Preventing Meltdowns in Students on the Autism Spectrum: Tips for Teachers

"Do you have any simple, 'cut-to-the-chase' advice I could share with my son's teacher (who seems to know very little about how to handle students on the autism spectrum who 'meltdown')?"

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Aspergers and Diet

Question
My son only wants specific foods. How do I ensure a healthy diet for him?
Answer
Children with Asperger’s commonly have difficulty when it comes to eating a variety of foods. Textures and smells play a part due to the sensory issues they experience. In addition, having too many choices goes against what is comfortable for these kids. Finding a balance will take work and special accommodation.
Kids with Asperger’s have sensory issues that may prevent him from registering the feelings of hunger. Therefore, you can’t rely on your child’s hunger to motivate him to eat. Eliminating the foods he loves will create a true battle.
When you begin your attempts to alter your child’s diet, do so quietly. The less fuss, the less likely it will become a bigger deal than it already is. And keep trying. Success may come slowly, but the ultimate goal is improving your child’s diet. Every little victory will bring you one step closer to the desired result.
The most common trick to entice your child with Asperger’s to eat is to change the presentation. Altering the form of a food may work. If your child likes the flavor of strawberries, for instance, but cannot handle the texture, you could toss them in the blender with some yogurt and try giving him a strawberry smoothie.
Another trick you can try is the element of disguise. Many vegetables can be pureed and added to favorites without changing the taste of the texture of the food. One example is adding pureed vegetables to meatloaf or spaghetti sauce. The taste is overpowered by the favored food and the puree blends in undetected. This is sneaky, but a great way to meet the goal of a healthy, balanced diet.
Finally, create a meal/snack routine or schedule. This will appeal to your child’s need for order and structure. Eventually you’ll be able to introduce new foods without being sneaky. He’ll know that mealtime is approaching and he will be expected to try the foods you have prepared.

1. Hi I have a daughter who has aspergers and she is 11 years old. I’m having problems with my in-laws who were brought up old school, spare the rod spoil the child kind of thing. They basically think when she has an outburst or problems with what is served for dinner then i should just spank her or punish her and it will get better. I have downloaded the grandparents guide to aspergers from the oasis website but they are still in the frame of mind that she can be punished out of her behaviors. Any ideas on how to communicate to them that is not the thing top do.
   Thanks Shannon
   Comment by shannon
   
2. Parents of children with ASD’s who only eat specific brands of foods - you may want to think about making your own foods and putting them into containers from branded foods. That way you can change the content of the foods to add extra vitamins etc. This has worked very well with 3 of the families I work with - the parents made their own yoghurts, fish fingers, pizzas, waffles, sausages, burgers and put them into empty branded boxes and containers. The 3 children accepted these new foods without any problems. Its worth a try even though it takes a bit of work to prepare the food in advance and in secret.
   Comment by Wendy Goodbarn
   
3. My son was the same way. I know my son worked well with a reward system so I integrated the two. Each day, or every other day I would introduce a new food. Let’s say avocado. I would have only two pieces the size of a dime for him to taste. I told him that he needed to try at least one piece and if he didn’t like it he didn’t have to eat the rest. He loves desserts. He helps me pick out an assortment at the grocery store. The reward he received for trying the new food was to pick out his favorite dessert to eat. After about a month of trying new things he picked up at least 5 new things that he liked that I could add to his diet.
   Comment by Shirleyanne
   

Natural Treatment for Asperger's Syndrome

It's amazing how prevalent Aspergers is today. Aspergers is similar to autism but milder. The youngster is able to socialize a little bit more than a youngster with autism. Kids with Aspergers usually have a particular interest that they focus on -- such as math, painting, trains, etc. It is hard to get them interested in anything else. The onset of Aspergers usually occurs later in life than autism.

Possible causes of Aspergers is candida overgrowth in the gut, pollution and exposure to chemicals, food allergies or intolerances, genetic defect and, as stated above, vaccinations and overuse of antibiotics.

There are some alternative methods for helping Aspergers that have been working in many kids. One is heavy metal chelation therapy and another is rebuilding a healthy gut through the use of probiotics, enzymes and diet. I believe that a combination of both would be optimal. This comes from my own experience with heavy metal poisoning which caused me to have severe anxiety and the inability to go to social events. By following both protocols I have improved greatly. I have also been finding lots of information online about Aspergers kids completely recovering using these methods and who are now living normal lives. There are also many supplements, vitamins and herbs that help lessen the symptoms of Aspergers.

While there is no specific treatment or 'cure' for Aspergers, there are many interventions that can significantly improve the functioning and quality of life of people and kids with Aspergers. It is important to properly classify the condition and remember that it is not Aspergers disease, but rather a syndrome.

Herbal and homeopathic remedies can be viable alternatives to synthetic drugs and may be just as effective, with far fewer risks and side effects.

It is important that you only use natural remedies from a reliable source, as the quality of herbs used as well as methods of preparation may affect the strength and effectiveness of the remedy.

Depending on the symptoms that need treatment, certain herbal ingredients can be highly effective, such as:

• Chamomile
• Melissa officinalis
• Passiflora
• St. John’s Wort

Natural remedies may often contain a combination of ingredients for best effect. A holistic treatment plan aims to address the underlying cause of the problem and does not just treat the symptoms in isolation. In this way, it provides an all-around approach to greater well-being.