Course Enhancement Modules

Understanding Autism in Young Children

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Overview

What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do

Multimedia Illustrations

This module expands on the curriculum modules for the EI/ECSE Standards. The learning resources provided are designed to be used in both pre-service and in-service to facilitate the integration of the knowledge and skills addressed by this topic. The learning resources specifically address characteristics of autism, criteria used to diagnose autism and effective evidence-based strategies used for supporting young children with autism and their families. The following EI/ECSE Standards and components are addressed in this curriculum module.

Standard 1: Child Development and Early Learning, Component 1.4
Standard 4: Assessment Processes, Component 4.4
Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions, Interventions, and Instruction, Component 6.1, Component 6.2, Component 6.3

Purpose

The purpose of this module is to (a) introduce the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), (b) define the criteria used to diagnose children with ASD and (c) describe effective evidence-based strategies, and (d) plan for implementing intervention and instruction. The learning resources provided are designed to be used in both pre-service and in-service to facilitate the integration of the knowledge and skills to support young children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. It is designed to be used flexibly for preservice and ongoing professional development.

Objectives

After engaging with these resources, learners will be able to:

Define the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Explain the criteria used to diagnose children with ASD.
Identify the onset of ASD characteristics.
Explain the types of ASD screening and evaluation tools.
Describe the differences between screening and evaluation tools.
Describe comorbid diagnoses associated with ASD.
Describe supportive environments for young children with ASD.
Identify effective interventions and plan for instruction to address educational outcomes, improve skill repertoire, and facilitate success in the least restrictive educational environment.
Identify pseudoscientific practices used

PowerPoint Presentations:

This sample syllabus provides ideas for resources, activities, readings, and assignments, aligned with the EI/ECSE standards. Consider state and university policies and add them as appropriate. This is a sample only and is not a complete syllabus.

Sample Syllabus Understanding Autism in Young Children Curriculum Module

What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do

Learners Who Have Mastered this Component/Topic Know and Understand:

Definitions of ASD
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Criteria
Prevalence of ASD
Characteristics of ASD and how they impact performance and participation
Early signs and symptoms of ASD
Screening and evaluation of ASD
Comorbid diagnoses
Pseudoscientific practices used with young children with ASD
Resources to support ASD

Learners Who Have Mastered this Component/Topic Are Able To:

Demonstrate an understanding of characteristics, etiologies, and individual differences within and across the range of abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities, their potential impact on children’s early development and learning, and implications for assessment, curriculum, instruction, and intervention.
In collaboration with families and other team members, use assessment data to determine eligibility, develop child and family-based outcomes/goals, plan for interventions and instruction, and monitor progress to determine the efficacy of programming.
In partnership with families, identify systematic, responsive, and intentional evidence-based practices and use such practices with fidelity to support young children’s learning and development across all developmental and academic content domains.
Engage in reciprocal partnerships with families and other professionals to facilitate responsive adult-child interactions, interventions, and instruction in support of child learning and development.
Engage in ongoing planning and use flexible and embedded instructional and environmental arrangements and appropriate materials to support the use of interactions, interventions, and instruction addressing developmental and academic content domains, which are adapted to meet the needs of each and every child and their family.

