Is Autism Classed As A Learning Disability

So What Does This Mean

Clearly, schools differ in their philosophies concerning whether student’s with autism belong in more or less restrictive settings. These differences did not always seem to be influenced by the perceived competencies or level of disability of students, but rather reflected a system’s belief in the appropriate placement for students with autism. Therefore, it is important to realize the important role special education administrators play in determining placement options. Once in the general education setting, the support of the building level administrator is critical in setting a positive tone for involving students with autism. Likewise, the attitudes and beliefs of educators are vital in promoting students’ membership and quality education. When placement decisions are made according to disability category of students rather then based on individual need, students can be placed in settings which are not appropriate or which limit their potential. These comments from parents reflect the difficulties that can occur:

Diagnosis And Testing For Learning Disabilities And Disorders

Since diagnosing a learning disability isnt always easy, dont assume you know what your childs problem is, even if the symptoms seem clear. Its important to have your child tested and evaluated by a qualified professional. That said, you should trust your instincts. If you think something is wrong, listen to your gut. If you feel that a teacher or doctor is minimizing your concerns, seek a second opinion. Dont let anyone tell you to wait and see or dont worry about it if you see your child struggling. Regardless of whether or not your childs problems are due to a learning disability, intervention is needed. You cant go wrong by looking into the issue and taking action.

Keep in mind that finding someone who can help may take some time and effort. Even experts mix up learning disabilities with ADHD and other behavioral problems sometimes. You may have to look around a bit or try more than one professional. In the meantime, try to be patient, and remember that you wont always get clear answers. Try not to get too caught up in trying to determine the label for your childs disorder. Leave that to the professionals. Focus instead on steps you can take to support your child and address their symptoms in practical ways.

Getting Help For Children With Learning Disabilities

When it comes to learning disabilities, its not always easy to know what to do and where to find help. Turning to specialists who can pinpoint and diagnose the problem is, of course, important. You will also want to work with your childs school to make accommodations for your child and get specialized academic help. But dont overlook your own role. You know your child better than anyone else, so take the lead in looking into your options, learning about new treatments and services, and overseeing your childs education.

Learn the specifics about your childs learning disability. Learn about your childs type of learning disability. Find out how the disability affects the learning process and what cognitive skills are involved. Its easier to evaluate learning techniques if you understand how the learning disability affects your child.

Research treatments, services, and new theories. Along with knowing about the type of learning disability your child has, educate yourself about the most effective treatment options available. This can help you advocate for your child at school and pursue treatment at home.

Pursue treatment and services at home. Even if the school doesnt have the resources to treat your childs learning disability optimally, you can pursue these options on your own at home or with a therapist or tutor.

Recommended Reading: Va Compensation For Bipolar Disorder

Attending Schools And Colleges

Updated guidance for schools and colleges supporting children and young people with SEND has been issued. Schools and colleges are open, enabling children and young people to continue with face-to-face education. Remote learning should be provided for any children and young people who have to remain at home because they are self-isolating.

So What About My Childs Funding

The special needs funding for students with autism is meant to support programs and resources that allow them to be included and educated in the least restrictive environment possible.; I want my children to read and do math and think to the greatest level that their abilities allow, and so I want their teacher to be using their knowledge, experience, and resources to figure out how best to support their learning.

A well-thought-out plan is what we should be looking for when our child is funded as a special-needs student.; How can our child best be supported so that he or she is a successful learner?; It may or may not be best for someone to be assigned to them all day. ;The solutions will look different for every child. ;As much as possible, their learning support should come in the same kinds of ways;that all children find support the inclusive structuring of learning experiences, the teacher, and other students. ;That will give them meaningful opportunities to contribute, build relationships, and learn.

Recommended Reading: Chronic Sciatica Disability

Auditory And Visual Processing Problems: The Importance Of The Ears And Eyes

The eyes and the ears are the primary means of delivering information to the brain, a process sometimes called input. If either the eyes or the ears arent working properly, learning can suffer.

Auditory processing disorder Professionals may refer to the ability to hear well as auditory processing skills or receptive language. The ability to hear things correctly greatly impacts the ability to read, write, and spell. An inability to distinguish subtle differences in sound make it difficult to sound out words and understand the basic concepts of reading and writing.

