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"Blind Rage" in Children on the Autism Spectrum

"How can you handle an explosive child (high functioning autistic) who has tantrums and/or meltdowns that end up becoming violent in nature?"

Some children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) are known for their “explosive” and “out-of-control” behavior. This is referred to as “blind rage.”

A blind rage is “blind” in the sense that the affected child may not be totally aware of his or her behavior during the rage episode.  It’s a feeling of intense and growing anger that is associated with the fight-or-flight response, but should not be confused with temper tantrums or meltdowns.

During a tantrum, the child is aware of his or her behavior and motives, whereas rage occurs in a semi-conscious state. Meltdowns are driven more by anxiety-related issues (e.g., sensory sensitivities), whereas rage is driven more by anger-related issues and a need to retaliate.



An Aspergers or HFA child with ADHD and/or ODD has an increased susceptibility to blind rage. Rage can sometimes grow to the point where the child is capable of doing things that may normally seem physically impossible. Children experiencing rage usually feel the effects of high adrenaline levels in the body. This increase in adrenal output raises the physical strength and endurance levels of the child and sharpens his or her senses, while dulling the sensation of pain.

Children in a blind rage have described experiencing events in “slow-motion.” An explanation of this "time dilation" effect is that, instead of actually slowing the perception of time, high levels of adrenaline increase the ability to recall specific minutiae of an event after it occurs. Since people ordinarily gauge time based on the amount of things they can remember, high-adrenaline events, such as those experienced during periods of blind rage, seem to unfold more slowly.

A child in a state of rage also loses much of his capacity for rational thought and reasoning, and may act (usually violently) on his impulses to the point that he may attack until he has been restrained, or the source of his rage has been “destroyed.”

A child in a blind rage may also experience tunnel vision, muffled hearing, increased heart rate and hyperventilation. She often focuses only on the source of her anger. Also, the large amounts of adrenaline and oxygen in the bloodstream may cause her extremities to shake.

==> Preventing Tantrums, Rage and Meltdowns in Children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism

Blind rage has three components:

1. The first component is the emotion itself, defined as an affective or arousal state, or a feeling experienced when a goal is blocked or needs are frustrated. For example:
  • Conflict over possessions, which involves someone taking the child’s property or invading his space.
  • Issues of compliance, which often involve asking or insisting that the child do something that she does not want to do (e.g., brushing her teeth).
  • Physical assault, which involves one youngster doing something to another youngster (e.g., pushing or hitting).
  • Rejection, which involves a youngster being ignored or not allowed to play with peers.
  • Verbal conflict (e.g., a tease or a taunt).

2. The second component of rage is its expression. Some Aspergers and HFA kids vent or express rage through facial expressions, crying, sulking, or talking, but do little to try to solve a problem or confront the “offender.” Others actively resist by physically or verbally defending their positions, self-esteem, or possessions in non-aggressive ways. Still others express rage with aggressive revenge by physically or verbally retaliating against the “offender.” Some kids on the autism spectrum express dislike by telling the offender that he or she can’t play or is not liked. Others express rage through avoidance or attempts to escape from the “offender.” And some use “adult-seeking” (i.e., looking for comfort or solutions from a parent or teacher, or telling the adult about an incident).

3. The third component of the rage experience is understanding (i.e., interpreting and evaluating) the emotion. Because the ability to regulate the expression of rage is linked to an understanding of the emotion, and because these kids’ ability to reflect on their rage is somewhat limited, they need guidance from parents and teachers in understanding and managing their feelings of rage. The development of three basic cognitive processes undergirds autistic kids’ gradual development of the understanding of rage:
  • Memory: Memory improves substantially during early childhood, enabling children to better remember aspects of rage-arousing interactions. Aspergers and HFA kids who have developed unhelpful ideas of how to express rage may retrieve the early unhelpful strategy – even after parents and teachers help them gain a more helpful perspective. This implies that adults may have to remind some these young people (more than once or twice) about the less aggressive ways of expressing rage.
  • Language: Talking about emotions helps them understand their feelings. The understanding of emotion in these young people is predicted by overall language ability. Parents and teachers can expect individual differences in the ability to identify and label angry feelings because the kids’ families model a variety of approaches in talking about emotions.
  • Self-Referential and Self-Regulatory Behaviors: Self-referential behaviors include viewing the self as separate from others and as an active, independent, causal agent. Self-regulation refers to controlling impulses, tolerating frustration, and postponing immediate gratification. Initial self-regulation in kids on the spectrum provides a base for parents and teachers who can develop strategies to nurture these kids’ emerging ability to regulate the expression of rage.



