Understanding Autism
Get the latest Flash player
Understanding Autism
When do parents begin to worry something might be wrong?
What skills should be taught to children using ABA or behavioral interventions?
What developmental milestones should parents usually notice?
Understanding Autism
Family Fitness Activities In Spring
Understanding The Importance Of A Child Safety Seat
Rear-Facing Car Seat Facts
Forward-Facing Car Seat Facts
Booster Car Seat Facts
Seat Belt Safety Facts
Understanding the Importance of Bike Safety
Share the Road to Prevent Accidents
Bike Safety Tips For Adults
Creating a Bicycle Friendly America
Be A Bike Safety Role Model
Create An Exciting Kid's Fitness Program
Peggy Halliday
Program Director for Outreach Services , Virginia Institute of Autism
(434) 923-8252
information@viaschool.org
Peggy Halliday, M.Ed., BCBA, is a board certified behavior analyst who has specialized in autism education for the past twelve years. She is the Director of Outreach Services at the Virginia Institute of Autism (VIA) in Charlottesville, VA. VIA is a non-profit organization which provides a day school and other resources for families, educators, and other professionals seeking services, training or information about autism and evidence-based interventions. The Institute operates a year-round school for students ages 2-22, a 700-volume library, training workshops, internships for undergraduate and graduate students and teachers, and customized trainings for schools. Peggy supervises a wide range of outreach services, including development and supervision of comprehensive, home-based early intervention programs incorporating naturalistic, incidental, and structured teaching using the principles of applied behavior analysis; training for parents and home instructors; skills assessments, functional behavior assessments and intervention plans, and consultations in public school classrooms. She has presented trainings and workshops at state and national conferences.<!--Session data--><!--Session data--><!--Session data-->
Understanding Autism
Peggy Halliday, Director of Outreach Services at the Virginia Institute of Autism, discusses what causes autism and its early signs.
Transcripts
Peggy Halliday: Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. The Center for Disease Control estimates that today, autism affects 1 in 150 individuals. Autism is characterized by impairments in three broad areas. The first is in social interactions, the second is in communication which includes language, and the third is in behavior. There are other features that are also associated with autism to a lesser or a greater degree in particular individuals and these include things like sensory issues such as taste, touch, texture, light, and noise. There also may be hyperactivity, a short attentions span, tantrum behavior, self-injury or aggression. There may be sleeplessness; all of these characteristics begin before the age of three.
No one knows what causes autism; this is an area of a great amount of research in the medical field today. There are a number of theories that are being checked out but we really don't know what causes autism. We know that researchers agree that there is some kind of genetic link and we know that at least in some children environmental factors probably play a role as well. Whatever the cause is, the likelihood to develop autism is present at a child's birth.
How can extended family members support relatives with autistic children?
Why do children with autism tantrum and what can parents do about it?
Do children with autism look different from other children?
Do young children resist such teaching, preferring to just play?
Are there some children with autism who never learn to talk?
What strategies are recommended when children are unable to talk?
How does educating a child with autism differ from educating other children?
How does an autistic child change as they grow?
What are some of the signs and symptoms to parents that their child may be autistic?
(Add Comment)