Autism or CHARGE: Identifying Effective Educational and Behavioral Interventions

April 12, 2022

3:00 – 4:30 PM EST

Presenter: Julie Maier

The similarities in the ways that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and deafblindness present in children, including those with CHARGE syndrome, have been recognized for a long time. Families and educators serving children with deafblindness increasingly hear suggestions from education & medical professionals that these children seem to act “autistic”.  While it is possible for children to be diagnosed with both CHARGE and ASD, it is much more likely that a child with CHARGE simply appears similar to a child with ASD and others do not have adequate information about these features of CHARGE. In this presentation we’ll look at profiles of learners with ASD and learners with CHARGE syndrome, point out similar characteristics in both profiles, and describe how the multiple sensory issues common in CHARGE syndrome can explain these “autistic-like” features. We will also look closely at evidence-based practices in the field of autism and highly recognized field-based best practices related to deafblind education and offer suggestions for how to match and tailor evidence based ASD practices with deafblind practices when planning instruction and supports for a learner with CHARGE syndrome to provide the most beneficial outcomes.