A small percentage of children with ASD (5-10%) can sound out letters and read words better than they can understand what they read (this is sometimes referred to as “hyperlexia”) [1]. But many children with ASD struggle with both reading words and understanding what they read.
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience reading comprehension difficulties, often misinterpreting complex texts, metaphors, and idioms. We have developed and tested a new assistive technology tool for adaptive, personalized text simplification, called Open Book.
Autistic students may read and process language in a fluent way. This is in contrast to children with dyslexia who often struggle to decode written language. Nonetheless, these students are not always able to access semantic meaning in the same way.
The simple answer to this question is yes, a person with autism spectrum disorder can live independently as an adult. However, not all individuals achieve the same level of independence.
Deficits in writing have been well-documented in ASD research. In one study (Mayes & Calhoun, 2008), for example, 63% of students diagnosed with ASD also exhibited a writing disability. It can be difficult for these students to think of ideas, organize their writing, and physically write their ideas.
A new study, published 28 June in Research in Developmental Disabilities, shows that children with autism tend to write overly tall and wide cursive letters, suggesting difficulties with fine motor control. Overall, these children's handwriting is of variable size and slant.
A recent study by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers found that the severity of a child's autism symptoms can change significantly between the ages of 3 and 11. The study was published in Autism Research, and built on previous work by the same researchers on changes to autism characteristics in early childhood.
Can children with autism attend regular school? Of course they can, but it is important to have accommodations in place that support the special learning needs of a child on the spectrum.
Although typically developing children generally produce their first words between 12 and 18 months old (Tager-Flusberg et al. 2009; Zubrick et al. 2007), children with ASD are reported to do so at an average age of 36 months (Howlin 2003).
31% of children with ASD have an intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] <70), 25% are in the borderline range (IQ 71–85), and 44% have IQ scores in the average to above average range (i.e., IQ >85). Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Many students with autism spectrum disorder demonstrate difficulties in reading comprehension. These difficulties may be attributed to deficits in Theory of Mind, Weak Central Coherence, and Executive Functioning.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is typically diagnosed in toddlerhood or early childhood,1 but it is possible for clinicians and parents to miss or overlook the symptoms of high-functioning autism (HFA), in particular, until late childhood, adolescence, or even adulthood.
Poor handwriting was noted in the original description of Asperger syndrome, and it has since been demonstrated that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have impairments within multiple domains that contribute to handwriting difficulties.
Studies with autistic children and teenagers show that some autistic young people have difficulties writing. Other autistic people are talented writers. In fact, some autistic people would rather write than speak. Good writers often imagine other people's points of view when writing.
Other children with ASD may read very early and show intense interest in certain subjects and want to read everything they can on that topic. Whether your child has mild or severe ASD, making reading a fun activity can help your child's learning and social skills.
It's quite common for autistic children who do not appear to have any behavioural difficulties at school to behave differently at home. Tony Attwood refers to this as the Jekyll and Hyde character (Attwood, 1998). In section, we look at some of the reasons behind this behaviour, and offer tips to parents and carers.
Children with autism often enjoy sensory toys because they help them feel calm and engage their senses in a positive way. 6 Sensory toys can include weighted stuffed animals, fidget toys, and putty. When looking for a toy for a child with autism, keep in mind their interests and their developmental stage.
School is rarely a good environment for children with autism. And that can be a serious problem both during the school years and after. Firstly, autistic kids spend a huge amount of time learning how to cope with an environment that is often out of sync with their abilities and challenges.
While parents typically report concerns in the first year of life,3 many children do not receive diagnoses until much later. Several studies have suggested that diagnoses of autism made at age 2 years are stable through age 3 years,4-7 and diagnoses made by age 5 years are stable up to late adolescence.
Multiple studies have shown this including one published in 2018, an important investigation of over 27,000 Swedish people diagnosed with ASD which revealed that the average life expectancy among the people studied with severe autism is 39.5 years, rising to only 58 years for those with high-functioning autism, or ...
Adults who have not received appropriate treatment may have trouble living independently, may be unemployed, and may struggle with relationships. Autism can also impact physical and mental health, according to the 2017 National Autism Indicators Report: Developmental Disability Services and Outcomes in Adulthood.
Characteristics of Mild Autism
Repetitive or fixated behaviors, interests, or activities: Autistic people often repeat movements or words as a way to self-regulate, a behavior often referred to as “stimming.” They may also adhere to specific routines and have specific and intense interests.
Other signs of autism
not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people. avoiding eye contact. getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you. noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not.
Trouble connecting with others' thoughts or feelings. Difficulty reading others' body language and facial expressions well, for example, the person might be unable to comprehend if a person is happy or sad.