Multimedia Illustrations

Component and Title	Key Content	Duration	Link
6.1, 6.2, 6.3 Autism Internet Modules (AIM)	Autism-focused modules are designed to provide high-quality professional development to support evaluation, treatment planning, and supporting individuals with ASD. Free registration is required to access the modules.	vary	View
6.1, 6.2, 6.3 Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM)	Modules that are designed to help educators and families learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring evidence-based practices with learners with ASD. Supplemental materials are available for download.	vary	View
1.4 Autism - What We Know (And What We Don’t Know Yet)	In this calm and factual talk, geneticist Wendy Chung shares what we know about autism spectrum disorder — for example, that autism has multiple, perhaps interlocking, causes.	16-min	View
1.4 IRIS Modules: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview for Educators Part 1	This module provides information on the early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as an overview of the difference between a medical diagnosis and an educational determination of ASD.	2-hr	View
1.4 OSEP Fast Facts (Interactive Infographic)	Explore data on the number of children eligible for special education services under ASD nationally and by state.	5-min	Part B
1.4 Early Signs of ASD	Observe 3 very young children to identify early signs of ASD.	9-min	View
4.4 What Does Autism Look Like at 18 Months?	Dr. Amy Wetherby talks about why early screening and diagnosis of ASD is critical.	17-min	View
4.4 Vaccines and the Autism Myth (Part 1 & 2)	Vaccines don’t cause Autism, however, plenty of misinformation is around that can confuse parents. Learn about how this myth got started and what the research says.	9-min (1), 9-min (2)	Part 1
4.4 Is it Speech Delay or Autism?	Understand the distinction between Autism and Speech Delay, a diagnosis that commonly occurs in early childhood.	12-min	View
1.4 Amazing Things Happen	An uplifting introduction to autism for young non-autistic audiences, aiming to raise awareness, understanding, and tolerance in future generations.	4-min	View
4.4 How to Recognize Autism Signs in Toddlers with the M-CHAT	Dr. Mary Barbera talks about the M-CHAT autism symptoms checklist, which is a tool used to help parents understand how to recognize autism signs in toddlers.	9-min	View
4.4 Is it Autism or ADHD?	Understand the distinction between Autism and ADHD, a diagnosis seen in many children with ASD.	5-min	View
4.4 Children with Anxiety and Autism	Dr. Mary Barbera discusses Children with Anxiety and Autism: Here's What Parents and Professionals Can Do.	12-min	View
6.1, 6.2, 6.3 Selecting an EBP	Learn the 4 important steps to selecting evidence-based practices that match a child’s goals, needs, or outcomes.	10-min	View
6.1, 6.2, 6.3 IRIS Modules: High Leverage Practices	Developed by the Council for Exceptional Children and the CEEDAR Center, high-leverage practices are 22 essential special education techniques that all EI/ECSEs should master for use across a variety of contexts.	2-hrs	View
6.1, 6.2, 6.3 IRIS Modules: Differentiated Instruction	This module discusses the importance of differentiating three aspects of instruction: content, process (instructional methods), and product (assessment). It explores the student traits—readiness level, interest, and learning preferences—that influence learning.	3-hrs	View

Learning Activities

The projects or assignments below require learners to apply the practices/skills related to Understanding Autism in Young Children.

ASD Characteristics in Young Children with ASD (Standard 1, Component 1.4)

Review the characteristics of ASD table below. Working within your interdisciplinary team, create a scenario that demonstrates each characteristic and describe the associated impact on the child’s ability to engage in daily life. Next, describe how the child’s home, school, and community environments magnify or reduce this impact.

ASD Characteristics: Social Communication = 7
ASD Characteristics: Repetitive, Restrictive Patterns of Behavior, Interest, or Activities = 7
Environmental Impact = 6

Total Points: _______ /20 Points

ASD Characteristics Table – Used for Learning Activity 1

Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts:	PresentationDoes this child display this characteristic? If so, what does it look like in this child?	Characteristic ImpactHow do these characteristics impact this child’s ability to eat, dress, care for personnel needs, interact with others, play and make friends, and/or attend or learn at school?
Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions	Example: Sally rarely initiates conversations with peers, and when she does it is only to talk about her favorite tv show.	Example: Peers are hesitant to interact and include Sally, she seems lonely.
Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to the absence of interest in peers.
Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities	PresentationDoes this student display this characteristic? If so, what does it look like in this child?	Characteristic ImpactHow do these characteristics impact this child’s ability to eat, dress, care for personnel needs, interact with others, play and make friends, and/or attend or learn at school?
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypes, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take the same route or eat the same food every day).
Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests).
Hyper- or hypo- reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).

Environmental Context:

Context	ImpactList the environments where the above impacts are most apparent.	Does the environment magnify or support this need?
Home
The school (if applicable)	Example: Peers are hesitant to interact and include Sally, she seems lonely.	Example: Magnify, most kids play together during recess but because the recess is loud and chaotic Sally stays inside, limiting her opportunities to interact with peers.
Community

2. Assessment for Identification of ASD (Standard 4, Component 4.4)

Access the AIM Module: Assessment for Identification (Updated). Take the pre-assessment and note 3 questions you had from the pre-assessment or Module 2. Complete the AIM Module and report 3 new pieces of information you learned or bettered your understanding of ASD assessment and/or answers you found to your questions. Finally, take the post-assessment.

Pre-assessment= 8
Questions/New Understanding = 4
Post-assessment = 8

Total Points: _______ / 20 Points

3. Case Study: Young Child with ASD (Standard 6, Component 6.1)

Prepare a case study for a child who meets the diagnostic criteria for ASD. The case study must include background, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, family dynamics, current intervention or educational status.

