VIEW, READ, CRITIQUE! Books & Films To Get You Started

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Barron, J., &Barron, S. (1992). There’s a boy in here. New York: Simon &Schuster.

Gottlieb, D. (2006). Letters to Sam: A grandfather's lessons on love, loss, and the gifts of life. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Grandin, Temple.  Different not less:  inspiring stories of achievement and successful employment from adults with autism, asperger’s and ADHD. 

Karasik, P., and Karasik, J. (2003). The ride together: a brother and sister’s memoir of autism in the family. New York: Washington Square.

(V) Mozart and the Whale – Asperger’s syndrome

(V) Temple Grandin

DOWN SYNDROME

Beck, M. (2000). Expecting Adam: A true story of birth, rebirth, and everyday magic (Reissue ed.). New York: Berkley.

Bérubé, M. (1996). Life as we know it: A father, family, and an exceptional child. New York: Vintage Books.

Palmer, G. (2005). Adventures in the mainstream: Coming of age with Down syndrome.            Bethesda: Woodbine House.

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Kaufman, S. (1999). Retarded isn't stupid, mom! (Rev. ed.). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Keyes, Daniel. (1966).  Flowers for Algernon.  Harcourt Brace Modern Classics.   

(V) The Other Sister – developmental disability

(V) I Am Sam – developmental disability

(V) Best Boy

LEARNING DISABILITIES

Crawford, V. & Silver, L.B. (2002).  Embracing the monster:  overcoming the challenges of hidden disabilities.  Brookes Publishing.

Rodis, Pano, Garrod, Andrew & Boscardin, Mary-Lynn. (2000)  Learning Disabilities and Life Stories.  Allyn & Bacon.

Sylvester, Harry. (2006) Legacy of the blue heron:  living with learning disabilities.  Oxton House Publishers.

(V) The Mighty – learning disability

(V) Radio – learning disability

MEDICAL

(V) Garden State – epilepsy

MENTAL HEALTH

Raeburn, Paul. (2005).  Acquainted with the night:  a parent’s quest to understand depression and bipolar disorder in his children.  Broadway Books.

Cohen, Brad. (2008) Front of the class:  how Tourette Syndrome made me the teacher I never had.  St. Martin’s Press.

(V) A Beautiful Mind – schizophrenia

(V) Girl, Interrupted – mental illness

PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

Brown, Ian. (2011) The boy in the moon:  a father’s search for his disabled son.  St. Martin’s Press.

(V)Lorenzo’s Oil – degenerative brain disorder

PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

Callahan, J. (1989). Don’t worry, he won’t get far on foot. New York: Vintage Books.

Nixon, Shelley.  (1999) From where I sit:  making my way with cerebral palsy.  Mass Market Paperback.

(V) Door to Door – cerebral palsy

(V) My Left Foot – cerebral palsy

SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS

Deifell, Tony. (2008). Seeing beyond sight:  photographs by blind teenagers.  Chronicle Books.

Knighton, Ryan. (2010).  C’mon Papa:  Dispatches from a dad in the dark.  Knopf Canada. 

Uhlberg, Myron. (2009).  Hands of my father:  a hearing boy, his deaf parents and the language of love.  Powell’s Books. 

(V) Mr. Holland’s Opus – hearing impaired

Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Etiology

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Etiology

Autism Spectrum Disorders	Childhood Schizophrenia
Environmental Factors: Early in the study of autism, environmental factors were typically considered the basis of the disorder; during the 1970’s, environmental theories became less prominent and biological factors were more carefully considered	Environmental Factors: Maternal over protection, maternal rejection, stimulus deprivation, inconsistent parenting, severe emotional abuse
Biological Factors: Biochemical, sensorimotor, neurological and cognitive defects Central nervous system and brain circuits are abnormal Genetic predisposition – generally believed that there are gene mutations involved in autism; also increased likelihood of multiple incidence in siblings and second degree relatives	Biological Factors: High frequency of prenatal and perinatal complications (toxemia, vaginal bleeding, maternal illness), neurological damage, hereditary predisposition

PDD: definitions and prevalence

Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)

'different...not less'  Temple Grandin

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) of the American Psychiatric Association uses the term 'pervasive developmental disorders' to categorize five seemingly related disorders:

• autism disorder
• Asperger's disorder
• childhood disintegrative disorders - Rett's disorder
• pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified
• childhood psychoses including childhood schizophrenia

  The TRIAD of Impairments

Social Understanding and Social Behaviour 

relationships and boundaries, cooperation, sense of self, cause and effect 

Social Communication

processing and retaining verbal & nonverbal information
difficulty with jokes, irony, social language, body language, facial expressions, gestures, also hyper-sensitive to all 5 senses

Rigidity of Thinking

difficulty with changes in routine, empathy, time and generalization  
 

pervasive = long lasting

developmental = significant delays in all or most domains 

disorder = condition, syndrome, ailment

Did you know?

Pervasive developmental disorders appear before the age of 22?

Pervasive developmental disorders interfere with daily living in all areas?

Pervasive developmental disorders are long lasting (usually a lifetime)?

Pervasive developmental disorders require special services and treatments?

 

Prevalence of Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders	Childhood Psychoses (specifically childhood schizophrenia)
1 in every 200 children born in Canada	Onset before age 6 is rare; onset before age 13 is also rare – inattention, flat affect, apathy, lack of interest in relationships, chronic progression of symptoms after onset
4 times more likely to appear in boys than girls	Onset between ages 13 and 18 is more common and called early onset – rapid regression in development after onset
Numbers of children diagnosed has increased rapidly over the past 50 years	1 in 10,000 children are diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia
The category ASD has been expended to include all cases from mild to severe	Twice as many boys than girls initially; by adolescence the same number of boys and girls have symptoms
Research to date cannot explain the growing incidence of ASD	1/6th as common as adult onset schizophrenia

Dedication

What does a jar of skiddles and a group of students have in common?

Everything and nothing!

This blog is dedicated to 'kids who are different'; those whose potential may be 'hidden' underneath the exterior of their bodies or whose interests and talents can only be discovered through relationship - a willingness to 'see' with our hearts and 'experience' with open minds.

 

The various authors of this blog wish to acknowledge the following sources that served as the basis of our understanding of the topics presented:

Bennett, S., Dworet, D. & Weber, Ken. (2008). Special Education in Ontario Schools (6^th ed.). St. Davids, ON:  Highland Press.

Ministry of Learning – Alberta. (2003).  Teaching students with autism spectrum disorders.  Edmonton, AB:  Crown in Right of Alberta.

Ontario Ministry of Education. ( ).  Professional learning guide – differentiated instruction.  ON:  

Teaching children with disabilities in inclusive settings (2009).  Inclusive Learning  - Friendly Environments.  Bangkok:  UNESCO.

Winzer, Margaret. (2008), Children with exceptionalities in Canadian classrooms (8^th    ed.).  Toronto, ON:  Pearson Education Canada.