About our Autism 101 Course

Workshop Summary

Autism 101 is an introductory level workshop that aims to give people a rounded understanding of autism and what it is like to be a person with autistic neurology. This workshop takes you on a journey to understanding autism from the autistic perspective. It begins with looking at the medical model of autism and follows through with how the diagnosis looks from the autistic perspective.
Duration: 2 hours Cost: $50

Learning outcomes

• Understanding of how autism is diagnosed in australia
• Impacts on autism diagnosis
• Different perspectives on autism
• Seeing autism from the autistic perspective

Presentation outline

• Perspective-taking – different perspectives on the origin of autism
• Diagnosis in Australia – How do we diagnose autism in Australia
• Levels and functioning labels – the fluidity of functioning
• Co-occurring conditions – Seeing the person as a whole but understanding each component
• Facts and Stats
• Communication – Communication disorder or communication difference
• Sensory processing – The impact of our sensory system on processing and function
• The special interest – The value in hyperfocus and following our interests
• Repetitive behaviours – It is part of the diagnosis, but what is their function, are they all the same

Presentation in detail

Facts and Stats

• Australian and international Facts and Statistics on autism

Diagnosis in Australia

The Autism CRCs guidelines for a diagnosis of autism in Australia

• Child process
• Adult process

Autism diagnosis under the DSM 5 /ICD10 criteria

• Diagnostic criteria
• Levels
• Co-occurring conditions
• Cognitive differences

Changing Perspective

Different ways of understanding and perceiving autism and how it presents

• Medical Model
• Neurodiversity
• Anthropological

What does it mean to have an autism diagnosis from the autistic perspective?

• Communication
• Sensory processing
• The special interest
• Repetitive behaviours

The autism constellation theory

A developmental model of autism