They also have a proprioceptive condition that limits that sense of self and affects how they perceive and process their world.” “There may be the presence of sensory distraction issues, where an individual will ‘distract’ one sense that is very strong to enhance another that is very weak. “Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive their surroundings much differently – in that their sensory sensitivities are much more extreme, either hyper or hypo,” Johnston tells ASLA. Many autistic children have some form of Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID) that leaves the child over-sensitive to stimuli such as light or sounds or under-sensitive to pain, putting them at risk of injury. Social challenges including being either nonverbal or having difficulty carrying on a conversation, which can lead to isolation. A familiar phrase is ‘if you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism’ because of how wide and varied and dynamic the spectrum really is.”ĭespite these wide variations, the three main areas affected by autism are social interaction and communication, sensory integration and repetitive patterns of behavior. “Yet the responses can be as wide a spectrum as the disorder itself and vary widely even within siblings on the spectrum. Johnston, founder of Square Root Design Studio based in Hemet, California, tells the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
![garden designs for students with autism garden designs for students with autism](http://hgtvhome.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/grdn/fullset/2014/11/26/0/CI_ngb-gs-farm-work-5.jpg)
“The main difference between people on the autism spectrum, regardless of how severe, and neurotypical people is their perception of the world around them and their sense of self in space and time,” Brian S. Understanding the challengesĪutism can manifest itself in many different ways, ranging all the way from Asperger’s syndrome where the individual has good language skills and above average intelligence to severe classical autism where the person is nonverbal, prone to social isolation and tends to practice repetitive behaviors like rocking. Rather than having to turn them down because you don’t feel comfortable trying to fulfill their request, take the time to educate yourself on the matter and learn more about the landscape design elements that can help create an environment that is comfortable and supportive for the child.
![garden designs for students with autism garden designs for students with autism](https://gardenhouz.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/33-Sweet-Simple-School-Garden-Design-Ideas-8.jpg)
With this prevalence, you might one day have a customer who is looking for help creating an outdoor space that can meet their autistic child’s needs. The Autism Society says that more than 3.5 million Americans live with an ASD. This, of course, is autism, which is a neurological developmental disability that impacts social interaction, repetitive behavior, speech and nonverbal communication.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 59 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States.
![garden designs for students with autism garden designs for students with autism](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/36/8f/67/368f677a44460fe05e4dfd5af3bf8c9d.jpg)
One particular disorder differs so greatly from one person to the next that it is viewed more like a spectrum. There are many different types of disabilities, varying from learning to mobility ones, and numerous conditions that affect an individual’s cognitive, sensory and communication abilities.