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Best Aspergers Blogs: Support Groups for People Affected by Aspergers Syndrome


Dealing with Aspergers can be hard on a family. Making sure you have the proper support group can make a world of difference. There is help out there, and you are not alone in this journey. Here are the top Aspergers blogs according to Google:

  1. Adult Aspergers: Hear from an adult who has dealt with Aspergers first hand. Get the support you need and also the information to help you handle Aspergers.
  2. Adult Aspergers: If you are living with Aspergers yourself or if you have an adult loved one dealing with it, you can find support through here. Meet with groups who are making it through the challenges just like you.
  3. Are They Rude?: People ask this question a lot but one brave man dealing with Aspergers explains it to you. Also you can find support and information here if your loved one is dealing with this.
  4. Asperger Groups: Here are a few groups of moms/dads who meet to help each other with the many challenges they may face. Find out how to find one of these groups near you.
  5. Asperger News: Find a group to help you deal with a new diagnosis. Also get the latest advances on Aspergers and how you can help your loved ones cope.
  6. Aspergers: Get support and information on dealing with this syndrome and talk with others who are going through this. Learn ideas to help your youngster or loved one get through the daily issues they may face.
  7. Aspergers in Adulthood: If you have been diagnosed as an adult find out how to cope and deal with this on an adult level. Get connected with others dealing with the same issues you are.
  8. Aspergers Syndrome: Learn about this condition and what you should know if you have a loved one diagnosed.
  9. Aspergers/Autism Debate: One blogger discusses this big debate between the two conditions. Get answers to some of your questions you may have.
  10. Aspire Resources: For those who have an adult diagnosed on the autistic spectrum you can find support here. Learn new ways to help your loved one.
  11. Autism Society: There are many different support groups around the country to help you deal with autism.
  12. Autistic Speaks: Get into life with autism here with one family that has to deal with this disorder. Find out how they live day to day and what they do for support.
  13. Baking with My Daughter: Hear how one mom helps her daughter with Aspergers by baking in the kitchen.
  14. Best Books: Get reviews on books covering Autism and which are the greatest you can read to help you understand the disorder. You may have someone you love that has been recently diagnosed; these may help you and them learn how to handle certain situations.
  15. Kids with Autism: For those moms/dads who have a youngster diagnosed with autism it can be difficult to accept. Stop by here to connect with other moms/dads dealing with this and get tips on how you can help your youngster.
  16. Coach for Aspergers: Talk to someone who deals with this on a daily basis and helps other to cope.
  17. College Support: For those dealing with Aspergers who are also attending college you will find a great deal of support here. Find help from those who have been there before and those who know how to help you get through.
  18. Comments from a Politician: One blogger mommy talks about comments made by Sharon Angle on the new health reform not covering Autism.
  19. Cry for Help: One girl asks for help with her boyfriend who may have Aspergers. Learn how to see the signs of dealing with this disorder.
  20. Dealing with Aspergers: One mommy blogger shares her trials with an Aspergers youngster. Find out how you can cope and how to connect with others.
  21. Farmington Valley: If you are in this area here is a great group to help you. You can talk to others dealing with Aspergers and help each other.
  22. Find Support: Having a support system is very important when dealing with autism or Aspergers. Find out here how you can get into a support group and make it through some of the toughest challenges.
  23. Get Help: If your youngster is newly diagnosed or if you are just looking for fresh ideas stop by this site to get the help you need.
  24. Groups in Illinois: No matter where in this state you are you can find help. Get in with a good support group to help you and your family cope with this diagnosis.
  25. Idaho Aspergers: If you are in Idaho you can connect with others dealing with Aspergers here. They have support groups to talk with and informative articles you can read to find out the latest news in dealing with Aspergers.
  26. Life with Aspergers: Hear from someone who deals with Aspergers on a daily basis. See the challenges they face and how they get through.
  27. Little Bean: One mommy shares an update on her youngster and what he goes through everyday. Find out how they cope and deal with this in their family.
  28. Living with Aspergers: Find blogs to help you get through your days with this disorder. Get in touch with how someone dealing with Aspergers handles and understands life around them.
  29. Living with My Husband: One woman shares her story of her and her husband who has Aspergers. Find out about their lives and the struggles they face together.
  30. MyAspergersChild.com: Google has ranked this site #1 for Aspergers Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorders
  31. New Law: One blogger shares their thoughts on the new health care law that congress is trying to pass.
  32. On TV: Find out what Aspergers is and when it will be showcased on television. Get tips on how to deal with a loved one facing this.
  33. One Mom’s Story: One mom shares her story of her kids with Aspergers. Find out the challenges they face and see if you can understand what they go through.
  34. Parenting Blog: Find all kinds of tips and tricks to help your kids cope with this disorder and help them succeed. Get help with school situations and many social situations they may face.
  35. Portland Asperger: If you are in the Portland area this may be a group you want to check out. This is one who helps those living with Aspergers and those who have been diagnosed recently.
  36. Recognize Kids: Get tips on how you can recognize the signs and symptoms of Aspergers in kids.
  37. Religion Asperger Friendly: One blogger shares how you can make religion more friendly to those dealing with Aspergers.
  38. Sacramento Area: When you are living in this area you can get help through this group to deal with Aspergers. You can talk to others dealing with this disorder and also find out how to help your family.
  39. Seattle Support: Find training, help from others and just support when you need it here. There are many people that are dealing with the same things you are and you can find someone to talk with.
  40. Social Mistakes: Learn some of the innocent mistakes those with Aspergers make during social situations. Learn how you can help them get through that and how they can make it through no matter what is going on.
  41. Support 4 Hope: Find all the information you need on Aspergers at this site. Get help with a new diagnosis or help understanding what is going on.
  42. Support For Parents: Find out new ways to help your youngster progress when dealing with Aspergers.
  43. Support Groups: Stop by here to find groups to help you get through dealing with Aspergers syndrome. There are others facing the same challenges you are.
  44. Support Network: Find the support you need for autism or Aspergers here. You can talk to people who are dealing with the same things you are and find help in how to handle certain situations.
  45. Tips to Help: Get useful tips on how you can work with kids that are dealing with Aspergers. If you are working with them you should stop by here to learn how you can help them succeed.
  46. Twin Brothers: Hear from one parent who has twins with this condition. Learn how they handle it and what challenges they are facing each day.
  47. Working with Autism: If you are coping with this disorder then you may have a hard time finding the employment you want. Read through this great article to find tips on how to get your dream job.
  48. Working with Kids: Here are a few tips to help you if you work with kids that have Aspergers. Find out how you can help them and how you can help the moms/dads.

