Autism and Deafness: Guide

Early Years

Early Years Case Study  - Child 1

Background

Deafness

Level of Loss – Bilateral moderate to severe sensorineural loss

Diagnosis – Newborn screening

Born at full term following healthy pregnancy. Good delivery – no complications.

Type of equipment – BTE Oticon Synergy hearing aids,

Amount of use – Hearing aid use excellent until two months ago, but currently can no longer tolerate hearing aids at all.  Radio aid has been ordered but not able to fit until wearing hearing aids.

Autism

Currently being assessed for Autism.

Presents as having many sensory differences.

Seeks sensory input (loves touching/drinking water, stroking soft materials and shiny surfaces)

Recoils from other sensory experiences (solid foods, dogs barking and the school bell for dinner time)

Struggles to use spoken/signed language to communicate meaningfully.

Is very self directed.

Not interested in playing with her peers – will cry if they approach her to play.

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Current:

Age of student: 4 years 3 months

Communication: Can say lots of single words – can name things in home/school book. Cannot use this language to comment on things, ask or answer questions.  Uses sign to let parents/carers know some wants.  Has recently started to point to things she wants.  Is having intensive speech and language therapy as well as signing support.  

Type of School Placement: Goes to local mainstream primary.  This is the second placement, as first placement did not meet her needs effectively.

Currently applying for EHCP as needs full-time 1:1 TA support – also looking at Autism specific settings.

Typical behaviours: Socially isolated – prefers to be by herself – enjoys looking at books, loves her iPAD (it is problematic to get her off it)

Shows fixed thinking.  Easily distressed when things do not go as she has expected eg the journey to the shops is the same as the first part of the journey to the park.  If parents go to the shop then she expects to go to the park and will become very distressed if they cannot go to the park.

At school will spend lunchtime alone skipping around the playground and seeking out puddles and collections of rainwater.  Needs supervision because she will drink stagnant rainwater.

Greatest current challenge:

1. Wearing her hearing aids
2. Getting and sharing attention

Sensory issues:

Seeks sensory input (loves touching/drinking water, stroking soft materials and shiny surfaces)

Recoils from other sensory experiences (solid foods, dogs barking and the school bell for dinner time)

Interests: iPad, singing (especially nursery rhymes), dancing

Strengths: Excellent memory, good sense of rhythm, talented singer

Not so Successful Strategies:

Desensitisation programme not successful – investigations into the reason why hearing aids are rejected still under review

Successful Strategies:

Social Stories

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