My ASD Child

If you suspect that your child has ASD level 1 (Asperger's), even if he or she is an adult, should they seek a formal diagnosis? Answer: It depends! ==> Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance

“Our 5 y.o. boy has been diagnosed with autism (high functioning). Any suggestions on how to make his bedroom more favorable for sleeping? We have been told by the therapist that he may be over-stimulated by the digital gadgets, toys, games, etc., in his room – and that these items are distracting him from falling asleep. This is a plausible theory, because he will get out of bed late into the night to play around. Also, he is easily aroused by the slightest noises through the night.” It is important that the bed and the bedroom are associated with sleep and are not associated with activity. When young people with High-Functioning Autism or Asperger’s have sleep problems, it is highly recommended that their bed and bedroom activity be limited to sleep only. Also, it's important to make sure that extreme changes in temperature are avoided during the night. Increasing light is associated with decreases in the release of the neuro-chemical melatonin, which triggers sleep

“What medications are used to treat the symptoms of high functioning autism? Which ones have the best track record? And, what are the side effects of these medications?” There are several medications used to treat the symptoms associated with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger’s (AS). Medications may be considered for problematic behaviors in these children and teens, for example: aggression anxiety compulsions depression destructive behavior, or other disruptive behaviors hyperactivity inattention irritability mood lability obsessions perseveration repetitive behaviors self-injurious behavior sleep disturbance stereotypic movements After medical causes and environmental factors have been ruled out, a trial of medication may be considered if the behavioral symptoms cause significant impairment in functioning and are responsive to behavioral interventions. In some cases, the diagnosis of a comorbid disorder (e.g., major depression, bipolar disorder, a

Below is a list of resources for professionals who work with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum: 1.    Afzal N, Murch S, Thirrupathy K, Berger L, Fagbemi A, Heuschkel R. Constipation with acquired megarectum in children with autism.Pediatrics.2003;112 :939– 942 2.    Aman MG, Lam KS, Collier-Crespin A. Prevalence and patterns of use of psychoactive medicines among individuals with autism in the Autism Society of Ohio. J Autism Dev Disord.2003;33 :527– 534 3.    Aman MG, Novotny S, Samango-Sprouse C, et al. Outcome measures for clinical drug trials in autism. CNS Spectr.2004;9 :36– 47 4.    Aman MG. Management of hyperactivity and other acting-out problems in autism spectrum disorder. Semin Pediatr Neurol.2004;11 :225– 228 5.    American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Children With Disabilities. Auditory integration training and facilitated communication for autism. Pediatrics.1998;102 :431– 433 6.    American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Children With Disab

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello, I just wanted to say that I have gotten so much good information from this site, and especially the Adult Aspergers Chat website. This video describes me perfectly. How did you get inside 'my' head? :) http://www.myaspergerschild.com/2014/07/getting-inside-head-of-child-with-high.html Plus I'm not a 10 year old boy, I'm a 34 year old female, not yet diagnosed but I am going to pursue it soon. Thanks so much! Mary ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you for getting back to me welcoming me. I’ve heard grate things about your page, and hopefully it can help me cope a little better. Going thru the first week of training right now and so far I think your course is wonderful. I believe it is the answer to my prayers. I plan to implement everything to the fullest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~