that that was a rate of Autism is 10 out of 10,000 individuals with the full spectrum having a rate of 27.5 out of 10,000 individuals. Heflin, J., Alaimo, D. (2007) . Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Upper Saddle River: Pearson