9/11/05
A Brief Summary of Autism and Assistive Technology
- Background
Autism is a severely handicapping disorder which begins at birth or within the first 3 years of life. It effects three times as many males as females and approximately ¼ to ½% of the population. There is no known cause of autism as of yet, though there is evidence to suggest it might be genetic, caused by a virus, caused by environmental pollution, or some combination of elements.
- Characteristics
Autistic individuals are often normal in physical appearance and can be distinguished only by their behavior. There are no blanket adjectives to describe all people with autism because there are so many forms of the disorder. Some individuals are anti-social, some are aggressive, approximately half have little or no language. Since there are no physiological tests at this time to determine whether a person has autism, the diagnosis of autism is given when an individual displays a number of characteristic behaviors. One common characteristic is 'perseverative' behavior or dependence on routine and inability to understand and cope with novel situations. Many autistic individuals have a sensory impairment. The impairments are diverse and range from hyper to hypo-sensitivity often making it difficult for the individual to withstand normal stimulation. Many also have a narrow attention span termed 'stimulus overselectivity'. This refers to a failure to attend to the relevant aspects of an object or person limiting the person's ability to learn about objects and people in the environment. About 10% of autistic people have savant skills, abilities deemed remarkable by most standards.
- Treatment
Only the most severely autistic individuals live in institutions. Some live with their parents, some in group homes, semi-independently or completely independently. There is no primary medication which has proven to be successful in treating autism, however some recommended treatments include Applied Behavior Analysis, vitamin B6 with magnesium supplements, and DMG. Applied Behavior Analysis brings multiple strategies together to positively reinforce appropriate behaviors. Vitamin B6 taken in conjunction with magnesium supplements has been shown to increase general well-being, awareness, and attention in approximately 45% of autistic children. DMG also may improve behavior and well being though it has not been as thoroughly studied.
- Assistive Technology
Autistic individuals utilize a number of different forms of assistive technology. Typically, people with autism process visual information easier than auditory information, therefore assistive devices for these individuals often pass information visually, focusing on their strongest processing area. Picture Communication Symbols are often used for visual learning of objects, names and relations between things. Some software applications that use images in this way are “Boardmaker” which includes a library of 3000 line drawings, and “Picture This” which uses photographs of real objects.
Research has shown that computers are quite useful in assisting autistic children to learn. Computers are predictable and consistent and allow the child to be independently in control of their learning process. Some autistic people require adaptive technology to interface with computers. Examples include touch screens, alternative keyboards with larger keys and image overlays, trackballs, and specialized software.
Other assistive technologies which have proven useful include videotaping, tape recorders, and overhead projectors. One technology device which has received a great deal of attention is Dr. Temple Grandin's “Hug Machine”. The machine consists of two padded side-boards which are hinged near the bottom to form a V- shape. The user lies down or squats inside the V, and by using a lever engages an air cylinder pushing the boards together. This action provides deep pressure across the body and results in a calming effect for many autistic individuals.
- Resources:
- Center for the study of autism
- “Assistive Technology for Children with Autism” by Susan Strokes