ASD Research

Main Presenting features of ASD (How I recognise ASD)

Please note the intensity of these features can differ significantly from child to child and can
present themselves in different ways that are dependent on environment.

Main presenting features

The child:
■ Behaves inappropriately due to lack of understanding of social rules
■ Fails to initiate contact with others
■ Has difficulty establishing relationships with peers
■ Prefers to be a loner or dominates play situations
■ Lacks empathy ■ Lacks spontaneity and flexibility
■ Fails to share experiences
■ Is considered ‘odd’ by teachers or peers
■ Lacks insight of cause and effect
■ Has superficial perfect expressive language but shows pedantic/ stereotypical speech
■ Has abnormal intonation
■ Uses abnormal/inappropriate language
■ Understands things literally
■ Lacks facial expression
■ Has an abnormal gaze/gestures and ‘odd’ posturing
■ Has difficulty with abstract concepts
■ Concentrates intensely when engaged in his specialist interest/passion or certain topics
■ Becomes obsessional about interests
■ Has problems managing transitions and change

Motor
The child:
■ Looks awkward when walking, running, hopping, skipping, due to motor clumsiness
■ Has problems joining in PE activities or pronounced difficulty with bat and ball games
■ Writes with slow, untidy and laborious handwriting which is often late to develop and
lacks flow or is meticulous with writing
■ Has delays in developing self-care skills, e.g. using cutlery, fastening buttons, tying laces
■ Manipulates tools poorly, e.g. scissors, rulers, compass

Sensory
The child:
■ Reacts adversely to a range of sensory stimulation
■ Is unable to filter out extraneous noises, movements, excessive visual stimuli and may
respond adversely
■ Becomes easily distracted by everyday sensory stimulation

Cognitive
The child:
■ Has a specific learning difficulty with a particular activity, e.g. reading, writing, drawing
■ Memorises factual information with remarkable ease
■ Has an excellent rote memory recollection of patterns
■ Performs poorly when required to sequence
■ Has average or above average intelligence
■ Has a learning difficulty (mild, moderate, severe) making learning slower

Social/emotional
The child:
■ Is prone to teasing by other children
■ Becomes socially isolated
■ Has difficulty waiting for turn, frequently interrupts
■ Displays anxiety; has difficulty managing stress and frustration ■ Is inclined towards
depression
■ Develops temper tantrums and rages, has mood swings/poor emotional regulation
■ Has destructive behaviour arising from anger/frustration, not understanding the world
around them

Specific strategies offer for Teachers in

See table of strategies offer in Jenkinson, J., Hyde, T. & Ahmad, S. (2008). Building blocks for
learning occupational therapy approaches: practical strategies for the inclusion of special
needs in the primary school. (pp. 181 – 195).West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
Retrieved from: https://ebookcentral-proquest-
com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/lib/CSUAU/detail.action?docID=406485