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Dealing with Sensory Problems in Kids on the Autism Spectrum

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"Our 6 year old daughter is very very selective, for example, will only wear certain clothes, only eat certain foods, doesn't tolerate loud noises, doesn't like to be touched sometimes, and on and on. This causes a lot of conflict in our home. I've been reading where this is a sign of autism (high functioning). Is this truly a telltale sign - and should I have her assessed by a professional?" An assessment would be warranted here. The occurrence of sensory issues and intolerance is very typical for kids on the autism spectrum. Parents of these children often recognize early that there are some "odd" problems with their youngster. For example, they may have a hyperactive startled response to various kinds of noises, and some may walk around acting deaf because they have had to tune out the excessive noise around them. Some kids on the spectrum report auditory problems and find themselves unable to listen to someone speak or carry on a conversat...

The Long-Term Outcomes for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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"What are some of the long term outcomes for people with ASD level 1 or high functioning autism? I'd like to know what to expect when my 7 y.o. son becomes an adult and leaves the nest." The long term outcomes for those with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger's depends on the severity of their symptoms, their baseline IQ, their ability to communicate, and what kinds of interventions and support they receive.    Those who come from supportive families, retain a reasonable sense of self-esteem, and become relatively well-educated, stand a good chance of getting into solid relationships, finding good jobs, and having a normal life. In other cases, the symptoms of the disorder are severe enough to affect speech and interpersonal relationship, or the individual’s IQ is low enough to impair their ability to find a good job, leaving them with a low paying job or on disability. Because some individuals on the autism spectrum suffer from depression and...

Gender Differences in High-Functioning Autism

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"It seems that there are more boys than girls with the high functioning version of autism. Is this true? If so, what accounts for the difference?" Interestingly, different research studies list the ratio of males to females with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) as being anywhere from 4-10 to 4-1 (i.e., some research suggests that for every 4 males, there is 1 female). Other studies suggest that the male population is much higher (8-10) relative to females. Obviously, much research is needed in this area. As there is no known specific cause of autism as yet, researchers don’t know why there seems to be such a diagnostic difference between boys and girls. A couple things could account for this difference: 1. There could be a hereditary or structural difference in boys that account for such a difference. There are other disorders associated mostly with boys (e.g., hemophilia) that have been found to be related to the genetic basis of the disease. 2. There coul...

The Confusing Social Behavior of Kids on the Autism Spectrum

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More resources for parents of children and teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: ==>  Preventing Meltdowns and Tantrums in Asperger's Children ==>  Discipline for Defiant Asperger's Teens ==>  Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management ==>  Launching Adult Children with Asperger's: How to Promote Self-Reliance  ==>  Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

The Gift of High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's

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Children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's and their families spend a great deal of time focused on the needs or limitations of the affected child. However, these young people also have abilities that many "typical" children do not. It is important that families talk about the strengths and abilities that their "special needs" child does have. For example: they are often very creative many have a sort of natural genius many have above average intelligence they can see the world very differently to the average person, which can mean different priorities or different sensory experience  their overriding priority is often to solve a problem rather than satisfy the social or emotional needs of others they are renowned for being direct, speaking their mind and being honest and determined  they can be a loyal friend  they give considerable attention to detail  they have a distinct sense of humor  they have a strong desire to seek knowledge,...