presentations about autism

Understanding Autism: Online Presentations

Video Presentations

The Understanding Autism: Professional Development Curriculum is a comprehensive professional development training tool that prepares secondary school teachers to serve the autism population.

This page includes two presentations:

• Part 1: Characteristics and Practices for Challenging Behavior
• Part 2: Strategies for Classroom Success and Effective Use of Teacher Supports

Understanding Autism: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers

Presentation a, understanding autism: professional development curriculum.

Developed in collaboration with the  Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (CSESA) , the  Understanding Autism Professional Development Curriculum  is built around two 75-minute presentations that school staff can adapt to meet any schedule constraints:

Characteristics and Practices for Challenging Behavior

Start Part 1

Strategies for Classroom Success and Effective use of Teacher Supports

Start Part 2

This ready-made, flexible resource supports all types of professional development – large group (e.g. staff meetings or in-services), small teams (e.g. professional learning communities and department meetings), self-study, and/or one-on-one coaching. Any school or district staff members who are familiar with autism can implement the curriculum. Each presentation includes video clips and comes with slide-by-slide notes for facilitators, handouts, and activity worksheets to help participants apply learned concepts to their own classrooms.

Part 1: Challenging Behaviors

Printable Materials

• Presentation Slides
• Facilitator Notes
• Participant Handout
• Activity Worksheet
• At My School Worksheet

General Characteristics Of Autism (Video Clip 1.1)

Hidden Curriculum (Video Clip 1.2)

Repetitive Behaviors And Restricted Interests (Video Clip 1.3)

Capitalizing On Strengths (Video Clip 1.4)

Rumbling Stage Pt 1 (Video Clip 1.5)

Rumbling Stage Pt 2 (Video Clip 1.6)

Meltdown Stage Pt 1 (Video Clip 1.7)

Meltdown Stage Pt 2 (Video Clip 1.8)

Recovery Stage (Video Clip 1.9)

Part 2: Classroom Strategies

Strategies for classroom success and effective use of teacher supports, classroom supports (video clip 2.1).

Hypersensitivities (Video Clip 2.2)

Priming (Video Clip 2.3)

Examples of Academic Modifications (Video Clip 2.4)

Examples of Visual Supports (Video Clip 2.5)

Presentation B

Understanding Autism: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers  provides teachers with strategies for supporting their middle and high school students with autism. We produced it in collaboration with Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools and with financial support from the  American Legion Child Welfare Foundation  and the  Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism

• Download the PDF Guide

Segment One: Characteristics (18M:34S)

At the end of this segment, viewers will be able to:

• Describe how autism impacts learners
• Indicate how the characteristics of autism impacts individuals in a school setting
• Understand that autism manifests itself differently in individual learners

Segment Two: Integrating Supports in the Classroom (15M:28S)

• Match interventions to learner strengths, skills, and interests
• Describe how priming can be used in a classroom setting
• Discuss the types of academic supports that a learner might need to be successful in a general education setting
• Create a home base for a student with autism
• Provide examples of visual supports to enhance the skills acquisition of learners with autism
• Integrate reinforcement into the daily schedule of the student with autism

Segment Three: Practices for Challenging Behavior (17M:47S)

• Understand that meltdown behavior is not purposeful for the learner on the spectrum
• Describe the stages of a meltdown
• Discuss interventions that can be used at each of the stages of a meltdown

Segment Four: Effective Use of Teacher Supports (12M:00S)

• Describe how to use information from the IEP to develop an implementation plan for the learner with autism in the general education classroom
• Identify the multiple ways that general and special educators can work together to support a learner with autism in the general education classroom
• Discuss guidelines for supporting a paraprofessional in working with the learner with autism in the general education classroom

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

The  National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) , a component of the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ), is a leading federal funder of research on ASD . 

What is autism spectrum disorder? 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders caused by differences in the brain that affect communication and behavior. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)—a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association used to diagnose health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking, or behavior (or a combination of these)—people with ASD can experience: 

• Challenges or differences in communication and interaction with other people
• Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors
• Symptoms that may impact the person's ability to function in school, work, and other areas of life 

ASD can be diagnosed at any age but symptoms generally appear in early childhood (often within the first two years of life). Doctors diagnose ASD by looking at a person's behavior and development. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children get screened for developmental delays and behaviors often associated with ASD at their 18- and 24-month exams.  

