Self-Help Strategies for Struggling Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

Do you have a teenager on the autism spectrum? Is he or she really having difficulty coping with life? Are you worried about how he or she is going to handle adulthood? For teenagers with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism, change is especially hard. They have grappled with the perplexing and disturbing nature of a highly unpredictable world most of their lives.

For those parents of teens on the spectrum, we have compiled our top 15 picks for self-help books to assist your “special needs” teen in multiple areas of life:

1. The Aspie Teen's Survival Guide: Candid Advice for Teens, Tweens, and Parents, from a Young Man with Asperger's Syndrome

2. The Asperkid's (Secret) Book of Social Rules: The Handbook of Not-So-Obvious Social Guidelines for Tweens and Teens with Asperger Syndrome

3. Asperger's Teens: Understanding High School for Students on the Autism Spectrum

4. Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence: Helping Preteens & Teens Get Ready for the Real World

5. Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence

6. Take Control of Asperger's Syndrome: The Official Strategy Guide for Teens with Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorders

7. The Asperger Teen's Toolkit

8. The Social Success Workbook for Teens
 
9. Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger Syndrome: A Practical Guide to Day-to-Day Life

10. Asperger's and You: A self-exploration workbook for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum

11. The Social Success Workbook for Teens: Skill-Building Activities for Teens with Nonverbal Learning Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, and Other

12. Social Skills for Teenagers with Developmental and Autism Spectrum Disorders: The PEERS Treatment Manual

13. The Autism Playbook for Teens: Imagination-Based Mindfulness Activities to Calm Yourself, Build Independence, and Connect with Others (The Instant Help Solutions Series)

14. 60 Social Situations and Discussion Starters to Help Teens on the Autism Spectrum Deal with Friendships, Feelings, Conflict and More: Seeing the Big Picture

15. Asperger's Syndrome Guide for Teens and Young Adults: Thriving (Not Just Surviving)

The Benefits of a Sensory Room for Kids on the Autism Spectrum

The purpose of a sensory room is to waken your child's senses. Items in the room can include lights, sensory soft play objects, colors, sounds, and aromas - all within a safe environment that allows him or her to explore and interact without risk.

The room also helps the child to calm down when needed - and can help those who have learning difficulties or sensory impairments learn to interact with the world around them, but in a safe environment. The child gets an unrestrained space where he can explore at his own leisure.

It's most effective to create a schedule of when your child will be provided free time in this room. It's probably NOT best to give her free access to it. It's best to use the room at transition times to provide a smooth transition, or as a reward for meeting the expectations of parents and teachers.

When creating your child's sensory room, be as creative as you can. There are many things you can purchase, but you can also make many things yourself. What you use should in part be determined by what your child enjoys or is seeking.

Some ideas are: 

• A mini trampoline can provide physical exercise and sensory input.
• Create a touch board, and attach a variety of materials from sand paper to carpet.
• Fill a tub with sand, navy beans, or other similar item that they can play in.
• Find different scents of potpourri that they can use for deep breathing.
• Hang a swing from your ceiling (if it is reinforced).
• Have music playing that your child enjoys - this can be calming music or vigorous music.
• String blinking Christmas lights around the room.
• Use a hammock for the child to lie in and receive deep pressure.
• Use a variety of lotions for both scent and touch.
• Use a vibrating massage-machine for deep touch.
• Use play dough for touch activities.

There are many benefits of a sensory room, for example:

Enhanced Learning through Play: Sensory stimulation can engage different areas of the brain, helping your child to absorb and retain more information through the five senses.

Improve Balance, Movement and Spatial Orientation: A sensory room can help develop your child's visual processing abilities and his or her fine and gross motor skills.

Sensory Stimulation: Encouraging your child to engage and explore the environment will have positive effects on her ability to react and interact with the larger world around her.

Tackle Problems With Behavior: Sensory rooms can be highly absorbing, providing a moment of comfort and calm for the "distressed" youngster, and helping the "inactive" child to feel better engaged. This improves focus and prevents him from getting the urge to ‘act out’ his frustrations or anxiety.

==> How to Teach Social Skills and Emotion Management

Tools to Develop Fine and Gross Motor Skills in Kids on the Spectrum

Most kids with Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism have a history of delayed acquisition of motor skills (e.g., hand writing, pedaling a bike, tying shoe laces, catching a ball, opening jars, climbing monkey-bars, etc.), which is called “motor clumsiness.” These young people are often visibly awkward, exhibiting rigid gait patterns, odd posture, poor manipulative skills, and significant deficits in visual-motor coordination. 

For those parents of kids that have trouble with fine motor skills (e.g., handwriting) as well as gross motor skills (e.g., balancing), here are our top 10 picks for items that will assist in this matter:

Ring Toss Game - Kids Quoit Games - Improve Eye-Hand Coordination and Fine Motor Skills

Hundreds of Developmentally Age-Appropriate Activities Designed to Improve Fine Motor Skills

Helps children learn penmanship and bolsters creativity: trace practically anything!

30 Pegs for Learning Colors, Sorting Counting - 30pg Occupational Therapy Fine Motor Skills Activity

Stepping Stones 6-Pack – Balance and Eye Coordination - Training Tool & Physical Therapy

Active Monkey Balance Board

Stepping Buckets 6-Pack – Balance and Eye Coordination - Training Tool & Physical Therapy

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


==> Parenting System that Reduces Problematic Behavior in Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism