My ASD Child

Jane, a 21-year old with Asperger’s, had worked as a secretary for her father when he was alive. But when he died and the company closed, she did not seek further work. She carried on living in the family home, which became more and more neglected. Jane enjoyed novels, and was reading Tolstoy's War and Peace when the author met her, but she did not know who to contact to change a broken light fitting or how to change it herself. So she read by candlelight. Her neighbors thought her weird, and the various doctors who saw her found her uncooperative. They believed that she was simply unmotivated to change. Although none of them said it, there was a definite implication that she was lazy and difficult. Jane continues to be dismissed by professionals as having moral failings, but not impairments. Adolescence and young adulthood are times of identity change and identity confusion. Understandably, teens and young adults do not want to define themselves in terms of impairmen

"How can I help my child with high functioning autism to develop some important communication and language skills?" For most children with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA), the most important treatment strategy involves the need to enhance communication and social competence. This emphasis on social competence does not reflect a societal pressure for conformity, and it does not attempt to stifle individuality and uniqueness. Instead, it reflects the clinical fact that most children with AS and HFA are not loners by choice, and that there is a tendency (as these kids develop towards adolescence) for hopelessness, pessimism, and oftentimes, anxiety and depression due to the child’s (a) increasing awareness of personal inadequacy in social situations and (b) repeated experiences of failure to make and/or maintain friendships. The typical limitations of insight and self-reflection often preclude spontaneous self-adjustment to social and interpersonal

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Mark.. I am working on the 4 week program with My Asperger Child ebook & I am excited about the positive changes that I believe I will see.  I am raising my grandson, Tenzin who has been diagnosed with HFA, ODD, anxiety & ADHD.  Tenzin is 10 and is a handful.  After taking the quiz I realize dhow over-indulgent I have become in my quest to avoid the daily battles.  Now I am able to see where I need to change things with him & myself.  I am very interested in your ebook My Out of Control Child.  How do I go about ordering this. I have also read your Teaching Students with Aspergers & HFA and Teaching Social Skills & Emotional Management. Thank you for the work that you do in this area.  It really makes a difference. Namaste... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you Mark. At this mo

In this video, we are going to look at the most important strategies parents of high-functioning autistic children can use to ensure that summer vacation goes smoothly. 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 ==>  Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strate

"Our daughter (autistic) is suppose to take 2 meds everyday, but always has a meltdown whenever we try to give them to her. She is so afraid of the side effects that she can’t put her anxiety aside long enough to take them. Is this common? What can we do? She has to take these two prescriptions according to the doc." While lack of awareness by parents and their Asperger’s (high-functioning autistic) child of adverse drug reactions can have serious consequences, having a phobia of medications can also have serious harmful effects on the child’s health (e.g., problems with medication compliance, refusal of necessary drug intervention, etc.). Medication phobia can also present in moms and dads who are concerned about giving medications to their youngster, fearing that the medications will do more harm than good. Fears of taking medication is prevalent in children who have experienced unpleasant withdrawal effects from psychotropic drugs. Also, medication phobia can be t

"After researching the info on this site, my husband and I believe our child is on the autism spectrum. I'm all for going to a doctor to have him diagnosed, but my husband is dead set against it because he thinks our son will be discriminated against once he has 'the label'. SO... my question is does a diagnosis cause more harm than good?" Diagnosis has traditionally been the route by which children with Asperger’s (AS) or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and their parents have accessed specialist services. But this tradition has grown out of the services for kids on the autism spectrum who were severely disabled by their disorder under all circumstances. The group of children with AS and HFA include those whose social impairment is arguable. What about the father whose child is diagnosed with AS, and his wife begins to think of her frustrations with her husband during the marriage? Does the husband become socially impaired because he is suspected of having AS?