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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with impairments in communication and social interaction with repetitive or rigid behaviors or interests (Flannery & Wisner-Carlson, 2020).
ASD varies in severity and characteristics. It affects all age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups (Crosland & Dunlap, 2012). Those with ASD may have hyper-sensitivities to taste, smell, tactile, or noise. This has been found to be higher in students with ASD over other students with special needs (Green, et al., 2016).
Those diagnosed with ASD have stereotypic behavior (restricted, repetitive behaviors) which can be characterized by “insistence on sameness, preoccupation with certain objects or parts of objects, resistance to change, perseverative movements such as rocking or hand flapping, and self-injurious behaviors such as head banging. Lack of eye contact and social and emotional reciprocity are examples of social relatedness deficits” (Boutot, 2007, p. 158).
These behaviors may serve different purposes for individuals with autism. They could be a way to provide comfort, distraction, or coping for the student. These stereotypic behaviors can impact their social acceptance and ability to build friendships.
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