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Promoting Social Reciprocity in Younger Children with ASD

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"Are there techniques that therapists use for teaching children on the autism spectrum how to socialize properly that can also be used at home by parents?" A significant issue for children on the autism spectrum is a lack of social or emotional reciprocity , which includes such problems as inappropriate or limited responses to the approaches of others, and limited offers of comfort shown towards others. Let's look at two examples: Kaci enjoyed going to the hardware store with her father. She could easily locate the items on the shelves, loved to sample the free snacks often available, and figured out the correct change while in the check-out line. However, when the cashier spoke to Kaci and tried to make small talk, Kaci generally did not look at him, did not answer his questions, and sometimes made a remark completely off the topic, but one that was of interest to her.   Similarly, Sarah was walking outside with her grandfather on a cold winter day when

Should You Disclose Your Child's Diagnosis To Others?

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When a youngster has Asperger's (AS) or High Functioning Autism (HFA), parents walk a fine line. Often times under certain circumstances, the youngster is perfectly capable of behaving typically. Other times, not so much. And it's not easy to predict when things will suddenly become overwhelming. If parents say something like "my son has a disorder called Asperger syndrome" or "HFA" to a scout master, coach, or a neighbor, they may set their youngster up to be excluded or treated differently. But if they don't tell, there's the possibility that a sensory issue or misunderstanding could lead to some real problems. Most parents with children on the autism spectrum want to know: "Should I disclose to others that my child has Asperger's or HFA? If so, who should I tell, and how much information should I give them?" The answer is threefold:  There are times when full disclosure is needed. There are other times when only partial