Visual processing disorder Problems in visual perception include missing subtle differences in shapes, reversing letters or numbers, skipping words, skipping lines, misperceiving depth or distance, or having problems with eyehand coordination. Professionals may refer to the work of the eyes as visual processing. Visual perception can affect motor skills, reading comprehension, and math.

Much Deeper Than Mirror Writing

The idea or myth mentioned abovethat dyslexia is simply a learning disability where children reverse letters and numbers and see words backwardsmade dyslexia seem like a visual disturbance or challenge. This was proven in a study where findings indicated that even teachers upheld the prevailing myth that dyslexia is a visual processing disorder encompassing mirror writing and word reversal rather than a phonological processing disorder.

In contrast, a study mentions the cognitive basis of dyslexia. The authors refer to dyslexia as a language disorder with specific deficits in phonological processing.;

The same study by Shaywitz et al. feels evidence of disruptions in the neural systems serving reading has far reaching implications for the acceptance of dyslexia as a valid disorder.

The difficulties caused by dyslexia cant be denied, but diagnosing the condition has always been difficult. Some studies feel the existing definitions of dyslexia are to blame for unreliable diagnosis, possibly due to the fact that definitions of the disorder rely on a single indicatorfor example deficits in decoding.

A holistic way of evaluating dyslexia may also be of importance when diagnosing a child with autism who shows such symptoms. Rather than focusing on a single indicator, like the above mentioned letter reversal, it is important to look at the childs symptoms, medical history, comorbidities and any other relevant factors to obtain an accurate diagnosis.

Recommended Reading: How Much Does Sdi Pay In California

Social Security Disability Income

Social security for adults with autism includes both the SSI and SSDI programs. Social security disability benefits for autism may carry over from childhood to adulthood for people who were receiving social security disability for autism on their parents social security record.

The SSDI program is for adults who are disabled from working. It is usually based on the recipients income before they became disabled. If the disability began before age 22, however, it can be based on the recipients parental income.

Once a child reaches age 18, the blue book adult criteria for disability determination takes effect, and these differ from the childhood criteria.

The Purpose Of School

To answer this question, one pair of researchers asked tens of thousands of parents what they thought and their answers fit into four categories:

• belonging ,
• mastery ,
• independence , and
• generosity .

These goals require interaction with other people.; The ideas behind inclusion says that everyone has gifts and abilities that can be extended in any community for the benefit of all.; Inclusion is more than being physically in the same location as others.; So having a child in the same classroom as all the other students but doing his own, separate program is not an opportunity to develop most of the goals of education that parents seem to want.; The question is, how can diverse students learn together?

You May Like: Va Form 10-10hs

Screening And Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the childs developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis.

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

Early signs of ASD can include, but are not limited to

• Avoiding eye contact,
• Having little interest in other children or caretakers,
• Limited display of language , or
• Getting upset by minor changes in routine.

CDCs Learn the Signs. Act Early. program provides free resources to help families monitor developmental milestones and recognize signs of developmental concerns, including ASD.

As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they might 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 also come to the attention of healthcare providers because they have co-occurring conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety or depression, or conduct disorder.

What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability;that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified , and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.

You May Like: Borderline Personality Disorder Va Rating

Autism Is Not An Illness

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

It’s something you’re born with or first appears when you’re very young.

If you’re autistic, you’re autistic your whole life.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a “cure”. But some people need support to help them with certain things.

Importance Of Family In Learning Disabilities

Families have a big role in the processing disorders with the help of treatment and training. First of all, families should be informed about autism and nonverbal learning disability , be equipped with proper methods about behaviors and attitudes, and show a supportive attitude at home towards the childs training with signs and symptoms. Children with autism who have trouble with socialization feel more comfortable at home atmosphere and therefore may be more open to learning. With the right methods and forms of training, parents can help their children improve faster with paying attention to their childrens learning disabilities. Neuro-psychological disorders are not problems that cannot be overcome. Only the right approach and training process are needed and a special approach towards such as special education programs for individuals with autism is required. You can fight with autism, overcome learning disabilities, and develop personal skills by taking your place in the Otsimo app, where education and love come together!

