My ASD Child

“I need some advice on how to help my daughter with high functioning autism to dress herself. She is 6-years-old, and I still have to help her with the buttons on her sweater, tying shoes, etc. I would have thought she could be doing this on her own by now. Does anyone else have this problem?” Stepwise integration is a good strategy to use in these circumstances. Kids with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) often have difficulty with fine motor skills, which involve strength, fine motor control, and dexterity (e.g., the small muscles of the body that enable such functions as grasping small objects, writing, tying shoe laces, fastening clothing, etc.). These skills are important in most school activities as well as in life in general. Deficits in fine motor skills can affect a youngster's ability to eat, write legibly, use a computer, turn pages in a book, and perform personal care tasks (e.g., dressing and grooming). Dressing is a simple task for most kid

“Are there any medications that can be used to treat aggression in a child with Asperger syndrome? Is it ever advisable to use medication for this purpose?” Aggression is seldom an isolated problem and is particularly complex in kids with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). Aggressive behavior is not always associated with just one condition and can have highly varied sources. Many studies have been proposed to understand aggressive behavior in young people with AS and HFA. There are promising biologic models that suggest the behavior arises from alterations in dopaminergic reward mechanisms, and cognitive models suggesting that such acts are an outcome of conditioned learning. Tantrums and aggression are often responses to an array of circumstances and occur in the context of varied emotions. Circumstances preceding and following aggressive outbursts should be observed and documented before selecting a particular medication (e.g., when aggression is a respon

Behavioral rigidity refers to a child’s difficulty maintaining appropriate behavior in new and unfamiliar situations. The opposite of rigidity would be flexibility, which enables children to shift effortlessly from task to task in the classroom, from topic to topic in conversation, from one role to another in games, etc. Rigidity can also affect thinking. Cognitive rigidity occurs when the child is unable to consider alternatives to the current situation, alternative viewpoints, or innovative solutions to a problem. The child with rigid thinking tends to view things in “either-or” terms (e.g., things are either right or wrong, good or bad). He or she wants concrete, black and white answers. The “gray areas” of life are very uncomfortable (e.g., often has an exact way of doing things with no variations). Children with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) often demonstrate extreme forms of rigidity or inflexibility. This may manifest itself as (a) difficulty en

Most kids with Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism experience problems in school, ranging from difficulties with concentration, learning, language, sensory sensitivities, and making/keeping friends. Young people with such “special needs” are usually entitled to receive additional services or accommodations through the public schools. Federal law mandates that every youngster receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. To support their ability to learn in school, three Federal laws apply specifically to special needs students: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990) The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (1975) Different states have different criteria for eligibility, services available, and procedures for implementing these laws. It is important for moms and dads to be aware of these laws and related regulations in their particular area. 1. Section 504 i