Early sensitivity to sound and musical preferences and enjoyment in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

      Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently display unusual reactions to sound, ranging from idiosyncratic responses to avoidances. This atypical sensitivity often decreases over time, but little is known about how early avoidance of sounds might affect later enjoyment of auditory stimuli such as music. We surveyed children and adolescents with ASD, and an age-matched group of typically developing (TD) adolescents and the parents of both groups about early auditory sensitivities and musical experience, preferences, and enjoyment in later childhood and adolescence using an adaptation of the Queen’s University Music Questionnaire and the Salk and McGill Musical Inventory (SAMMI). Results showed that, although the group with ASD experienced much more auditory hypersensitivity than the TD group during childhood, there were no differences between groups in musical ability, memory, reproduction, creativity, or interest and emotional responsivity to music in later childhood and adolescence; both groups displayed a similar variety of genres in their musical preferences, with the exception that more participants with ASD reported classical as their favorite musical genre. We suggest that this latter pattern may arise from their lesser use of music as a mark of social affiliation and peer-group bonding, or from the increased complexity of classical music relative to other genres. We conclude that early childhood hypersensitivities to sound do not have detrimental effects on later enjoyment of music, although children and adolescents with ASD may use music in ways that differ from their TD peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)

Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain, Vol 23(2), Jun, 2013. pp. 100-108

Competitive Employment for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Early Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial.

     For most youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), employment upon graduation from high school or college is elusive. Employment rates are reported in many studies to be very low despite many years of intensive special education services. This paper presented the preliminary results of a randomized clinical trial of Project SEARCH plus ASD Supports on the employment outcomes for youth with ASD between the ages of 18-21 years of age. This model provides very promising results in that the employment outcomes for youth in the treatment group were much higher in non-traditional jobs with higher than minimum wage incomes than for youth in the control condition. Specifically, 21 out of 24 (87.5 %) treatment group participants acquired employment while 1 of 16 (6.25 %) of control group participants acquired employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders; Mar2014, Vol. 44 Issue 3, p487-500, 14p, 2 Diagrams, 6 Charts, 1 Graph

Relationship Quality as a Moderator of Anxiety in Siblings of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Down Syndrome.

     The purpose of this study was to examine typically-developing adolescents' perceived relationship quality with their developmentally-disabled sibling, specifically siblings diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Down syndrome (DS). The 119 eleven through seventeen-year-old adolescent participants ( M = 13.32, SD = 1.90) completed an online survey that assessed demographics, sibling relationship quality, and anxiety. Results showed that siblings of children with DS have a greater overall sibling relationship quality than do siblings of children with an ASD. Results further indicated that reporting more negative interchanges within the sibling relationship was related to higher levels of anxiety regardless of sibling disability type. Lastly, sibling relationship quality moderated the relation between sibling disability type and anxiety. These findings promote greater understanding of the sibling dynamic in families with children with developmental disabilities and suggest the need for establishing more research and greater clinical evaluation in this area. Furthermore, the current study suggests that therapeutic intervention to address the sibling relationship quality within children diagnosed with ASDs and their typically-developing siblings would be beneficial in order to increase social support within the relationship as well as decrease the amount of negative interchanges within the sibling relationship. Results also suggested that decreasing the amount of negative interchanges within the sibling relationship may decrease the level of anxiety the typically-developing sibling reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journal of Child & Family Studies; Jul2013, Vol. 22 Issue 5, p647-657, 11p, 4 Charts, 1 Graph

Autism Prezi

What Causes Autism?

 

"Frequently Asked Questions." Autism Speaks. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/faq

"Autism Fact Sheet.”: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

 http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm#243543082

Autism Characteristics:

Autism is a highly variable neurodevelopmental disorder[17] that first appears during infancy or childhood, and generally follows a steady course without remission.[18] Overt symptoms gradually begin after the age of six months, become established by age two or three years,[19] and tend to continue through adulthood, although often in more muted form.[20] It is distinguished not by a single symptom, but by a characteristic triad of symptoms: impairments in social interaction; impairments in communication; and restricted interests and repetitive behavior. Other aspects, such as atypical eating, are also common but are not essential for diagnosis.[21] Autism's individual symptoms occur in the general population and appear not to associate highly, without a sharp line separating pathologically severe from common traits.[22]

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism#cite_note-23

Autism Statistics

     Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.

     Asperger syndrome (is similar to autism, but with normal language development).  Asperger syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. It can lead to difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and clumsiness. Individuals with Asperger Syndrome do not usually have a delay in spoken language development. However, they can have serious deficits in social and communication skills. People with this neurobiological disorder often have repetitive and ritualistic routines, as well as preoccupations with a particular subject matter.

     Pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), also called atypical autism. Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), also known as "atypical autism", PDD/NOS is a diagnosis often considered for children who show some symptoms of autism but who do not meet the specific diagnostic criteria for the other Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

     Rett syndrome (very different from autism, and almost always occurs in females), is genetic in origin. Individuals with Rett Syndrome generally develop normally until 6 to 18 months of age, at which point a developmental regression is observed. This regression is followed by a deceleration of head growth, loss of purposeful hand movements, and followed by the appearance of midline, stereotypic hand movements. In addition, social, language, motor, and cognitive skills may be severely impaired.

     Childhood disintegrative disorder (rare condition where a child learns skills, then loses them by age 10) Also known as "regressive autism," children with Childhood Disintegrative Disorder typically develop normally for two to four years before developing a condition that resembles autism. Typically language, interest in the social environment, and often toileting and self-care abilities are lost, and there may be a general loss of interest in the environment.

"Google Glass and Autism: An Opportunity to Do Some Good | TG Daily." TG Daily. Web. 26 Feb.
2014. http://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-brief/73637-google-glass-and-autism-an-opportunity-to-do-some-good

"IAN Research Report #12: Girls with ASD." Interactive Autism Network. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. http://www.iancommunity.org/cs/ian_research_reports/ian_research_report_dec_2009

"Autism." Miami Children's Hospital. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.
http://www.mch.com/behavioral-and-emotional/autism.aspx.

"The Dan Marino Foundation." About Autism -The Dan Marino Foundation. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. http://www.danmarinofoundation.org/portal/about-autism#.UwpkwbUo5Hg