 
Techniques to help children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism learn to deal with blind rage:

1. All of us exhibit some "signs" just as we begin to get angry. So, it’s actually fairly easy to identify the “rage signs” in a youngster with Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism. For example, you may detect a certain "look in the eye," a tone of voice, or a tightness in the child’s body. Thus, your first course of action is to help your youngster observe these signs right at the onset of rage. Once Aspergers kids can identify the early signs of their rage, they can also learn to diffuse it by self-soothing techniques (e.g., walking away, taking full and vigorous breaths).

2. Train your youngster to respond to your "signal" (e.g., a hand motion) to stay calm. Give that signal as soon as your youngster starts "stewing" about something. If your Aspergers youngster is too young for such self-control techniques, use distraction as soon as you notice her exhibiting a rage sign. A distraction, in order to be effective, has to be of interest to the youngster (e.g., suggest to her "let's ride a bike" or "let's play ball").

3. Teach your kids to talk about how they feel. Give them a language to express their feelings. If they are too angry to talk or don't have the words to express their feelings, ask about the feelings relevant to the specific situation. For example, "Do you feel rejected?" "Hurt?" "Let down?" …etc. When your youngster expresses the feeling behind her rage (e.g., embarrassment or rejection), suggest some other ways to look at the same event that might not be embarrassing or humiliating.

4. The thought, "It's not fair," is a big rage-arouser for many Aspergers and HFA kids. If that is the case, ask them, "Do you feel you are being treated unfairly?" When your youngster answers the question, listen and don't rush to negate his feelings.

5. If the youngster refuses to be distracted or engaged in dialoguing about her rage and starts yelling, stomping or breaking an object, impose appropriate consequences. But have these consequences in place ahead of time to serve as a guideline. That means that you have discussed them with your child beforehand and written them out for future reference. Armed with a list of consequences (which preferably consist of withdrawing privileges or charging the youngster a "penalty"), moms and dads should encourage their child to choose such alternatives as doing something else, walking away, or talking about the rage rather than acting out of rage.

6. How about your own rage in response to your youngster's rage? You can set an example of rage control for your youngster. No teaching technique is as effective as a parent "modeling" for the youngster with his or her own example.

7. One thing that makes many moms and dads angry is to see their youngster challenging their authority and defying them. Sometimes it may appear so, but that may not be the intention of the youngster. For example, a child may be too unhappy to be told ‘no’ because he or she wants something so badly. Of course, you shouldn't give in to the child’s demands, but try to understand what might really be his or her intention.

8. Some kids on the spectrum get upset when they know they made a mistake. Instead of admitting their mistake, they act out in rage to deflect the attention off them. If you realize that this might be the case, it's helpful to say to your youngster, "Everyone makes mistakes. I am okay with it. Don't feel so bad about it."

9. Aspergers and HFA kids that lash out at others should be often reminded of such consequences as losing privileges at home, going to the Principal's office at school, and being restrained.

10. If the rage outbursts occur in relation to the siblings, and you didn't observe the whole interaction from the very beginning, it's better to impose a penalty on both siblings.

==> Preventing Tantrums, Rage and Meltdowns in Children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism

11. Some of these young people get angry because they don't have appropriate peer-interaction skills. For example, they don't know how to join in a conversation or a game. They abruptly try to get in. When resisted or rejected by peers, they explode. Teaching appropriate social skills can go a long way to avoid such negative encounters.

12. Parents can establish a home environment that reduces rage and teaches tolerance. For example, they can set a personal example for their son or daughter that "big people do apologize” and “it's graceful to loose and try again.”

13. Parents and teachers can use guidance strategies to help these kids express angry feelings in socially constructive ways. These kids develop ideas about how to express emotions primarily through social interaction in their families, and later by watching television or movies, playing video games, and reading books. Some have learned a negative, aggressive approach to expressing rage, and when confronted with everyday conflicts, resort to using aggression at home or in the classroom. A major challenge for parents and teachers is to encourage Aspergers and HFA kids to acknowledge angry feelings and to help them learn to express anger in positive and effective ways.

14. Create a safe emotional climate. A healthy environment permits these children to acknowledge all feelings – pleasant and unpleasant – and does not ‘shame’ rage incidents (e.g., “You should be ashamed of yourself for acting this way!”). Healthy environments – whether at home or at school – have clear, firm, and flexible boundaries.

15. Encourage them to label feelings of rage. Parents and teachers can help children produce a label for their rage by teaching them that they are having a feeling and that they can use a word to describe. A permanent record (e.g., book or chart) can be made of lists of labels for rage (e.g., angry, mad, hot, irritated, annoyed), and the child can refer to it when discussing angry feelings.

16. Encourage them to talk about rage-arousing interactions. These kids better understand rage and other emotions when grown-ups explain emotions. When these kids are embroiled in a rage-arousing interaction, parents and teachers can help by listening without judging, evaluating, or ordering them to feel differently.

17. Help your youngster develop self-regulatory skills. Parents of children on the autism spectrum do a lot of “child-regulation work" (i.e., doing things ‘for’ their child rather than ‘with’ their child). This is because parents know that their child has a very limited ability to regulate emotions. As Aspergers and HFA kids get older, grown-ups can gradually transfer control of the self to their kids, so that they can develop self-regulatory skills.

18. Model responsible rage management. They have an impaired ability to understand emotion when adults show a lot of rage. Adults who are most effective in helping kids manage rage model responsible management by acknowledging, accepting, and taking responsibility for their own angry feelings, and by expressing anger in direct and non-aggressive ways.

19. Use books and social stories about rage to help them understand and manage it. Well-presented stories about rage and other emotions validate a kid's feelings and give information about rage. It is important to preview all books about rage, because some stories teach irresponsible rage management.

20. Special needs children that are guided toward responsible rage management are more likely to understand and manage angry feelings directly and non-aggressively and to avoid the stress often accompanying poor rage management. Parents and teachers can take some of the bumps out of understanding and managing rage by adopting the positive guidance strategies listed above.

Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:
 
 

 COMMENTS:

•    Anonymous said... I just booked an appointment for my daughter to see a specialist about her out of control rages, we're talking, growling, hitting, screaming, breaking, etc. multiple times a day at home, school, etc. Taking her off dairy has made a big difference. Her brother, who has ADHD and Asperger's, has finally turned around this year from out of control to the best behaved because of parent training, behavior therapy, and medicine. However, what is rigidity of thought frustration in a boy changes to emotional explosions in his sister. Feeling confidant because brother has become so successful.
•    Anonymous said... i'm not a fan of meds, especially for the young ones, we kept encouraging better ways to express feelings, use your words, take deep breaths, count when frustrated, 2+ years of consistently encouraging this has paid off, but what also had a big impact on turning things around for the better was identifying the triggers (rigidity of thought, crowds, loud noises, peer interactions), getting special accommodations at school, and having an IEP at school for occupational therapy and extra assistance at busy times (when he struggles to cope). I'm talking about serious ear piercing or destructive tantrums that can last well over an hour, even a couple hours. (not just the average child tantrum), we've managed to help him cope so much better now, and he's happier at school for it. A rage tantrum now might last 5 to 10 mins as we or a teacher will guide him down, they happen far less these days. I highly advice reading up on what you can do and using all the school resources you can to help your child. Also once you learn the triggers you can avoid some, go to park at times when it's most quiet, plan swim lessons before the pool opens, find the quietest beaches, small playdates, avoid crowds etc.
•    Anonymous said... My son has developed these within the past several months. It's tied in with his OCD. We're not supposed to talk about medication here.....but from what I understand this is the best solution for this type of problem. Really the only potential solution.
•    Anonymous said... This is my son, does anyone have any suggestions to curb these 'blind rages'.
*   Anonymous said... My son is 10 and his behavior has regressed in the past year. He has OCD which triggers his rage. The "attacks" are mentally and emotionally draining on every member of our family, and that is putting it very mildly. His pychiatrist has suggested he be put on Abilify, and after years of resisting this particular drug, we are being forced to try him on it I'm not happy about it AT ALL, but can't see any other solution.
 

24 comments:

Unknown said...

i have aspergers and my mom said that when i was like that she couldnt see me in my eyes ... it scares me just by thinking about it

Anonymous said...

I have aspergers and I feel like gunning up the school every single day

MegMeg said...

Joshua -- you do realize that you could, actually, be reported and arrested for commentary like that? Post Sandy Hook is not a great time to be making such inflammatory statements that could land you in severely hot water.

Gothy said...

Recently diagnosed with aspergers but I used to flit into blind rage when I was younger, quite a few other kids had to move schools because they essentially picked on the wrong person. I've got it under control now and I find deep breathing, counting to ten and walking away from the scenario is highly effective. After you've worn off the initial rage I recommend reflecting and coming to terms to why you nearly blew up, I do this by drawing, so help your kids work through their negative feelings using their special interests. Hopefully that will help.

TiredMom said...

Thank you for commenting. I'm trying to find the best ways to work with my 9 year old son. We used to do the reflecting when he was younger but I doubt school now gives him that time or appreciation for Not continuing the behavior. Something for me to work with...

Unknown said...

I have an 11 year old that is currently being evaluated for aspergers, ADHD ect. And is getting a psych eval. He has been having meltdowns since before preschool. I learned how to cope with them using distraction and humor and they became better, decreasing in time and intensity and incidents became fewer. But now, the last few months, it has gotten so much worse. He weighs 120 and is a big child, and i am a single mother trying to survive. He flies into rages almost every other day that last up to 3-4 hours at a time. He screams and cries, punches, kicks, throws things and hides. Last night was the worst one yet. He punched the side of the fridge repeatedly and i could hear things falling inside the fridge. Then when i insisted he come up to the couch and tried to physically move him he ran to his room and hid under his brothers bed. I told him that was fine as long as he didn't hit the wall or floor bc we live on the third floor and so have neighbors under us. He continued to get louder and more angry and started to punch the walls. I had to pull him out from under the bed and restrain him. That's when i noticed his knuckle bleeding. He was trying to bite me, throw things at me and almost brought their desk down on top of us both. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so scared hes going to get taken away and put in a locked facility. We need help.

Diana said...

Dear unknown,
I cannot even imagine having to do this by yourself, we have a 13-year-old and your story sounds so familiar ....depending on what state you live in some insurances providers and access to help can vary immensely. I will pray for you, and I wish you the very best.
Diana

Roughn said...

I don't know where to turn. My autistic 6 yr old son has started to be agressive again and is now bolting from the house and school. I don't know how to help him or help myself because I'm so mad. Mess don't work, I can't find ABA therapy.
Please help me. Jennifereruffin@cox.net

Ronald trump said...

