My ASD Child

This video answers the questions: If I think my child has Asperger's, should I have him diagnosed? If so, when? And how do you get a diagnosis?

"We recently learned that our son has High-Functioning Autism and are concerned about how to approach this new challenge.... his triggers, learning problems, treatments, added stress to our family, how to explain autism to him... etc." Moms and dads can do a lot to help their kids with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. But, it's important to make sure you get the support you need. When you're raising a youngster on the autism spectrum, taking care of yourself is not an act of selfishness—it's a necessity! Being emotionally strong allows you to be the best mother or father you can be to your “special needs” son or daughter. If you've recently learned that your youngster has High-Functioning Autism (HFA) or Asperger’s (AS), you're probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a youngster is anything other than happy and healthy, and a formal diagnosis can be particularly scary. You may

"My son with autism (high functioning) will be attending his first year of public school next year, and I am making early preparations now so he can be as successful as possible given the challenges.  He's already having a lot of anxiety even though it's about 8 months away. He's been home-schooled and this will be quite a change for him. I've heard that this transition is particularly stressful for children with this condition. How can I help him cope effectively with this big change coming up in his life?" Your child with Asperger’s (AS) or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) will be starting his first year in the public school system — and as a parent, you may be very nervous. Some AS and HFA children will start the year off easily, breezing into the classroom with a quick goodbye — but after a few days — cling as you try to leave. Others will enter the building only under protest from day one. Then there are those who rush off to school with great en

“What advice would you have regarding the most effective teaching methods for young students on the high end of the autism spectrum? I have two ASD students in my class this year (twin brothers).” First of all, you need to know that Asperger’s (AS) – also referred to as High-Functioning Autism (HFA) – is an autism “spectrum” disorder (i.e., affected children have significantly different abilities and limitations). Before you can prepare for an AS or HFA child in your classroom, you should develop an understanding of the specific child's needs. Prior to the first day of school, review the child's records and look for notes from previous educators that indicate his abilities. Speak to the child's mom and dad and ask them what they feel their son might need to be successful. Meet with the child on the first day of class to become familiar with him and gather information about his needs. Let’s go into greater detail about the specifics of teaching students on the au

My 15-year-old stepson with Asperger's lives with his mother. Although we have joint custody, it is difficult to get him to want to spend any time with us or at our home. Unfortunately his mother is the type who refuses to co-parent with us. Requests to discuss the behavior of and expectations for my stepson go ignored. Sadly, there are other issues with her as she has been diagnosed as a sociopath, and she deliberately talks poorly about her son's father directly to him. We've learned through years of trial and error that she will not be cooperative, nor are we trying to control her. But when it comes to our son, we're to a point in his development where he has become verbally abusive and extremely rude and uncooperative with our entire side of the family. And his mother encourages this. We're somewhat at a loss on how to move forward. I can see the value of reading the e-book regardless, just to educate ourselves and maybe improve our dealings with this child. I