How do ASD characteristics affect individuals?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to autism. Yes, the characteristics are the same however each individual is affected differently.
I get asked ‘how do ASD characteristics affect individuals?’ so often and it really is an individual thing. Not everyone will have a rigid interest or have the same sensory processing challenge as the next person. Let’s look at the question, then shall we? How do ASD characteristics affect individuals?
ASD characteristics can be an asset in different settings, however can also be a barrier. ASD impacts the social communication domain and may affect a person’s ability to understand nonverbal communication such as a thumb up as a sign of a job well done from their teacher yet is able to communicate using language and can understand and follow basic requests (NAC, 2015).
In the restrictive/repetitive behaviours and interests domain it may manifest in activities in the classroom. A child with ASD that has an intense interest in an activity may join in repeatedly but not take turns due to their fixation. The same student can be motivated by the teacher to complete work or behave in a positive way and be rewarded with their preferred activity (Hart & Whalon, 2013). Opportunities like these will positively impact skills for the child with ASD (Buron & Wolfberg, 2014).
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In the work environment sensory processing difficulties may manifest through the appearance of the individual being hyposensitive to touch and seeking sensory input in the form of pressure and not continuing with their work.
This same individual may be affected at a party. Their hypersensitivity to auditory stimuli such as loud music, the crowd’s laughter and party blowers in the environment cause anxiety and self-injurious behaviour due to the overwhelm created in the brain.
Another person in the work environment may be challenged by their poor executive functioning. They need the task to be broken down with a visual task analysis to ensure the sequence to be completed is followed.
In other individuals their information processing skills enhance their skill to an extraordinary level. Their difference in how they think or view their world attributes to the way they visualise a concept and can detail a design and produce an idea (Grandin, 2013).
Just like you and I, individuals with ASD think differently. Their unique way of thinking does not make them wrong or any less than us. We all have different opinions, ideas and preferences but it is apparent that individuals with ASD seem to always be forced to fit in our neurotypical world when it comes to thinking and living.
What if we made a conscious effort to try and understand their different way of thinking? ASD characteristics do impact on people in home, school and work environments. It does not take too much to break down a task into small steps so that they can follow the sequence.
The task will be completed with ease if this is done as it accommodates for the weaknesses in executive functioning. It is also simple to create a safe space or quiet area for an individual with ASD to work in so that the sensory overload does not affect their anxiety levels as much.
People do not get a choice as to how ASD characteristics affect them. We, however, have a choice as to how we modify and accommodate environments to best suit them. I’ve spoken to many people over the years that are in supervisory roles and they often complain that their employee struggles with completing a task and then it creates conflict in the team as they don’t accept responsibility and that they have done anything wrong.
What I say to that is ‘you need to put supports into place to help them.’ The best way we can do this is by being trained and made aware of the neurodivergent ways of thinking. Remember that I am an educator, trainer and speaker so if your corporation requires assistance, all you need to do is ask!
Just do me a favour please…. If you will? Always remember that ASD characteristics affect individuals differently. Period.