i was dignosed with it since birth one of the smartest kids in the world my parentsts take my sfuff taken away my commnuityhates me false information about me have more help outsitde barringon people never understadn who iam inside girls where imfrom think im ugly my ex girlfreinds make fun of me alot girls think i cant control mysef my sibblings get what they want my teachers ihad a smart mind more of info long term memory no attetion span from most femalses hare me hate mexican have hispnic blook people telling lies inforn of mycommnuty on durgs and fast pacing as ima i want my freedom and gratitude soon and most need my own place an apartment a nice home leave my commnutinty transfers out of community college hows can a girl notice me when isay i love you when they run away as iwake the next monirnig im aned thank you want a univiersty for my amster to end the pseical ed courses around publienc school and ocd kids makes funs of me im a laghing stock in school when people laugh in my school things are jsu tfunny im not lol every day a girl does not know me because my feeling get hurts iwhad marks when i was in teens years outsireage my gym my sisiter is touhg having adisablity iwasnt my stuff i dont act liek a dumeb teen anymore my teachers thingk my folks do myhoemwrk waitn a minute im doing my howmomrew everyday of the years to come how many years to havea new girlfeinds omse alre like ok firnda soznoe do iwa s freinds zones did i waing areguemetn sam i smareter than anyenone yese im ssameter athan anyrhone wowo i gety maystuff take an my borhter smeirks every day ear mysisiter get what she wants i get mad or sad beacsue my lief was apcie of s since iwa a new infant iwnat t hlep need small help leave mu town filled wiht hatered wna to leave school disteitcs have myfalse informations imtiered of my family andeverything om owrking hard in school very much i hang wiht new people its like when im in the middle of the stereet ihave nothing afreid if nonobdy is saroud nemm anymore or if my ex girleferind sar elying when iwas a teen wheinc im a man a gwon man wiht facial ahrid and body parets whihc can mover everywhere my parensts dont udnerstand what ihave iw as borni wiht ami i mistake this girl mother is liek ok lets not talk to this man becasues he has issues whichc yes made soem ingnoirng her eight tmeis mbeacseu her mom woudl call the poclice i have outside helep wiht may doecotres of the world a therpaist i pay morewe attention girls are like ok lets not talk to this kids in the classroom or say hi to me during class never invited to parties or houseses bullies like give out marks hard to handle bed times im 20 years old want to leave myenitere town to myslef live ina small housres over aranch pelases and thank you not havea a job unitl im 30 years old becsue iwas accdues abused and bullied fomr myold jons and i wleft myhons iwant to work wiht the asutims speaks foundations change the world to a better palce give kids more freemd i wasnt my freedom like my sibblings ok if they have more freedom than i do get nothing than anyone if you cnat undersatand what i have sinc those yeasr are ahdaed ill beiin schooling get what i want or need yes like this young owman who is prertty and nice but she would not understand a thing what have chancged the past frew years woman are busy in school college is a big campus im leaving soon wont have nobody to tkatek care of me years laters ill be abel to ptay my domrs or rents read more books in my domrs not vitis myfamilsy handle myown things nonobdy syas hi to me every day in schoool or say hi how are you or hug me when mexican girls like to mock me while im in the gym working out alot idnot need mydad bye myside need more space in my invading space every years want to be more independent wiht out fmailymemebr toa help want a nice greek girl to understand my situsations but canit happen becaseu she ahngs wiht teh wrong coruwd my fireinds are busy in those years ahead so liek when things get rough back home my outisde help helps

Anonymous said...

Abilify (aripiprazole) has helped for my child but unfortunately it has also made him gain 100lbs. over the past 4 years because it makes him hungry all the time. But without it, he is a danger to our family and people at school. Years of ABA therapy made no difference in his behavior. And now that he has been on this medication for 4 years, it no longer completely controls his rages as it used to despite increasing the dose. It is scary as he gets older and larger. And there is no help for us out there. Everyone I have contacted from psychiatrists, developmental pediatricians, ABA therapists,to behavioral health in-patient, behavioral health crises team,and children's hospital, all were unable to offer any real help or answers. I have googled and searched for answers and have found many others with this problem, but no answers.
Given the rising number of people with ASD, this is a growing problem that IMO needs to be addressed by government social services. But they will probably not do anything to help us, the same way they have handled other behavioral and mental disorders where people wind up homeless or in jail. I don't like to think this, but it's hard not to fear that one day my kid will hurt someone during one of his blind rages and end up shot by police or in jail.

Unknown said...

How do I go about getting a diagnosis for my daughter??

cassie said...

That's typical for an aspergers kid. Saying what they think without filter.typically a person might think it but not say it out loud.

cassie said...

Have it written into his IEP. Time to reflect and reward for.it

cassie said...

Developmental disabilities services, counseling from an autism specialist, school IEP that includes therapy at school specifically for calming techniques. I hope this helps.

cassie said...

I understand. We have been going through the same thing. I've been contacting developmental dissabilities office and emailing asking for an advocate. It is helping but slow and now.our child is in trouble for assault because an officer tried to direct him in the midst of an angry meltdown
Dont give up.