Coping with the Holidays: Help for Aspergers Children

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, I thought we should have a conversation about coping with the holidays – an especially important topic for parents with Aspergers (high functioning autistic) children.

Aspergers kids and teens are easily over-stimulated. Their emotions overwhelm them, and it is up to the people around them to make life easier for them. The holidays are especially difficult for kids who have Aspergers. Remember, they are not social people. Crowds and noise overwhelm them. They do not cope well with the hustle and bustle of holidays, especially Christmas.

Anticipation for a youngster with Aspergers leads to increased levels of anxiety, which he cannot control. He becomes overloaded, and then you have a potential meltdown at the time when you are all supposed to be enjoying the holiday. The celebration can be ruined and everyone may get upset, especially your youngster who is trying so hard to fit-in.

Some Aspergers kids may not want to join in when the family opens presents. He may be checking out the lights on the Christmas tree, trying to figure out how they work, or he may sit in a corner participating in one of his obsessive hobbies. Let him be. If you pressure him to join in, he may become overwhelmed and go into a meltdown. This will only result in upheaval and chaos for the entire family. Allow the Aspergers youngster to check out the lights and open his presents in his own time. The holiday will be much more pleasant for everyone involved.

Aspergers Stressors—
  • Being pressured in anyway, such as to be on his best behavior, or to join in the festivities can cause overwhelming emotions in the Aspergers youngster.
  • Having too many people around. Crowds and the buzz of conversation can overwhelm the Aspergers youngster.
  • Noise. This includes the crinkle of wrapping paper, Christmas carols, singing and dancing Christmas decorations, or anything that causes sound on an ongoing basis.
  • Too many visitors at the same time. Remember, the Aspergers youngster does not like to be surrounded by people and noise.

Managing Stress—

Parenting is probably the hardest any of us have ever worked for free – or even for pay. Some days work in the office seems easier. There is more predictability, a distinct focus and a formula for doing things. Plus there is collegiality. Parenting a youngster with Aspergers is often completely the opposite: unpredictable, unfocused, and uncertain. This is especially true during the holiday season.

Here are some suggestions on how both you and your Aspergers child can manage stress:
  • Create a sanctuary in one room or part of a room, a place where you put things that make you happy, that comfort you.
  • Establish a hobby.
  • Even if there is only one activity you can do comfortably with your child, do it when you feel you can and savor whatever moments of connection you experience.
  • Exercise. It is no secret that vigorous and REGULAR exercise will alleviate depression and stress and anxiety.
  • Find a good therapist.
  • Find your little pockets of happiness every day.
  • Have a good cry.
  • Keep a journal. Writing is very therapeutic. Find one with an attractive cover and write in as often as suits you.
  • Make a “date” for coffee and talk therapy with a close friend on a regular basis or as needed.
  • Take a bath with lots of bubbles, light scented candles around the tub, and sink in (with a favorite CD playing in the background). If the door has a lock, use it!
  • Try something new like yoga or pottery or take up an instrument. Something just for you.
  • WALK. This is the easiest, cheapest and most accessible form of stress reduction.

