What is Autism?

Alena DavisBlock- B12-13-12

Introduction Autism is a severe disorder of brain

function that causes problems with social contact, communication, and behaviors that repeat over and over again

This disorder usually starts out when the child is young

Occurs in about 1 out of 150 children

What are the symptoms?

Learning disabilities:- Communication- Tasks Social Interaction- May act aggressively around people- May prefer being alone- May have strange or unusual, or

repetitive behavior

Are there any treatments?

Drug therapy can reduce repetitive behaviors in some people

Children can be in some kind of programs:

-speech and language: talking properly

-Listening: attention problems

Is Autism more common in certain

groups? 4 times more in boys than girls

Everywhere around the world among all races and social backgrounds

Does prenatal care increase the chance of

Autism? Disorder certainly develops before the

child is born

Genetic disorder: twins probably will both have autism

Drinking alcohol

How many kids have Autism?

Number of children is rising

500,000 individuals younger than 21, have

autism

2% of children under the age of 18, have a

serious developmental disability:

- Hearing loss

- Mental disability

- Vision disability

Special Ed Teacher Special education teachers help children

and adults with autism.

Preschools, kindergartens, or elementary

schools

- median: $50,000

- 50% earned between $40,000 and $63,000

- Lowest 10% earned less than $33,000

- Highest 10% earned more than $78,000

Special Ed Teacher The number of special education teachers is

expected to increase by 17 percent from 2008

to 2018

Can advance to become supervisors or

administrators

Can become instructors in colleges that

prepare others to teach special education

Related Careers:

Psychologists, Therapists, Social workers

High school career academies

Atholton High school

Allied Health Academy

I picked this because there are some

requirements that go along with my

career like, you have to have a c average

in science coursework. Special education

teachers need to know about science to

understand children and adults with

mental disabilities.

University of Maryland

Location:

- University of Maryland, College Park, MD

20742

Tuition:

- $8,650 as a resident

- $26,000 as non-resident

5 year combined Bachelor’s and Master’s

program in special education

University of Maryland

2 year specialization in levels: early

childhood, elementary, or middle school

Ranked 23rd in the Nation by U.S. News and

World Report

37,595 students

2009-10 about 81.5% of students graduated

with a 4 degree

Community Service

Volunteer at Grace Community Church,

Fulton, MD, for “A Place For Me”

program

Volunteer at Maryland Therapeutic

Riding, Crownsville, MD

Volunteer at an Easter Seals Program,

College Park, MD

Prior Job Experience

Babysitting

Worked as a counselor at summer church

camp

Babysitting accomplishments: learned how

to deal with kids

Awards: honor roll, job payment

Citations

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocoso70.htm

http://www.mtrinc.org/

http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_volunteering

http://www.gcchoco.org/APlaceForMe/tabid/113/Default.aspx