My ASD Child

Teenagers don’t exactly have the market cornered on emotional maturity. They’re still developing. So, odds are high that a teen on the autism spectrum has already had a number of uncomfortable peer-encounters by the time he or she reaches adolescence (e.g., teasing, bullying, peer-rejection, etc.).  You can see why the ability to engage in age-appropriate social interaction needed in adolescence may be the one thing that a teen with Asperger’s or HFA associates with failure. ==> Here are 15 crucial strategies that parents can employ in an effort to assist their Asperger's or HFA teenager!

What professionals call "behavior management" is not about punishing or demoralizing an AS or HFA youngster. Rather, it's a way to set boundaries and communicate expectations in a nurturing, loving way. Correcting your child’s actions, showing him or her what's right and wrong, what's acceptable and what's not, are the most important ways you can show your “special needs” child that you love and care. ==> Here are some special techniques to help moms and dads discipline a “special needs” youngster with Asperger’s or High-Functioning Autism.

Kids with Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism usually live in the moment. They have difficulty moving from one activity to the next. Stopping an activity in mid-drift interrupts their train of thought, which pushes them out of their comfort zone -- and sometimes into a meltdown.  Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum :   ==>  How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==>  Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==>  Launching Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==>  Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==>  Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Parents' Comprehensive Handbook ==>  Unraveling the Mystery Behind High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book ==>  Crucial  Research-Based  Parenting Strategies for Childr

If you ask “typical” children how they learned to read nonverbal cues in everyday conversations, they might reply that they learned these things through observing the interactions of family and friends. Other “typical” kids might reply that they aren't quite sure how they know that a certain expression means a friend is bored or annoyed — they just know. This is because the skills needed for social interaction come naturally during the process of growth and development. However, for young people on the autism spectrum, this process may not be so effortless, and direct social skills instruction is often necessary. The ability to navigate everyday social interactions can frequently present significant challenges for children with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). Social situations that present difficulties can range from the fairly simple (e.g., engaging in a conversation with a classmate) to the extremely complex (e.g., determining whether a peer who seems f

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our son is 16 and was going to stay on into 6th form at his school, however he didn't get the grades he needed and had a poor academic and attitudinal reputation.  We were able to find a college course at the last minute which he has started to attend, but unfortunately the issues have followed and he's already on his first disciplinary. To cut a long story short, my husband and I are to visit the college and subject lead later this week, but could really do with some back up advice.  You see we have no formal diagnosis - we always thought our son quirky in some ways, however as he has gone through teen developmental stages, his difficulties have worsened and put together, have informed us of a bigger picture.  the headteacher at school commented as he had previously managed an autistic unit within another s

"I need some immediate ideas about how to deal with my son's behavior problems. He has Asperger syndrome (high functioning), ADHD and ODD. His behavior is completely out of control and I am at my wits end. Please help! He also has a lot of problems at school. His favorite thing to do when he's upset is to throw and break things." There are no easy, quick fixes to reduce or eliminate severe behavioral issues in children with Asperger’s (AS) or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) (e.g., self-injury, aggressiveness, meltdowns, tantrums, destructiveness, etc.). However, I have a few suggestions that may not require a tremendous amount of time and effort to implement. Let’s look at a few… 1. One reason for behavioral issues may be difficulties in receptive language. Kids on the autism spectrum often have poor auditory processing skills. As a result, they often don’t understand what others are saying to them; they hear the words, but they don’t understand what the

Since young people with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NVLD) and Asperger’s (high functioning autism) share similar traits, it is tempting to say that they meet the diagnostic criteria for either classification – but this is not the case. Learning disabilities and Asperger’s are significantly different disorders. Also, different types of assessments and interventions need to be selected to address the distinct - and sometimes overlapping - features of each. Kids with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities are described as showing signs of: Social isolation (e.g., not being sure of how to join a group or initiate social interaction) Social intrusiveness (e.g., standing too close to someone; following someone around during casual conversation; not knowing when or how to join a conversation; having a hard time engaging in the “give and take” of “small talk”) Physical awkwardness (e.g., not knowing what to do with their hands during casual conversation; showing anxiety-induced behavio