Because students with autism suffer from difficulties in social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication, it is very important to make sure they are getting the optimal occupational development and that they are getting everything they need in from school.
Occupational development is the gradual change in occupational behaviors over time, resulting from growth and maturation of the individual in interaction with the environment. As humans get meaning in out lives through what they do and the activity we do everyday give us an identity. The occupations we engage in everyday are influenced by our abilities, values, lifestyles, obligations, expectations, and possibilities. The influences are carried out by the physical, cultural, social and institutional environments in which we live in. (Book) …show more content…
In a study comparing infants with autism to those with typical development, they looked for comparisons between autism and developmental delays. Compared to typically developing infants, infants with autism spend less time looking at people, vocalizing toward people, orienting toward people, responding to their name, seeking contact with people, smiling at others, and showing anticipatory gestures in response to adult actions. (The Impact of Autism on Child Development) With these