Anonymous said...

o
No matter the cause, your kid has no right to attack or terrify others. No one should be subjected to the risk they pose. Either get them under control, keep them at home or put them in an institution.

Matthew DeCurtis said...

AJ or Josh I can totally understand how you’ve felt because these days I have occasional thoughts often when I’m feeling stared or judged at by strangers. I have AS too!

Mummmy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I am a young autistic adult. I haven't had a true rage in years. My family and I have noticed I have much better self control than I did as a child and teen. I have a lot of guilt for how I behaved during these events. I have apologized profusely to my family both after the events and more recently. My family has repeatedly assured me I have their full forgiveness. It's difficult to talk to people about because people who are not framiliar with autism would judge me harshly if I tried to talk about it. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about how I behaved, and my guilt has been impacting my mental health. I wish to move on,but I feel like I don't deserve to be able to move on and not think about my mistakes.

Anonymous said...

You should be ashamed for saying what you have. These children are human beings, you should thank God your children, if you have any, are ok. My granddaughter, outside of her autism is the loveliest, most loving person you can ever meet. I thank God for her every day and pray that some day science will find a cure for this.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry about what happened in the past. I'm sure your family loves you and understand that what you did was part of your autism and you shouldn't feel guilty about it. My granddaughter is autistic and we love her with all our heart. When she has a meltdown we understand that it is part of what she has to go thru, not what we have to go thru. There is nothing to forgive, love conquers all things. So, love your family and thank God for those who love you and understand what you go thru. We have learned a lot thru " Autism Speaks". You are going to be just fine. Trust in God.
God bless you and your family.

Anonymous said...

Oh please don’t let this affect you, as a parent of two children one with asd I can tell you your parents love everything you are as a whole person! My sons rages don’t need apologising for, they are part of him and it’s our job to guide him in the right direction, if anything your parents will be proud of how far you’ve come what you’ve achieved and accomplished with self regulation. Parents love is unconditional please remember that.

Anonymous said...

I second what this Grandma has said. You give us hope! Your family loves you for who you are for always. My heart is beaming because you have grown beyond the rages. I love my boy with all my heart and soul. My sweet 10 year old son has become more and more angry in the last 6 months. I am so sad that he has regressed so much. Sometimes I feel very alone in trying to help him through these episodes. I don’t trust people with my children. I personally had quite a few unsavory experiences with teachers and counselors. Therefore, his father and I have chosen to explore alternative more natural treatments. I have realized and embraced that my son is amazingly different. He seems to know things before they happen, has taught himself to read, has an almost Eidetic memory, and still loves to hug me! “This too shall pass”. I’m praying for you, dear. Please allow your past and now your brighter present and future to empower you and all other people on the spectrum! Blessings, peace, and prosperity to you💗

Anonymous said...

Shut up Meg - this is a thread for people with autism. You either get it or you don’t, the point is the shock and the pain and feeling like you are a bad person, even though you aren’t. Feeling alone, even though you aren’t. But intellectual, you mostly are. NO ONE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HURT ANYONE. If more people said their rage, maybe less of those heinous things would actually happen. Be cool. And to the guy or girl who feels like that with autism, you aren’t alone. We are all out here too, you just need to remember that in the in-between.

My child has been rejected by his peers, ridiculed and bullied !!!

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the ASD child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually.

Click here to read the full article…

How to Prevent Meltdowns in Children on the Spectrum

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 or HFA child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and your 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.

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Parenting Defiant Teens on the Spectrum

Although Aspergers [high-functioning autism] is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager on the spectrum are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

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Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

Click here to read the full article…

Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

Two traits often found in kids with High-Functioning Autism are “mind-blindness” (i.e., the inability to predict the beliefs and intentions of others) and “alexithymia” (i.e., the inability to identify and interpret emotional signals in others). These two traits reduce the youngster’s ability to empathize with peers. As a result, he or she may be perceived by adults and other children as selfish, insensitive and uncaring.

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Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and HFA

Become an expert in helping your child cope with his or her “out-of-control” emotions, inability to make and keep friends, stress, anger, thinking errors, and resistance to change.

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