The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of ability in functioning that can occur in people with ASD. ASD affects every person differently; some may have only a few symptoms and signs while others have many. Some children and adults with ASD are fully able to perform all activities of daily living and may have gifted learning and cognitive abilities while others require substantial support to perform basic activities. A diagnosis of ASD includes Asperger syndrome, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified that were once diagnosed as separate disorders.  

In addition to differences or challenges with behavior and difficulty communicating and interacting with others, early signs of ASD may include, but are not limited to: 

• Avoiding direct eye contact
• Delayed speech and language skills
• Challenges with nonverbal cues such as gestures or body language
• Showing limited interest in other children or caretakers
• Experiencing stress when routines change 

Scientists believe that both genetics and environment likely play a role in ASD. ASD occurs in every racial and ethnic group, and across all socioeconomic levels. Males are significantly more likely to develop ASD than females.  

People with ASD also have an increased risk of having epilepsy. Children whose language skills regress early in life—before age 3—appear to have a risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. About 20 to 30 percent of children with ASD develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood.  

Currently, there is no cure for ASD. Symptoms of ASD can last through a person's lifetime, and some may improve with age, treatment, and services. Therapies and educational/behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can substantially improve those symptoms. While currently approved medications cannot cure ASD or even treat its main symptoms, there are some that can help with related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Medications are available to treat seizures, severe behavioral problems, and impulsivity and hyperactivity. 

How can I or my loved one help improve care for people with autism spectrum disorder?

Consider participating in a clinical trial so clinicians and scientists can learn more about ASD and related conditions. Clinical trials are studies that use human volunteers to look for new or better ways to diagnose, treat, or cure diseases and conditions. 

All types of volunteers are needed—people with ASD, at-risk individuals, and healthy volunteers—of all different ages, sexes, races, and ethnicities to ensure that study results apply to as many people as possible, and that treatments will be safe and effective for everyone who will use them.

For information about participating in clinical research visit NIH Clinical Research Trials and You . Learn about clinical trials currently looking for people with ASD at Clinicaltrials.gov .

Where can I find more information about autism spectrum disorder?  The following resources offer information about ASD and current research: American Academy of Pediatrics   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development   Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences   National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders   National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences   The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG) Additional organizations offer information, research news, and other resources about ASD for individuals and caregivers, such as support groups. These organizations include: Association for Science in Autism Treatment     Autism National Committee (AUTCOM)     Autism Network International (ANI)     Autism Research Institute (ARI)   Autism Science Foundation     Autism Society     Autism Speaks, Inc.  

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• Signs and Symptoms
• Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autism Materials and Resources
• Diagnosis ASD
• Information on ASD for Healthcare Providers
• Acceptance Month Partner Toolkit
• 2023 Community Report on Autism
• Autism Data Visualization Tool

About Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.
• Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known.
• Scientists believe there are multiple causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people develop. We still have much to learn about these causes and how they impact people with ASD.
• Early intervention services can greatly improve the development of a child with ASD.

People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support.

ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person's life, although symptoms may improve over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.

As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job. They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.

Signs and symptoms

People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. These characteristics can make life very challenging . It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.

As a parent, you already have what it takes to help your young child learn and grow. CDC has developed materials to help you track your child's developmental milestones and share that progress, or any concerns, with your child's doctor at every check-up.

Track your child's development‎‎

Risk factors.

There is not just one cause of ASD. Many different factors have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.

Although we know little about specific causes, the available evidence suggests that the following may put children at greater risk for developing ASD:

• Having a sibling with ASD
• Having certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis
• Experiencing complications at birth
• Being born to older parents

CDC is currently working on one of the largest US studies to date on ASD. This study, called the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED), was designed to look at the risk factors and behaviors related to ASD. CDC is now conducting a follow-up study of older children who were enrolled in SEED to determine the health, functioning, and needs of people with ASD and other developmental disabilities as they mature.

Screening and diagnosis

Diagnosing ASD can be difficult since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's behavior and development to make a diagnosis.

ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger. By age 2 years, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered reliable. 1 However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until they are much older. Some people are not diagnosed until they are adolescents or adults. This delay means that people with ASD might not get the early help they need.