Just as we need to be on the alert for signs of stress in our Aspergers children, we need to stay tuned in to our own feelings as parents. If you find yourself crying, sleeping more or less than usual, having a change in appetite or loss of interest in things that usually bring pleasure, you may be suffering from too much stress. Don’t be hesitant to seek help. A good therapist can be an excellent ally.

How Parents Can Help—

How can you enjoy the season while at the same time keeping your Aspergers youngster calm and behaving appropriately? Here are some tips:

• Allow only one person to open presents at a time. This will alleviate the crinkle of wrapping paper and nose from the excited voices of siblings.

• Ask the youngster to look directly into your eyes when you talk to him. Praise him when he is successful.

• Aspergers kids are often immature. Never tell them to act their age. They have no concept of age-related behavior.

• Be sure the youngster knows what is expected of him. Use simple language that he can understand.

• Encourage the Aspergers youngster to enjoy himself and have fun. If this means he retreat to a quiet area where he can be alone, let him be. This is his way of coping and of enjoying the holiday. Never pressure an Aspergers youngster to play with other kids.

• Explain to your youngster what will be expected of him (e.g., to say ‘hello how are you’ to guests and sit at the table to share the meal). Your youngster will also need to be given permission to leave the festivities, and you can rehearse this together with some simple role play. This is really important as it gives your youngster an exit strategy and allows him to get through the celebrations without going into meltdown.

• Give the Aspergers youngster lots of support, praise and TLC. Let them know that you love them and are there for them, always.

• Have a quiet breakfast on Christmas morning.

• Identify ways to cope with behavior problems. Hugging will help some Aspergers kids, while others don’t like to be touched. Get to know your youngster.

• If you see that your Aspergers child is becoming stressed, you can activate an “exit cue” so he gets out before the situation deteriorates.

• Keep any physical changes to your home to the minimum, so by all means decorate, put up cards and a tree, but just don't make a really big change to the environment. Don’t put out any presents until the day they are to be opened, because your Aspergers youngster will have a hard time keeping his hands off and will became anxious and potentially defiant.

• Keep instructions simple and on a level that the youngster can understand.

• Keep meals quiet. Do not allow toys at the table. Ask each youngster to talk about their favorite toy, including the Aspergers youngster.

• Keep noise minimal. Do not play music for extended periods of time or it will become nothing but noise to the Aspergers youngster.

• Keep visitors minimal. Family members and friends should keep visits short and they should visit at separate times. Be sure everyone knows when they are expected and how long they are expected to stay.

• Learn to identify stress triggers and avoid them when possible.

• Limit choices to keep the youngster from being overwhelmed.

• Prepare your youngster for any changes by calmly telling him the day before what will be happening. Visual supports always work well, so use photos or simple pictures to explain what will be happening.

• Reduce the time talking about the festive occasion. Remember your Aspergers child cannot easily control his emotions and to talk constantly about the event will simply lead to stress and anxiety. It is useful to enlist the help of others in your home and keep any conversations to a minimum when your Aspergers youngster is within ear-shot.

• Sing or whisper words to young kids in order to get their attention and to help them keep focused.

• Teach the youngster stress busting techniques such as deep breathing or counting to ten. Many Aspergers kids find a stress ball beneficial.

• Try to incorporate flexibility into the youngster’s routine at an early age. This allows him to realize and accept that things do change.

• Use social stories to prepare Aspergers kids for new social experiences, the new school year, a move, and any other changes that will take place in their life.

• Warn the youngster well in advance of any changes to be made in his environment, such as moving the furniture or rearranging his room. The youngster’s school must be made aware that moving his desk can cause behavioral problems.

Remember, Aspergers kids are unique. They have their own quirks, distinct personalities, abilities, likes and dislikes. The only difference between them and any other youngster is that they look at the world in a different way. They just need a little extra love, support, understanding and patience from those who love them.

Following these simple steps should lead to a much more positive experience for everyone and will provide your Aspergers youngster with the love, support, and confidence to participate fully in the holidays.

My Aspergers Child: Preventing Meltdowns in Aspergers Children and Teens

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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Older Teens and Young Adult Children with ASD Still Living At Home

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."

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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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to read the full article...

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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