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Autism is a disability which impacts a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. More than one in 100 people are considered to be on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 diagnosed autistic adults and children in the UK.
Autism is a spectrum condition. It is sometimes referred to as Autistic Spectrum Disorder or ASD. Asperger’s is a form of autism though is no longer diagnosed as a specific condition.
Because autism is a spectrum condition, it impacts people in different ways. It is therefore impossible to say exactly what an autism diagnosis means for life in school. Some children are severely affected and experience severe cognitive difficulties alongside autism. They require specialist education in a special school. Others will remain in mainstream education with some minor adjustments required. For some, mainstream school might be suitable but the child may well require an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) in order to make progress and be able to access the curriculum.
It is important to stress that no two children are the same and the same goes for children with autism. However, the following difficulties with education can be very common for children with autism:
Some support and/or adjustments that can be commonly made for children with autism include:
An EHCP is legally required when a child’s needs are such that they cannot be met from within the resources ordinarily available to a mainstream school. There is no automatic entitlement to an EHCP because a child has autism or indeed any other diagnosis. The legal test is aimed at ensuring those who have needs significant enough to require additional support are able to access it rather than prioritising some needs over others.
This means that some children with autism will require EHCPs and will meet the legal test for doing so but others may not.
The law is set out in section37 of The Children and Families Act 2014 (legislation.gov.uk) and supported by the SEND Code of Practice SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) and simply depends on whether a child’s needs can be met without an EHCP.
The SEND Code of Practice sets out the following considerations:
“the information from the EHC needs assessment confirms the information available on the nature and extent of the child or young person’s SEN prior to the EHC needs assessment, and whether
In short, no. PDA is not ‘the same’ as autism but the two are considered to be closely related. Someone may have autism and PDA but PDA can also be a standalone condition.
The PDA Society point out that:
“PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is widely understood to be a profile on the autism spectrum, though we are still at an early stage in our understanding and PDA research is in its infancy.
Whilst autism is a widely recognised term, our understanding of the full breadth and complexity of the autism spectrum is still evolving…We know that autism is dimensional – it involves a complex and overlapping pattern of strengths, differences and challenges that present differently from one individual to another and in the same individual over time or in different environments.
A cluster of traits can be called a presentation or a profile – in some cases this can be quite different from what some people think autism ‘looks like’.
This can lead to presentations in some people – including autistic women and girls, and PDA individuals – being missed altogether, misunderstood or misdiagnosed, which can in turn lead to poor outcomes…”
A PDA profile of autism means that individuals share autistic characteristics …
… and in addition:
Key features of PDA can be:
With great difficulty in some cases! PDA, by its very nature, means that children struggle to comply with rules, expectations and social norms. Children can be misunderstood as simply being naughty children. School exclusions and suspensions for those with PDA are high but there is advice out there which enables schools to be fully inclusive and support those who have a PDA diagnosis or present with such needs. Instructions often have to be subtle and not direct. The curriculum may need to be adapted to ensure it involves subjects of interest and importance to the child or young person. Planning is key in order to identify and minimise triggers for avoidant behaviour. Planning should, where appropriate, involve the child or young person so they know what to expect and when. It is vitally important that school staff know a child has or may have PDA. Someone should be available to monitor a child’s anxiety levels and be able to reduce demands in situations where anxiety may be increasing. Signs of increasing anxiety can be difficult to spot for those unfamiliar with the child and/or with PDA. Consistent staffing can therefore be very useful and the importance of training cannot be overstated. Similar to autism, having a safe space where children or young people can go to regulate can be a lifeline.
PDA is also a spectrum condition meaning that some of these difficulties will be greater in some children and young people than others. Where cases are severe, an EHCP may be required to ensure that the relevant staffing requirements can be properly funded and the support guaranteed by law.
What is autism? – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
What is autism
Surviving School On The Autistic Spectrum | Blog | YoungMinds
Children and Families Act 2014 (legislation.gov.uk)
SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)
About autism & PDA – PDA Society
Why Asperger’s Syndrome Is No Longer an Official Diagnosis (verywellhealth.com)