Current treatments for ASD seek to reduce symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and quality of life. ASD affects each person differently, meaning that people with ASD have unique strengths and challenges and different treatment needs. 2 Treatment plans usually involve multiple professionals and are catered to the individual.

What CDC is doing

Promoting early identification of asd.

We naturally think of a child's growth as height and weight, but from birth to 5 years, a child should reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of ASD or other developmental disability.

Through the Learn the Signs. Act Early. program, CDC and its partners aim to improve early identification of children with ASD and other developmental disabilities by promoting developmental monitoring , so children and families can get the services and support they need.

Did you know?‎

Understanding risk factors and causes of asd.

Understanding the risk factors that make a person more likely to develop ASD will help us learn more about the causes. CDC is currently funding and working on one of the largest US studies to date, called Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) .

SEED will help identify factors that may put children at risk for ASD and other developmental disabilities. SEED is a multi-year study being conducted at six sites and a data coordinating center, called the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) network.

Determining how many people have ASD

There continue to be many children living with ASD who need services and support, both now and as they grow into adolescence and adulthood.

By studying the number of people identified with ASD over time, we can find out if the number is rising, dropping, or staying the same. We can also compare the number of children with ASD in different areas of the country and different groups of people. This information can help us look for causes of ASD.

CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been estimating the number of 8-year-old children with ASD in the United States since 2000. ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. It is more than 4 times more common among boys than among girls.

If you’re concerned

Research shows that early intervention services can greatly improve a child's development. 3 4 In order to make sure your child reaches their full potential, it is very important to receive services as soon as possible. Contact your child's doctor if you think your child might have ASD or if you have any other concerns about the way your child plays, learns, speaks, or acts.

Referral to a specialist

If you are still concerned, ask the doctor for a referral to a specialist who can do a more in-depth evaluation of your child. Specialists who can do a more in-depth evaluation and make a diagnosis include

• Developmental pediatricians (doctors who have special training in child development and children with special needs)
• Child neurologists (doctors who work on the brain, spine, and nerves)
• Child psychologists or psychiatrists (doctors who know about the human mind)

Free evaluations

At the same time, call your state's public early childhood system to request a free evaluation , sometimes called a Child Find evaluation, to find out if your child qualifies for intervention services. You do not need to wait for a doctor's referral or a medical diagnosis to make this call. Where to call for a free evaluation from the state depends on your child's age.

If your child is not yet 3 years old

• Contact your local early intervention system.
• You can find the right contact information for your state by calling the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) at 919-962-2001.
• Or visit the ECTA website.

If your child is 3 years old or older

• If your child is 3 years old or older, contact your local public school system.
• Even if your child is not yet old enough for kindergarten or enrolled in a public school, call your local elementary school or board of education and ask to speak with someone who can help you have your child evaluated.
• If you're not sure who to contact, call the ECTA at 919-962-2001.
• Lord C, Risi S, DiLavore PS, Shulman C, Thurm A, Pickles A. Autism from 2 to 9 years of age . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 2006;63(6):694-701.
• Hyman SL, Levy SE, Myers SM; COUNCIL ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, SECTION ON DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS. Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pediatrics . 2020;145(1):e20193447.
• Handleman, Jan S., and Sandra L. Harris, eds. Preschool education programs for children with autism . Austin, TX: Pro-Ed, 2001.
• National Research Council. Educating Children with Autism . National Academies Press, 2001.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASD and develop resources that help identify children with ASD as early as possible.

For Everyone

Health care providers, public health.

Dispelling severe 'morning sickness' myths: It's not normal or harmless, but prevention and treatment might be on the way

Late last year, geneticist Marlena Fejzo and colleagues made the discovery that morning sickness's most serious presentation, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), is caused by the hormone GDF15, not human chorionic gonadotropin as previously thought. In a peer-reviewed opinion article publishing May 22 in the journal Trends in Molecular Medicine , Fejzo dispels common morning sickness myths and discusses potential treatments, including sensitizing people to GDF15 prior to pregnancy, similar to the way we treat allergies.

"HG can be life threatening and is associated with adverse outcomes that need to be taken seriously," says Fejzo of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. "Now that we know that GDF15 is the most likely cause of HG, we are on the cusp of having treatments that target this hormonal pathway and end the suffering."

Myth 1: Severe morning sickness is harmless and normal

Pregnant people with HG are essentially starving, Fejzo says, and an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that this has serious short- and long-term clinical implications for both the parent and child. HG is a top predictor of postnatal depression, and 26% of pregnant people with HG report suicidal ideation while 18% meet the full criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.