Include the following:

Background/general history of the individual = 5
Developmental Characteristics (development, behaviors, medical or educational diagnosis, age of diagnosis) = 5
Communication: How does the child communicate, what are their strengths and needs, what interventions and supports are in place to address these needs?= 5
Social: What social interactions does the individual experience and what social skill supports or interventions are utilized and recommended = 5
Sensory: What sensory processing differences are present? Explain & Describe strategies being used = 5
Academic or Intervention History: Discuss current use of EPB and recommendations = 10
- Report if any pseudoscientific interventions are being used with this child, and if so, an alternative evidence-based intervention.
Positive behavior strategies: What strategies are being used, what is recommended, and who is responsible = 10
Family Collaboration: Discuss the level of involvement and communication system = 5
Other factors related to inclusion = 10
- For pre-school or school-aged children: describe the child’s least restrictive environment, the rationale for the LRE, positive behavior, academic and/or adaptive supports that allow the student to participate in the LRE. Report if you agree with the IEP/IFSP team’s determination and what you would change.
- For infants and toddlers: describe social play opportunities (e.g., playdates, tumble, or baby gymnastics classes) with typically developing children that are available the child. Report what barriers you see to meaningful social-play opportunities Report if you would or would not recommend more opportunities for this child, and your rationale for this recommendation.

Total Points: _______/60 points

Websites

Several different types of resources are included in this section of the module to support the development of knowledge and practices for understanding autism in young children. These include: Websites, Learning Modules, a Glossary, and References.

Websites

American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA): Autism

Council for Exceptional Children High Leverage Practices

Division for Early Childhood Learning Decks

Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices

Early Childhood Personnel Center Cross-Disciplinary Competencies

Learn the Signs Act Early Materials

Additional LTSAE Resources

Learning Modules

The modules related to this topic can be used in their entirety or by selecting sections or content that support the objectives of an IHE course or PD content. The evidence-based practices for adult learners will vary based on the module selected.

Autism Focused Intervention Resources and Modules (AFIRM)

Autism Internet Modules (AIM)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Autism Case Training

IRIS Module: Autism Spectrum Disorder (Part 1)

IRIS Module: Autism Spectrum Disorder (Part 2)

References

Supporting literature and resources may be assigned as readings for pre-service and in-service learners and most align with the introduction of evidence-based practices for adult learners.

Al-Beltagi, M. (2021). Autism medical comorbidities. World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, 10(3), 15.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association

Bauminger-Zviely, N. (2014). School-age children with ASD. In F. R. Volkmar, R. Paul, S. J. Rogers, & K.

Bruder, M. B., Catalino, T., Chiarello, L., Mitchell, M., Deppe, J., Gundler, D., Kemp, P., LeMoine, S., Long, T., Muhlenhaupt, M., Prelock, P., Schefkind, S., Stayton, V., Ziegler, D. (2019). Finding a common lens: Competencies across professional disciplines providing early childhood intervention. Infants & Young Children, 32(4), 280-293. doi: 10.1097/IYC.0000000000000153

Cidav, Z., Munson, J., Estes, A., Dawson, G., Rogers, S., & Mandell, D. (2017). Cost offset associated with Early Start Denver Model for children with Autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56(9), 777–783. https://doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2017.06.007

Division for Early Childhood (2020). Initial practice-based professional preparation standards for early interventionists/early childhood special educators (EI/ECSE) (Initial birth through age 8). Retrieved: https://d4ab05f7-6074-4ec9-998a-232c5d918236.filesusr.com/ugd/95f212_6e8952cda15f48b3935a7729dddcb50d.pdf.pdf

Division for Early Childhood (2014). DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education 2014. Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org/recommendedpractices Early Childhood Personnel Center at the University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. (2020). Crosswalk of the initial practice-based professional preparation standards for early interventionists/early childhood special educators (2020) with the DEC recommended practices (2014).

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA). (n.d.). IDEA. ECTA.

Estrin, G. L., Milner, V., Spain, D., Happé, F., & Colvert, E. (2020). Barriers to autism spectrum disorder diagnosis for young women and girls: A systematic review. Review-Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-17.

Hyman, S.L., Levy, S.E., Myers, S.M., & Council on Children with Disabilities, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (2020). Identification, evaluation, and management of children with an autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 145(1):e20193447 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-3447.

National Centers on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (2020). Identifying Autism Among Children: An Easy Read Summary. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/addm-community-report/an-easy-read-summary.html

Travers, J. C. (2017). Evaluating claims to avoid pseudoscientific and unproven practices in special education. Intervention in School and Clinic, 52(4), 195–203.

Volkmar, F., Paul, R., Rogers, S., & Pelphrey, A. (Eds.), Handbook of autism and pervasive developmental disorders: Vol. 1. Diagnosis, development, and brain mechanisms (4^th ed., pp. 148-175). John Wiley & Sons. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781118911389

Wright, J. (2017). The real reasons autism rates are up in the US. Scientific American.

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