References:

• Types of Learning in Children with Learning Inabilities – signs and symptoms:

You May Like: Can You Get Social Security Disability If You Have Copd

When Do You Notice The Signs Of Autism

While you might notice some of the signs of autism in the first few years of your child’s life, it;may only be when they are at school, or even when they are an adult, that a diagnosis is made.;

Sometimes an autism diagnosis is delayed because health professionals want to be certain before;they make a diagnosis. In other cases, a delayed diagnosis might be because the signs of autism go undetected, especially if they present in a more subtle way .

More boys than girls are diagnosed with autism, and there is an ongoing debate about whether;this is for genetic reasons or because the process of diagnosis tends to pick up autistic traits more;common in boys, and the possibility that this is leaving some girls undiagnosed.

What Is A Learning Disability

A learning disability is a neurological condition that interferes with how someone learns. It has nothing to do with intelligence, motivation, or poor parenting. It is a difference in how information is received and processed in the brain.

Some different types of learning disabilities include:

• Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Individuals with dyslexia may have trouble with letter and word recognition, understanding words and ideas, reading speed and fluency, and general vocabulary.
• Dyscalculia is a number-based learning disability. People with dyscalculia may struggle with recalling sequences of numbers, calculating using math functions, organization of numbers, operation signs, number facts, counting, and telling time.
• Dysgraphia is a writing-based learning disability. Individuals with dysgraphia may have problems with neatness when writing, illegible handwriting, copying letters and words, spelling, and organizing their thoughts on paper.

Auditory or visual processing disorders cause problems in understanding language that is heard or seen. With auditory processing disorder, you may have difficulty distinguishing subtle differences in sounds and speaking individual sounds within words. With visual processing disorder you may miss subtle differences in shapes, such as interchanging m and n. You may also reverse letters and numbers and have poor hand-eye coordination.

Don’t Miss: How To Change Va Disability Direct Deposit

How Autism Is Different From Other Developmental Disorders

• Autism is a Spectrum
• Exhibition of Odd and Repetitive Behaviors
• Unusual Methods of Playing or Using Items
• Preoccupation With a Specific Topic
• Uneven Cognitive Skills

A person studying psychology, education or the care of children with disabilities may wonder about the five ways autism is different from other special needs. The prevalence of autism is higher in boys than in girls, and medical experts are not yet sure of the cause or causes of the developmental disorder. Knowing how autism is different from other pervasive developmental disorders could make it easier for a professional to diagnose and treat a person with the condition.

Related resource:;Top 25 Masters in Autism Spectrum Disorder Online

Does Autism Count As A Disability Uk

Disability Living Allowance DLA is a non-diagnosis specific benefit, so having a diagnosis of autism will not automatically lead to an award, but many children on the autism spectrum do qualify for the benefit. It is also entirely non-means-tested, so your income and savings are not taken into account.

Recommended Reading: Average Disability Check

What Teachers Can Do

Many students with autism can thrive in a structured environment, so establish a routine and keep it as consistent as possible. Adhering to daily schedules and allowing ample time for transitions can help with many students’ behavioral issues and frustrations.

Instructional support is often needed within the classroom setting. Students with autism learn better with pictures and demonstrations. Limit long verbal instructions and provide visual cues and written instructions, when possible. Also limit distractions and use positive rewards for positive behaviors.

Many people with autism have strong passions and deep interests. Getting to know your students’ likes and dislikes can help you understand what motivates them. Students with autism can participate in most activities that other kids and teens do, so provide encouragement to participate when appropriate.

Intellectual Disability And Asd

Individuals with Intellectual Disability have deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning, which are observed during development . Intellectual functioning includes the ability to reason, problem solve, plan, think abstractly, exercise judgment, and learn. Adaptive functioning refers to the skills needed to live in an independent and responsible manner, including communication, social skills, and self-help skills .

While Intellectual Disability used to be diagnosed solely by administration of an IQ test, current guidelines emphasize the need to use both clinical assessment and standardized testing. Specifically, to receive a diagnosis of Intellectual Disability, an individual must have an IQ score near to or below 70 as well as significant impairments in adaptive functioning compared to other same-age individuals.

About 1 percent of the general population is thought to have Intellectual Disability, and about 10% of individuals with Intellectual Disability also have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or autistic traits. However, a much higher percentage of individuals on the autism spectrum have Intellectual Disability.

Related Articles:

Also Check: How Much Does Disability Pay In Ny