My ASD Child

Moms and dads often ask how to deal with and help the high functioning autistic youngster that seems to be out of control. How do you control or manage the kid that intimidates, hits, punches and seems to enjoy torturing their siblings? What do you do with the kid that argues, is defiant, and refuses to participate or follow directions can be difficult to live with and can create disharmony within the household? CLICK HERE for the full article...

Many moms and dads recognize that their Aspergers or high functioning autistic (HFA) child has a problem with anger management. They feel their child needs to develop anger management skills, or needs to find some kind of anger management counseling that will help them get along better in life -- in school, at work, with a parent, with siblings, and others. In some cases, professionals may have diagnosed the Aspergers or HFA child with a “conduct disorder”, or “oppositional defiant disorder”. Types of Anger— The natural response to fear is to fight it or avoid it. When confronted with fear, animals and humans both go into “fight or flight”, “violence or silence”, or “gun or run”. They engage in the conflict, or they withdraw. Though many moms and dads may equate “child anger management” with the “fight-violence-gun,” uncontrollable rage, parents must also recognize that anger may be “turned inwards” in the “flight-silence-run” mode, which can often times be as dangerous, if

Question My asperger son is almost 16. He doesn't live with me. He's told me on numerous occasions that he's being physically abused. When I've reported it, they either accuse me of coaching him, or accuse him of lying, or of not being able to get him to focus enough to report the abuse. Years ago I did get one report of abuse substantiated, (because of bruises) however, nothing was done about it, and my son is still ignored. If someone could please help me to get help for my son, or just help my son, I would greatly appreciated it. I love him, and I want him to be safe and happy. He doesn't deserve abuse just because he isn't like other kids. Answer In the USA, an estimated 906,000 kids are victims of abuse & neglect every year, making abuse as common as it is shocking. Whether the abuse is physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect, the scars can be deep and long-lasting, often leading to future abuse. You can learn the signs and symptoms

Strategies for Teachers to Prevent Emotional Outbursts Aspergers is a form of high functioning autism and can co-exist with other disorders such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety. But mostly, Aspergers affects a youngster’s ability to socialize. Aspergers children have difficulty recognizing facial expressions, sarcasm, and teasing, and struggle to adapt to unexpected changes in routine. Their interests tend to be very narrow, and this can limit their capacity to relate to others. Due to these struggles, youngsters with Aspergers oftentimes experience anger, fear, sadness, and frustration. There are several effective interventions that can be employed in the classroom to help improve an Aspergers youngster’s learning experience. These can assist the child in feeling more comfortable and decrease anxiety, paving the way for academic achievement. Make Classroom Rules Clear— Children with Aspergers thrive on rules, but will often ignore them when they are vague or not m

Kids with Aspergers Need Routine and Clarity! Aspergers (high functioning autism) disrupts a youngster’s ability to recognize social cues, thereby causing social awkwardness. Other characteristics of autism may also be present, such as a lowered tolerance for new situations or sudden transitions, lack of organizational skills, inconsistent energy levels, and high distractibility. All of these can present challenges when attempting to complete homework. Luckily, there are some basic strategies that moms and dads can undertake to help prevent those dreaded evening meltdowns. The first step is to observe the youngster and see what hinders her from completing her work. This is paramount to planning homework sessions. During these observations, jot down answers to the following about the youngster: 1. Does she fatigue quickly? 2. Is she easily distracted by noise or activity? 3. What frustrates or upsets her? 4. What is her best time of day? Establish Consistent Ti

Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of L-carnosine supplementation in kids with autistic spectrum disorders: L-Carnosine, a dipeptide, can enhance frontal lobe function or be neuroprotective. It can also correlate with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-homocarnosine interaction, with possible anticonvulsive effects. We investigated 31 kids with autistic spectrum disorders in an 8-week, double-blinded study to determine if 800 mg L-carnosine daily would result in observable changes versus placebo. Outcome measures were the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, the Expressive and Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary tests, and Clinical Global Impressions of Change. Kids on placebo did not show statistically significant changes. After 8 weeks on L-carnosine, kids showed statistically significant improvements on the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (total score and the Behavior, Socialization, and Communication subscales) and the Receptive One-Word Picture

Question Where can I find the right medication to help his Asperger’s, not cure it? Answer Asperger’s Syndrome (high-functioning autism) is not something with a cure. There are no medications that can make Asperger’s go away. Many children with Asperger’s benefit from social skills training and cognitive behavioral therapy. In addition, many children can benefit from medications for symptoms related to the syndrome. Many children with Asperger’s suffer from anxiety or depression. Some suffer from hyper-activity or attention deficit disorder. Some children with Asperger’s suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Medications designed to alleviate those symptoms are available for children with Asperger’s. Working with your doctor to understand the symptoms your child suffers from is the first step. Once those symptoms are understood, it is important to then talk with your doctor about which medications might be available to treat those symptoms in your child. A var

"Our son has just been diagnosed with asperger syndrome (high functioning). Even though we thought he might have it, it was still a shock. This is all new to us... not sure what path to take at this point. Any tips to get us started on this journey? Thanks!" You can best serve your youngster by learning about Aspergers (high functioning autism) and providing a supportive and loving home environment. Remember that your youngster, just like every other youngster, has his or her own strengths and weaknesses and needs as much support, patience, and understanding as you can give. Educating yourself about the condition and knowing what to expect is an important part of helping your youngster succeed outside of home and develop independence. Learn about Aspergers by talking to your doctor or contacting Asperger's organizations. This will reduce your and your family members' stress and help your youngster succeed. The following are some suggestions on how to help

Question My son was just diagnosed with aspergers syndrome and i am heartbroken. Will he ever be able to go to college or even make it through HS? He is 13 years old and can’t make friends and has a tough time in school. Answer Improving social skills can be an important part of any child's repertoire. Asperger's (high functioning autism), like classic autism, falls on a continuum of symptoms and impairment. Usually, it constitutes an exclusive focus on one area of interest, or one topic, particularly of a non-social nature. The ability to empathize with others and their circumstances could be one area in which social skills get compromised. Social skills can be improved, and an awareness of social signifiers may make a big difference in your son's experience at college. Sometimes called interpersonal training, the approach consists of two dimensions. First, a individual is taught to understand communicative cues, and how to send and receive them in a