My ASD Child

Don't over-estimate your ASD youngster's understanding of social situations just because of his high intellectual ability. He is a boy who needs to figure out how the real world works, one example at a time.  More resources for parents of children and teens with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's : ==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's ==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism ==> Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Comprehensive Handbook ==> Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book

“Are there any natural or non-pharmaceutical ways to treat symptoms of high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome?” Alternative approaches to treating symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorders do exist. One such approach is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), which is defined as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.” CAM therapies used to treat Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have been categorized as “biological” or “nonbiological.” Let’s look at each of these in turn… Examples of biological therapies include: detoxification therapies (e.g., chelation) dietary supplement regimens that are supposed to act by modulating neurotransmission or through immune factors (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium, folic acid, folinic acid, vitamin B12, dimethylglycine and trimethylglycine, carnosine, omega-3 fatty acids, in

“What is Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder? And how does it differ from Autism Spectrum Disorder?” Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder (SCD) is characterized by “a persistent difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication that can’t be explained by low cognitive ability.” Symptoms include: inappropriate responses in conversation difficulties with academic achievement and occupational performance limited effective communication difficulties in the acquisition and use of spoken and written language complications in social relationships Also, these symptoms must be present in early childhood (even if they are not recognized until later when language, speech or communication demands exceed abilities). The new diagnosis of SCD more correctly identifies children who have significant problems with verbal and nonverbal communication for social purposes. These problems lead to impairments in their ability to perform academically and occupationally, partici

What comes naturally to “typical” kids does not come naturally to kids on the autism spectrum. The lack of interpersonal relationship skills makes it difficult for these boys and girls to make and keep friends – and often leads to social isolation. Now for the good news: Parents can learn to teach interpersonal relationship skills to their “special needs” youngsters. In this post, we will discuss the following: Practicing reciprocal interactions Rehearsing social situations through role-play Relationship skills groups Teachers' crucial role in teaching social skills Teaching the youngsters how to recognize the feelings of others Making use of “social skills training” materials Making use of social stories Click here for the full article...

“Can social skills training really help children with high functioning autism? What should a good training program consist of?” There is some objective evidence to support traditional and newer naturalistic behavioral techniques and other approaches to teaching social skills. Joint attention training may be especially helpful in young, pre-verbal kids on the autism spectrum (e.g., Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism), because joint attention behaviors precede and predict social language development. A randomized, controlled trial demonstrated that joint attention and symbolic play skills can be taught, and that these skills generalize to different settings and people. Parents can facilitate joint attention and other reciprocal social interaction experiences throughout the day in the youngster's regular activities. A social skills curriculum should target the following: initiating social behavior minimizing stereotyped perseverative behavior while using a flexible

“What does sensory integration therapy entail? And is it effective for children with high functioning autism?” Sensory integration therapy is often used alone or as part of a broader program of occupational therapy for kids on the autism spectrum. The goal of this particular therapy is not to teach specific skills or behaviors, but to remediate deficits in neurologic processing and integration of sensory information to allow the youngster to interact with the environment in a more adaptive way. Unusual sensory responses are common in young people with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism (HFA), but there’s no good evidence that these symptoms differentiate HFA from other developmental disorders. The effectiveness of sensory integration therapy has not been demonstrated objectively. “Sensory” activities may be helpful as part of an overall program that uses desired sensory experiences to reinforce a desired behavior, help with transitions between activities, and calm

“Is there a correlation between gastrointestinal issues and Asperger Syndrome? Our son seems to be very sensitive to certain foods, especially bread and milk (they cause him to cramp).” The relationship between gastrointestinal problems and Asperger’s (high functioning autism) is unclear, because most studies have not examined representative groups of kids with Asperger’s compared with appropriate controls. Surveys published in the gastroenterology literature have stated that gastrointestinal problems (e.g., constipation, diarrhea) occur in 46% to 85% of Asperger’s kids. Lower rates in the range of 17% to 24% have been reported in other population-based studies. One case-control study in the United Kingdom found that only 9% of young people with Asperger’s had a history of gastrointestinal complaints. Conversely, in one cross-sectional study that used structured interviews and matched control groups, a lifetime history of gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., abnormal stool pattern, f

Students with High Functioning Autism (HFA) exhibit difficulty in appropriately processing in-coming information. Their brain's ability to take in, store, and use information is significantly different than other developing children. HFA students can present a challenge for the most experienced teacher. Here are some important tips that teachers with HFA students will need to be aware of: ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

Effective management of Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) should focus not only on the affected youngster, but also on the family. Although moms and dads once were viewed erroneously as the cause of a youngster's Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is now recognized that they play a major role in effective treatment. Having a youngster on the autism spectrum has a significant effect on a family. Parents and siblings of autistic kids experience more stress and depression than those of kids who are “typically developing” – or even those who have other disabilities. Supporting the family and ensuring its emotional and physical health is an extremely important aspect of overall management of AS and HFA. Doctors, therapists and other health care professionals can provide family support in the following ways:   assisting parents in advocating for their AS or HFA youngster's special needs assisting parents in advocating for the sibling's needs assisting pa

Problematic emotional reactions and behaviors (e.g., aggression, meltdowns, self-injury, etc.) are common in kids and teens with Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA). In many cases, medical conditions may cause or exacerbate maladaptive behaviors. Recognition and treatment of these conditions may eliminate the need for medications (e.g., in the case of an acute onset of aggressive or self-injurious behavior, the source of pain can be identified and treated). Some of the sources of physical discomfort that may cause or exacerbate maladaptive behaviors in AS and HFA children include the following: allergic rhinitis (allergic inflammation of the nasal airways) colitis (inflammation of the inner lining of the colon) constipation dental abscess esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) fractures gastritis (inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the lining of the stomach) headaches otitis externa (inflammation of the outer ear and ear canal) otitis media (mid

It's tempting to put off back-to-school preparations until the first day is just a week or so away. The resulting last-minute flurry of phone calls, errands, and meetings can be overwhelming. But this year, you can make the back-to-school process easier. This video will focus on simple things you can do NOW to make this the best transition to the new school year ever.

Teens with Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) bring their unique flavor to adolescence, essentially determined by the levels of three principles: avoidance, insight, and interest. In this post, we will discuss the following: Level of avoidance  Level of insight  Level of interest The grief cycle  Special considerations for parents  Tips for helping your teenager to deal with his or her disorder Click here for the full article...

Do you need some assistance in parenting your Aspergers or HFA child?  Click here  to use Mark Hutten, M.A. as your personal parent coach. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My 18 year old son has been diagnosed with aspergers, also now known as Social Pragmatic communication disorder. He also has auditory processing disorder, a math disability, and an IQ of 90. He has lately taken to arguing with me about everything, he talks over me, and will not listen.  Some of this I know is due to the fact that he is trying to find his way in life. But, I am at my wits end. Help! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Mark, Firstly I would like to congratulate you on a very thorough and comprehensive article on SPD. As a child I was diagnosed very early on with SPD, roughly aged 4-5. I am now 27, happily married and (more or less) a functioning member of society. I was scrolling amongst a plethora of SPD-related articles as my wife was curious as to the mentality and 'learning diffi