My ASD Child

“Our doctor wants to start my son who has high functioning autism on an SSRI. I have told the doc that I need to discuss this with my husband first. At this point, I am not feeling comfortable with my son being on drugs, but will be open to the idea if the advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages. Not sure about the disadvantages though. Any insight will be wonderful. Thanks in advance.” Medication can be an important part of treatment for some kids and teens on the autism spectrum.  However, medication should only be used as one part of a total treatment plan.   Ongoing evaluation and monitoring by your doctor is crucial.  Moms and dads should be provided with complete information when medication is recommended, and the child should be included in the discussion about medications, using words he understands.  By getting answers to the following questions, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether or not to start your son on an SSRI: Are the

More resources for parents of children and teens with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's : ==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's ==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism ==> Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Comprehensive Handbook ==> Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book ==> Parenting System that Reduces Problematic Behavior in Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism  COMMENTS:   •    Anonymous said… I am not so quick to fully disclose the Aspergers/ADHD with te

Most kids with Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism are impaired socially. They often do not detect social clues and are frequently unaware when they irritate others. Since they miss these social clues, they miss the lesson associated with the experience. As a result, they tend to repeat the irritating behavior since they are unaware of its effects. Click here for the full article...

Early identification and intervention are considered key to positive outcomes for kids with High Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger’s (AS). In order to reach all children on the autism spectrum, moms and dads, teachers, school psychologists, mental health professionals, and doctors need to work together to become better informed regarding the best proactive interventions to increase social skills, personal communication, behavior, and peer interaction. They also should be knowledgeable about assessment tools, diagnostic criteria, and current research. The 3 major benefits of early identification and intervention: 1. The lifetime societal cost of autism spectrum disorders, including care and lost productivity, has been estimated at $3.2 million per youngster, with health care expenditures increasing sharply (142%) over the last five years. Thus, it is crucial to the child, the parents, and even to society that we improve our efforts at early detection and access to early interv

“I teach the first grade at East Side Elementary in my hometown. I currently have a student who I suspect may be a high functioning autistic (Asperger). What are some of the telltale signs to look for, and should I mention this to the parents?” A good first step would be to ask the parents how well their child functioned prior to elementary school. Kids with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) frequently enter kindergarten without having been adequately diagnosed. In most cases, there will have been some red flags in the preschool years, for example: the youngster may have be viewed as being somewhat unusual concern over "immature" social skills and peer interactions behavioral concerns such as hyperactivity, inattention, aggression, outbursts, etc. If these problems are more severe, special education may be suggested now, but most kids with AS and HFA do fairly well in a mainstream setting. Often, academic progress in the early grades is an ar

“Hi, I am Shaun. I am 17. I am contacting you in the attempt to try to come up with a plan that will help me cope with high school. I have high functioning aspergers and really need some ideas that will help me stay in school. It has been very tough so far and I have thought about dropping out but don’t want to do that if I don’t have to because I am only 4 months away from graduation. I do have an IEP, but it doesn’t seem to help me much. I get teased a lot and the teachers really don’t seem to understand me. I will look for your answer. Thanks.” Thanks for your question Shaun. Sounds like you are taking responsibility for your situation. That’s very impressive coming from a 17 year old. You are being your own self-advocate – and that’s good. Having Asperger’s, or high-functioning autism, often means having special needs. As a young adult, it’s up to you to make sure your rights are being respected and that the accommodations you need are available to you. Whether at school or

A large body of research has documented the difficulties associated with being bullied – and with bullying other kids. Young people who are bullied suffer more anxiety, depression, loneliness, post-traumatic stress – and have a heightened risk of suicide. Kids who bully are more likely than other youngsters to experience peer-rejection, conduct problems, anxiety, academic difficulties, and engage in rule-breaking behavior. Recent research has shown that a substantial number of kids with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) who have been a victim of bullying become bullies themselves at some point. A distinguishing feature of AS and HFA children is that they struggle to control their emotions. For example, they may unintentionally prompt kids to bully them again by reacting very emotionally to teasing, threats or physical aggression, and may have similar problems controlling feelings of anger and frustration, predisposing them to retaliatory aggression. Give

  Got Questions? Join Online Parent Coaching for all the answers! Dear Mark I came across your site by accidental. But it is god send. I have a teenager with asperger and it is indeed a trying period. i find solace when I read your articles. It gives me a ray of hope. Kind Regards Mariah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Mr. Hutton, I am writing to you from Yamaguchi, Japan.  I am an 32 year old American woman living and working here in Japan.  My husband (37) and I have been married for almost nine years but separated for the last two.   We have two children together.  For the last few years I have intently been trying to figure out a solution to my marriage.  I bought your ebook several weeks ago and it has been quite helpful.  Thank you so much.  I do have some questions, however, that seem to be unique to our case. I apologize that this might me a long email, but I don't know what will and will not be relevant to you, so I am including everything. S