For the child, HG is associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, and later in life, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, depression, social problems, in addition to an increased risk of childhood cancer and respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Still, pregnant people with the condition are often dismissed by their clinicians and families.

"It really is like a teratogen in pregnancy, a factor which interferes with normal fetal development, but it's still not taken seriously by a lot of medical professionals," Fejzo says. "A lot of people are brushed off and told, 'oh that's normal, it's okay, just don't take your pre-natal vitamins; you don't need them.'"

At its most extreme, individuals with HG can develop Wernicke encephalopathy, a life-threatening swelling of the brain due to thymine (vitamin B1) deficiency. Since individuals with HG can have trouble even swallowing vitamins, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists currently recommends that they replace broad spectrum prenatal vitamins with folic acid, but Fejzo warns that this is likely insufficient, and that thiamine supplementation is also warranted for individuals with HG.

"I believe all women who have hyperemesis should be given vitamin B1 to avoid this serious brain swelling that can lead to permanent brain damage and often leads to fetal death," Fejzo says.

Myth 2: Morning sickness is caused by human chorionic gonadotropic hormone (hCG) or is psychosomatic

Though it was long thought that morning sickness is caused by hCG, the recent breakthrough has shown that HG's main cause is actually the hormone GDF15, which is part of a normal stress response. Usually, GDF15 is expressed only in very small amounts, but during early pregnancy it spikes by a huge amount, then wanes, and finally rises again during the third trimester.

A recent Nature study co-authored by Fejzo showed that individuals who suffer from HG can have genetic variants that causes them to have lower levels of circulating GDF15 prior to pregnancy, which makes them extra sensitive when they become pregnant and are suddenly exposed to high levels. This finding has clinical implications for preventing and treating HG, since preliminary research suggests that it might be safe to manipulate GDF15 during or even prior to pregnancy.

"GDF15 may be safe to manipulate in pregnancy or even prior to pregnancy," says Fejzo. "If we can increase levels of GDF15 before someone becomes pregnant, that might desensitize them, similar to how we try to desensitize people to allergens who have severe allergies," says Fejzo. "And during pregnancy, we may be able to minimize or get rid of symptoms by blocking GDF15 or its receptors in the brain stem."

Myth 3: Only humans experience morning sickness

Nausea and appetite loss during gestation is not a uniquely human trait -- these symptoms have been observed throughout the animal kingdom, from monkeys, dogs, and cats, to chickens, vipers, and octopuses.

"I always think it's interesting that the recommendation for cats is that if they're unable to eat for a day, you should contact your veterinarian, but we don't have that recommendation out there for women with hyperemesis," says Fejzo. "If you call your doctor's office and say you haven't eaten for a day, they'll say, 'that's normal' and won't do anything. There's more proactive care for cats than humans."

In addition to preventing ingestion of harmful foods, Fejzo speculates that pregnancy-induced nausea likely evolved to prevent dangerous foraging trips.

"This condition likely evolved because it was probably beneficial to avoid going out searching for food during pregnancy," says Fejzo. "That may still be true for animals, but people don't need this anymore, so let's end the suffering once and for all if we can."

Now, Fejzo is working toward developing and testing the proposed GDF15-based treatments. She also plans to investigate other genes and variants of GDF15 that might contribute to HG.

• Pregnancy and Childbirth
• Birth Defects
• Mental Health Research
• Teen Health
• Diseases and Conditions
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome
• Stem cell treatments
• Breech birth
• Miscarriage
• Spanish flu
• Adult stem cell

Story Source:

Materials provided by Cell Press . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Marlena Schoenberg Fejzo. Hyperemesis gravidarum theories dispelled by recent research: a paradigm change for better care and outcomes . Trends in Molecular Medicine , 2024; DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2024.04.006

Cite This Page :

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Autistic Spectrum Special Education Center

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There are some schools for kids who are on the Autistic spectrum, a range of conditions that include autism and Asperger syndrome. These schools help develop their communication skills, so if you want to promote your learning center, you can try using this new template. We have added some puzzle pieces to each slide (and even to the infographics) to make it more suitable for younger audiences. Start editing the contents and add things such as enrollment process, academic areas or teaching method.

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