My ASD Child

"I need some stress management techniques to use on my very anxious daughter with autism (high functioning). Thanks in advance." Children with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) are prone to greater stress in their daily lives than their “typical” peers. Social interaction – especially with more than one peer in which the HFA child has to identify, translate, and respond to social and emotional cues and cope with unexpected noise levels – inevitably increases stress to a point where his or her coping mechanisms may collapse. A “stress assessment” (based on the knowledge of HFA) will help parents and teachers determine what are the natural and distinctive stressors for the child. Subsequently, an effective stress-management program can be designed. When there are concerns about an HFA youngster’s stress level, a stress assessment can be conducted in order to better understand why the stress is occurring and to determine the most effective interventions to address it.

Many students with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) are unable to generalize the skills that they learn. For instance, the teacher may inform the student how to respectfully address a teacher. Normally this skill would then be generalized to any adult in a position of authority. However, a student with AS or HFA is likely to only apply the skill to the individual initially used as the target of respect in the learning process. The student will probably not apply this behavior to a principal, dean, or police officer. The inability to generalize can also pose a problem in classroom assignments. For example, giving the direction to open a math book to a certain page does not communicate to additionally begin solving the problems. Thus, teachers should verbally give all the steps necessary to complete an assignment rather than assuming the AS or HFA student will know what comes next. There are additional techniques that have been used in assisting “spe

"My child (with HFA) does obsess about certain things, but how can I tell if he has full-blown obsessive compulsive disorder?" Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is described as a condition characterized by recurring, obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions. Obsessive thoughts are ideas, pictures of thoughts or impulses that repeatedly enter the mind, while compulsive actions and rituals are behaviors that are repeated over and over again. The obsessions seen in kids with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) differ from the youngster with obsessive compulsive disorder. The youngster with AS or HFA does not have the ability to put things into perspective. Although terminology implies that certain behaviors in AS and HFA are similar to those seen in obsessive compulsive disorder, these behaviors fail to meet the definition of either obsessions or compulsions. They are not invasive, undesired or annoying, which is a prerequisite for a diagnosis of obse

Curriculum education is not the only education an Asperger’s (AS) or High-Functioning Autistic ((HFA) student encounters in the public school system. Social behaviors are not only necessary for successful playground interaction, they are necessary for successful acquisition of educational curriculum. The “hidden curriculum” consists of important social skills that everyone knows, but no one is taught. This includes assumed rules, student expectations, idioms and metaphors. Understanding the hidden curriculum is difficult for all kids, but it is especially so for young people with AS and HFA who have deficits in social interactions. The following example illustrates the difficulty children on the autism spectrum have understanding the hidden curriculum: Michael was a popular ninth-grader, despite his social awkwardness. His classmates accepted him and were understanding of his disorder. One day Michael was hanging out with his peers in the hallway before class when h

Catatonia is a complex disorder covering a range of abnormalities of movement, posture, speech and behavior associated with under-activity as well as over-activity. Research and clinical evidence reveals that some children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), including Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism, develop a complication characterized by catatonic and Parkinsonian features. In children with ASD, catatonia is shown by the onset of any of the following traits: increased slowness affecting movements and/or verbal responses increased reliance on physical or verbal prompting by others increased passivity and apparent lack of motivation Parkinsonian features (e.g., freezing, excitement and agitation, a marked increase in repetitive and ritualistic behavior) difficulty in initiating, completing, and inhibiting actions Behavioral and functional deterioration in the teenage years is common among young people with ASD. When parents notice a deterioration or an o

Asperger's/High-functioning Autistic students can present a challenge for the most experienced teacher. These kids can also contribute a lot to the classroom, because they can be extremely creative and see things from a unique perspective. Teachers can learn a lot when they have a child like Michael in their class, but they may experience some very challenging days too. Here are some tips for teachers to consider:  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

We continue our series on Teaching Strategies for Students with Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism: Environmental Noise— In creating the right environment, one problem to be considered is that of sounds. Think of the example of nails scratching on a chalk board. Just imagining it can send a chill down your spine. To a youngster with Asperger’s (AS) or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), every day sounds can have a similar affect. Thus, teachers should take an inventory to determine sounds difficult for the AS or HFA student to listen to. Also, teachers may want to consider allowing the student to listen to soft music with headsets during class times when there is excessive noise. Earplugs are another option as well. Transitions— Minimizing the stress AS and HFA students face is critical to education, and minimizing transitions and insuring the environment is predictable may be one of the best ways to reduce stress. Frequent changes in routines make it difficult for the

"How can I help my daughter with autism (high functioning) to deal with her anxiety in ways other than simply hiding in her room all evening and on weekends?" Anxiety is a common problem in children with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). In fact, in some cases fear is their main emotion. One study revealed that 84.1% of kids on the autism spectrum met the full criteria of at least one anxiety disorder (i.e., phobia, panic disorder, separation anxiety disorder, avoidant disorder, overanxious disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder). This does not necessarily go away as the youngster grows up. Many teens and young adults with AS and HFA report intense feelings of anxiety that may reach a level where treatment is required. For some children, it is the treatment of their anxiety disorder that leads to a diagnosis of AS or HFA. Children with AS and HFA are particularly prone to anxiety as a consequence of the social demands made on them. Any social

  Do you need some assistance in parenting your Aspergers or HFA child? Click here to use Mark Hutten, M.A. as your personal parent coach. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Hutten, I just wanted to let you know there are very few places here in WV that help with children that have Aspergers, and every time I see a parent that are having the same struggles that we have with our daughter, I tell them to look you up on Facebook and You Tube, you have been so helpful to my family.  Now, it seems that our biggest challenge is the education system.  Teachers here seem to have the , “don’t tell me what to do, I am the teacher”.  It makes everything so stressful.  We had to hire and advocate and had to fight for two years to finally obtain her IEP.  Emily is not in the 4 th grade and we are fear of what middle school will be like for her.  Again, thanks for all the uplifting words and I am thankful I found your site.  God bless you and keep up the amazing work!!!! Joy ~~~~~~