Search

The needs of seriously handicapped brain-damaged and autistic children require that a teacher provide a highly structured lesson and environment, Many basic factors which contribute to a well structured lesson are frequently overlooked. Prepared for teachers at Benhaven, a day school in New Haven, Connecticut, this paper points out the elements which contribute to a well-organized lesson and the factors which might militate against a good lesson. Less handicapped children could benefit from a modification o f the same structuring procedures, adapted to their levels of disability and strengths.

Twenty-one patients with condition varying from neurotic shyness through autism, to brain injury were described, categorized and placed on a spectrum of autism. Criteria for diagnosis have been developed with consequent increase in the accuracy of prognostication and a more effective approach to treatment. The outcome of our experience with these children over a 5½ year period is discussed. A format for uniform clinical examination and investigations has been suggested; alongside this we have described the usefulness of categorizing the morphology of phantasy. The natural history of “autism” as we see it has been graphically described. The paper contains clinical excerpts on some of our cases.