My ASD Child

"When my daughter (high functioning autistic) gets really upset, she pulls her hair (YANKS IT BY THE HANDFULL!). How can we stop this? Why does she do this? Is this something other parents deal with who have a child on the spectrum?" Many children on the autism spectrum don’t know how to adequately verbalize their emotions. As a result, they may “act-out” their uncomfortable feelings by self-injuring. To make matters worse, research has found that self-injury is an addictive behavior. When a youngster self-injures, “feel-good” endorphins flood his bloodstream. In many cases, the rush is so pleasing that he learns to view self-injury as soothing instead of destructive. Self-harm is one of the most devastating behaviors exhibited by children on the autism spectrum. The most common forms of these behaviors include: hand-biting, head-banging, and excessive self-rubbing and scratching.  There are many possible reasons why a child may engage in self-harm, including the fo

Addressing hostility and aggressiveness in teens on the autism spectrum can be a frustrating and demanding process. The challenge for parents and teachers is to address the behavior in a constructive manner, rather than simply reacting to it. When these teenagers are exhibiting hostile behaviors, it is often a sign that they are not receiving adequate support in mastering their environments, both at home and school. In addition, their aggressiveness does not necessarily reflect willfulness, rather they lack the social skills needed to “fit-in” and to be accepted by others – especially their peers. Click here for the full article...