Difference Not Disorder: Understanding Autism Theory in Practice

242 Pages·2018·1.466 MB·English

by  Catherine Harvey

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‘it is a rare and sensitive person who can share a lifetime of human Dr Catherine Harvey
experience illuminated by research and allow the reader access to new i
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thinking. scholarship written with sensitivity.’
f Illustrated by Kevin McFadden
– Professor Bart McGettrick, emeritus Professor
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of education, University of Glasgow
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‘this book offers readers a remarkable level of heartfelt insight. it has
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the emotional literacy that is often absent from texts in this area…with
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supporting wider evidence, born from a career well spent in the service of
children and education.’ e
– Dr toby Brandon, reader in Disability and Mental Health, Department n
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of social Work and community Wellbeing, northumbria University
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‘As the parent of a daughter who is on the autistic spectrum, i found the book t
informative and wished that i had read it when she was first diagnosed.’ D
– surrinder sandham Bains, Health Professional/Parent carer DisorDer
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Interventions and educational approaches for children with autism spectrum o
disorders (ASDs) have developed in response to the different models for how
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autism has been constructed and understood. This book explores the evolving
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theories on autism and how these have impacted the interventions and
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outcomes in education. Drawing on 30 years of professional experience and
r Theory in Practice
detailed research, Harvey exposes the myths around autism and advocates
for understanding autism as difference rather than impairment. She provides
practical guidance on teaching and learning, behaviour management, and
addressing the sensory and physical needs of children with ASD.
This accessible overview shows how to put autism research into practice, D
learn from historic mistakes and create the most supportive environment for r

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children on the autism spectrum.
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catherine Harvey has over 30 years’ experience teaching primary and
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secondary students, specialising in SEN and supporting children with autism. r
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She holds degrees in Psychology and Education, and a professional doctorate n
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from Liverpool Hope University.
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Jessica Kingsley Publishers r
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www.jkp.com/autism
Cover design: Adam Renvoize JKP

DIFFERENCE NOT DISORDER
of related interest
Medical Aspects of Autism and Asperger Syndrome
A Guide for Parents and Professionals
Mohammad Ghaziuddin
ISBN 978 1 84310 818 4
eISBN 978 1 78450 783 1
The Interbrain
Embodied Connections Versus Common Knowledge
Dibgy Tantam
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eISBN 978 0 85700 856 5
A Best Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools, Second Edition
Lee A. Wilkinson
ISBN 978 1 78592 704 1
eISBN 978 1 78450 250 8
Creating Autism Champions
Autism Awareness Training for Key Stage 1 and 2
Joy Beaney
Illustrated by Haitham Al-Ghani
ISBN 978 1 78592 169 8
eISBN 978 1 78450 441 0
A Practical Guide to Happiness in Children
and Teens on the Autism Spectrum
A Positive Psychology Approach
Victoria Honeybourne
ISBN 978 1 78592 347 0
eISBN 978 1 78450 681 0
The Essential Manual for Asperger Syndrome (ASD) in the Classroom
What Every Teacher Needs to Know
Kathy Hoopmann
Illustrated by Rebecca Houkamau
ISBN 978 1 84905 553 6
eISBN 978 0 85700 984 5
Autism and Solution-focused Practice
Els Mattelin and Hannelore Volckaert
ISBN 978 1 78592 328 9
eISBN 978 1 78450 644 5
Autism and Learning Differences
An Active Learning Teaching Toolkit
Michael P. McManmon, Ed.D.
Foreword by Stephen M. Shore
ISBN 978 1 84905 794 3
eISBN 978 1 78450 074 0
DIFFERENCE

NOT DISORDER
Understanding Autism Theory in Practice
DR CATHERINE HARVEY
Illustrated by Kevin McFadden
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and Philadelphia
First published in 2018
by Jessica Kingsley Publishers
73 Collier Street
London N1 9BE, UK
and
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
www.jkp.com
Copyright © Dr Catherine Harvey 2018
Illustrations copyright © Kevin McFadden 2018
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any
material form (including photocopying, storing in any medium by electronic
means or transmitting) without the written permission of the copyright owner
except in accordance with the provisions of the law or under terms of a licence
issued in the UK by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd. www.cla.co.uk or in
overseas territories by the relevant reproduction rights organisation, for details
see www.ifrro.org. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to
reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.
Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work
may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 78592 474 3
eISBN 978 1 78450 863 0
I dedicate this book to David and Althea Brandon, without whom I
would not have become either the person or the teacher I grew into.
I owe them more than I can acknowledge in words – I owe them every
word of this book, because without them it would never have been
written. They literally saved my life by taking me home. In many ways,
my life was one of their legacies. They live ‘in my middle’ forever.
With my undying love and gratitude.

Contents
Preface 13
PART 1. AUTISM HISTORY AND THEORY:
THINKING AND CONSTRUCTS UNDERPINNING
AUTISM AS WE KNOW IT TODAY
1 WHAT IF WE GOT IT WRONG? 19
Introduction 19
The Book’s Origin: What If We Got It Wrong? 19
What Is Autism? The Core Differences 24
Note 28
2 AUTISM 29
A Recent Story
Introduction 29
Autism: The Past 30
The Emotional and Environmental Theory 31
The Ethological Theory 33
The Genetic/Organic Theory 36
Autism: The Present 37
The DSM-5 45
Autism: The Future 48
Notes 49
3 AUTISM APPROACHES 51
Origins and Insights
Introduction 51
Approaches Stemming from the Emotional and
Environmental Theorists 51
The Son-Rise Program (SRP) 52
Intensive Interaction 55
Floortime 57
Final Thoughts on Approaches Stemming from the
Emotional and Environmental Theorists 60
Approaches Stemming from Emotional and Environmental
to Physiological and Environmental Theorists 62
Vaccine Causes 62
Bowel Disease Causes 64
Amalgam Causes 66
Hyper-Immunity and Other Immune System Causes 70
Allergies and Food Intolerances and/or Sensitivity Causes 73
Food Allergies 73
Food Intolerances 76
Yeast and Candida Causes 76
Bacterial Infections and Viruses Causes 77
Approaches Stemming from the Ethological Theorists 77
Approaches Stemming from the Genetic/Organic Theorists 79
Behaviourism 79
Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) 80
Ole Ivar Løvaas 81
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related
Communication-Handicapped Children (TEACCH) 83
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) 84
Phase 1: How to Communicate 84
Phase 2: Distance and Persistence 85
Phase 3: Discrimination between Symbols 85
Phase 4: Using Phrases 86
Phase 5: Answering a Direct Question 87
Phase 6: Commenting 87
Final Thoughts on Approaches Stemming from the
Genetic/Organic Theorists 88
Note 89
4 A CHANGED SOCIO-CULTURE OR
IMPAIRMENT INCREASE 91
Introduction 91
Impairment or Difference 93