HELP FOR PARENTS WITH ASPERGERS CHILDREN

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Aspergers Children & Tantrums/Meltdowns

Click=> How to Stop Meltdowns & Temper Tantrums in Aspergers Children


What are meltdowns? They are overwhelming emotions that are quite common in Asperger’s children.

What causes them? It can be anything from a very minor incident to something more traumatic.

How long do they last? It’s anyone’s guess. They last until the child is either completely exhausted, or he gains control of his emotions -- which is not easy for him to do.


Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and the Asperger’s child are totally exhausted.


But...

Don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next -- the meltdown can return in full force.

If your child suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, expect him to experience both minor and major meltdowns over incidents that are part of daily life. He may have a major meltdown over a very small incident, or may experience a minor meltdown over something that is major. There is no way of telling how he is going to react about certain situations. However, there are many ways to help your child learn to control his emotions.


Click=> How to Stop Meltdowns and Temper Tantrums in Aspergers Children



20.6.09

Cure for Asperger’s Syndrome?

If you know of a youngster who is having a greater degree of language impairment than other kids or has diminished communication skills and also exhibits a restrictive pattern of thought and behavior, he may have Aspergers. This condition is more or less similar to that of classic autism. The main difference between autism and Aspergers is that the youngster suffering from Aspergers retains his early language skills.

The peculiar symptom of Aspergers is a youngster’s obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other. The youngster suffering from Aspergers wants to know all about this one topic.

Sometimes their speech patterns and vocabulary may resemble that of a little professor. Other Asperger’s symptoms include the inability to interact successfully with peers, clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements, repetitive routines or rituals, socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior, and last, but not least, problems with non-verbal communication.

Aspergers sufferers find difficulty mingling with the general public. Even if they converse with others, they exhibit inappropriate and eccentric behavior. The Aspergers child may always want to talk about his singular interest.

Developmental delays in motor skills such as catching a ball, climbing outdoor play equipment or pedaling a bike may also appear in the youngster with Aspergers. Kids with Aspergers often show a stilted or bouncy walk, which appears awkward.

The therapy for the Aspergers mainly concentrates on three-core symptoms: physical clumsiness, obsessive or repetitive routines, and poor communication skills. It is unfortunate that there is no single treatment for the kids suffering from the entire three-core symptoms. But therapists do agree that the syndrome can be cured when the intervention is carried out at the earliest possible time.

The treatment package of Aspergers for kids involves medication for co-existing conditions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and social skills training. The Aspergers treatment mainly helps to build on the youngster’s interests, teaches the task as a series of simple steps, and offers a predictable schedule.

Although kids suffering from Aspergers can mange themselves with their disabilities, the personal relationships and social situations are challenging for them. In order to maintain an independent life, the Aspergers sufferers require moral support and encouragement to work successfully in mainstream jobs.

Studies are on the way to discover the best treatment for Aspergers, which includes the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify the abnormalities in the brain which causes malfunction of the same, which in turn result in Aspergers. Clinical trials are being conducted to identify the effectiveness of an anti-depressant in Aspergers individuals. Even the analysis of the DNA of the Aspergers sufferers and their families may cause a breakthrough in the treatment of the Aspergers.

My Aspergers Child
Posted by Online Parent Support, LLC at 20.6.09
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Aspergers Test

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher. The test is not a means for making a diagnosis. Many who score above 32 - and who even meet the diagnostic criteria for mild autism or Asperger's - report no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives.



Definitely agree Slightly agree Slightly disagree Definitely disagree
1 I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.
2 I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.
3 If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.
4 I frequently get so strongly absorbed in one thing that I lose sight of other things.
5 I often notice small sounds when others do not.
6 I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.
7 Other people frequently tell me that what I've said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.
8 When I'm reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.
9 I am fascinated by dates.
10 In a social group, I can easily keep track of several different people's conversations.
11 I find social situations easy.
12 I tend to notice details that others do not.
13 I would rather go to a library than to a party.
14 I find making up stories easy.
15 I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.
16 I tend to have very strong interests, which I get upset about if I can't pursue.
17 I enjoy social chitchat.
18 When I talk, it isn't always easy for others to get a word in edgewise.
19 I am fascinated by numbers.
20 When I'm reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters' intentions.
21 I don't particularly enjoy reading fiction.
22 I find it hard to make new friends.
23 I notice patterns in things all the time.
24 I would rather go to the theater than to a museum.
25 It does not upset me if my daily routine is disturbed.
26 I frequently find that I don't know how to keep a conversation going.
27 I find it easy to 'read between the lines' when someone is talking to me.
28 I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, rather than on the small details.
29 I am not very good at remembering phone numbers.
30 I don't usually notice small changes in a situation or a person's appearance.
31 I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.
32 I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.
33 When I talk on the phone, I'm not sure when it's my turn to speak.
34 I enjoy doing things spontaneously.
35 I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.
36 I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.
37 If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.
38 I am good at social chitchat.
39 People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.
40 When I was young, I used to enjoy playing games involving pretending with other children.
41 I like to collect information about categories of things (e.g., types of cars, birds, trains, plants).
42 I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.
43 I like to carefully plan any activities I participate in.
44 I enjoy social occasions.
45 I find it difficult to work out people's intentions.
46 New situations make me anxious.
47 I enjoy meeting new people.
48 I am a good diplomat.
49 I am not very good at remembering people's date of birth.
50 I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.

How to score:

"Definitely agree" or "Slightly agree" responses to questions 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 33, 35, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46 score 1 point.

"Definitely disagree" or "Slightly disagree" responses to questions 1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 38, 40, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50 score 1 point.

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