My ASD Child

Bad language (i.e., cursing, name-calling, rude statements like “I hate you,” etc.) and the Aspergers condition often go hand in hand. Bad language displayed by a youngster with Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) can follow him into adulthood if he isn’t shown the proper way to respond to situations. Here are some very simple – yet very effective – tips to prevent bad language in Aspergers and HFA children: 1. Keep control yourself. If you, the parent, over-react to something, then your youngster is going to see justification in the way he behaves. Therefore, you too must limit your use of curse words, as well as “near-curse words” (e.g., freakin, crap, bull, etc.). 2. Positive reinforcement focuses on rewarding your Aspergers youngster for good behavior. In this way, the parent does not have to wait for bad behavior to take place before the youngster is recognized. With positive reinforcement, you may reward the youngster for going an entire day without usi

Question I suspect that my 20-year-old son (still living at home) may have Aspergers. Should he get an official diagnosis – or is it better to not know so he doesn’t get labeled? Answer A lot will depend on how well your son is functioning in daily life. If he is not experiencing any major problems in relationships or employment, it may not be important to get an actual diagnosis of Aspergers (high functioning autism). However, an official diagnosis is necessary if he needs to apply for social benefits at some point (e.g., Social Security Disability, Vocational Rehabilitation). Note that the diagnosis of Aspergers alone will not qualify him for services. He will also need to be diagnosed with some disabling co-morbid condition that affects his ability to function in the work or home environment. Despite the fact that functioning in a “normal” world can be very difficult for Aspies, a diagnosis of Aspergers does not mean the individual is unable to learn to function

Question How can professionals tell if someone has Aspergers …and is it possible to have something in addition to Aspergers? Answer Aspergers (high functioning autism) is usually diagnosed when all other disorders have been ruled out. Individuals who have, or suspect they have, Aspergers may have been previously diagnosed with: • Attention Deficit Disorder • Autistic Disorder, High Functioning • Developmental Coordination Disorder • Nonverbal Learning Disorder • Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified • Right Hemisphere Learning Disorder • Schizoid Personality Disorder • Semantic Pragmatic Language Disorder • Traumatic Brain Injury (if one has a medical history that includes a past head injury) There are several disorders that are frequently co-morbid with Aspergers (i.e., occurs along with Aspergers). These include: • Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder • Depressive Disorder • Dysthymia Disorder • Obsessive Compulsi

Question I think my child has Aspergers. I know this disorder has a strong genetic factor, and my husband has been diagnosed with it. Now my son is starting to have some of the same Aspergers-like traits. Is there a test or set of criteria that will help me know if I need to have my son tested for Aspergers? Answer Aspergers (high functioning autism) is a neurobiological collection of behavioral differences (called a syndrome). It is classified in the DSM alongside Autistic Disorder. There is no known cause (although genetic and environmental factors are involved). It continues throughout the lifespan, but it is not a “mental illness” per say. Here are the diagnostic criteria for Aspergers... A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction failure to

Aspergers awareness has made employers more sensitive to the needs of "Aspies. " More employers know how to approach an interview with an Aspie as well as how to create a workplace environment for them. As awareness increases, more employers recognize the value of Aspergers employees, and some even offer special job training to help these employees adjust to the workplace. The social and communication problems inherent in people with Aspergers (high functioning autism) create challenges in job-hunting and in sustaining long-term employment. Common social and communication problems that can affect a job include: Sensory processing issues (e.g., responds in an unusual manner to certain sights, sounds, smells or tastes) Repetitive and obsessive behavior (e.g., rocking back and forth, skin picking or hand flapping) Problems understanding the emotions of others, and as a result, may react inappropriately Needs a structured routine and may get extremely upset by routine

In working with Aspergers (high functioning autism) children and teens – as well as their parents – I can say categorically that it’s not uncommon for individuals with Aspergers to get a “bad rap.” It’s not fair – it’s not right – but it’s reality. Aspies are generally seen as a little strange (or extremely strange). As a result, they often get ostracized, ridiculed, and bullied. Many Aspies are disrespected in elementary and middle school, ostracized in high school, rejected in the workplace, and rendered as the “odd Aspie out.” Why? Because different equals bad …different equals dorky …different equals derision …and different equals social rejection. Aspergers is often called the “Geek Syndrome” because Aspies act so different from the social norm and have excessive knowledge and obsession with different things. For example, they may obsess about things like Robin Hood, the Peanuts gang, maps, trains, baseball cards, and Civil War history. This is not seen as normal to m

Please copy and paste the following letter and hand-deliver it or email it to your Aspergers child’s teachers (edit according to your specific situation): Dear Mrs __________, As you may know, my son has Aspergers (also called high functioning autism). I took the liberty of providing this tip sheet so that you may consider factoring-in some of his special educational needs. Thank you for taking time to look it over. Sincerely, Mr __________ Kids with Aspergers have a variety of classroom challenges. Because these kids tend to be high-functioning, many are placed in general education classrooms in order to receive the best education possible. Educators working with Aspergers children may or may not be aware of how to provide the best learning environment. In a classroom setting, Aspergers may manifest in behaviors which include, but are not limited to: Average to excellent memorization skills Clumsy walk Conversations and activities only c

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Does your child have periodic tantrums. Here are some tips to tame tempers: 1. A tantrum can be a request for attention. Moms and dads have a natural tendency to run to their Aspergers (AS) or High-Functioning Autistic (HFA) kids when they are in distress. Unfortunately, these kids can learn to get attention just by screaming. It is important that you stop reinforcing the behavior by giving attention to your child. Instead, give lots of positive attention during appropriate behaviors. For example, approach him when he is playing quietly and offer lots of hugs and kind words (or whatever works as positive reinforcement for the youngster). 2. As long as the child is not tantrumming, give praise when the youngster uses his words. Also, make sure you listen, don't ignore good communication (get up and meet the need or request if it is appropriate - or explain why it is not appropriate). Often we moms and dads get busy and put the youngster off for too long once he has asked a

Question How can I tell the difference between “aspergers behavior” and pure “disobedience” …I’m not sure what should be punished – and what should not? Answer Many moms and dads have a difficult time distinguishing between “disobedience” and “misunderstanding” in their Aspergers (high functioning autism) youngster. Because he may not interpret social cues correctly, it may be difficult for an Aspergers youngster to understand what is expected of him, and he may not understand the impact his behavior has on other family members. So, how can parents tell the difference between “Aspergers behavior” versus “misbehavior”? Most Aspergers-related behavior (sometimes misinterpreted by parents as “misbehavior”) tends to revolve around the child’s resistance to any kind of change. An Aspergers child is resistant to change for the following reasons: Has anxiety about a current or upcoming event (e.g., the start of school) Does not understanding how the world works Does n

Autism Spectrum Disorder/Asperger Syndrome Information— 1.       Articles on Asperger Syndrome http://www.specialed.us/autism/asper/asper11.html 2.       Asperger Syndrome Information for Teens http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=243&np=293&id=2320 3.       Australian Autism Education & Training Consortium -Provides details about workshops and information sessions for parents/caregivers of school-aged children who have autism). www.autismtraining.com.au 4.       Autism Advisory and Support Service http://www.aass.org.au/ 5.       Autism Awareness http://www.autismawareness.com.au 6.       Autism Help Info -Webpage to help professionals, teachers, to understand and support the inclusion of people with ASD. Website funded by The Department of Human Services in Geelong, Victoria, Australia (Barwon South Western region). http://www.autismhelp.info/main.htm 7.       Autism Help -A wealth of information and on a range of topics relating to  autism and