My ASD Child

"My daughter was diagnosed with high functioning autism recently. What critical details can I provide to her 5th grade teachers to help them understand her cognitive, emotional and social characteristics? (I am a teacher as well, 7th grade, different school). She apparently is not doing so well in the current situation." Most children with ASD or High Functioning Autism (HFA) are impaired socially. They often do not detect social clues and are frequently unaware when they irritate others. Since they miss these social clues, they miss the lesson associated with the experience. As a result, they tend to repeat the irritating behavior since they are unaware of its effects. Many of the traits of HFA are "masked" by average to above average IQ scores. This often results in the student being misunderstood by teachers. They assume the child is capable of more than is being produced. This lack of understanding may result in teachers treating the "special needs...

"Can you help me understand how my child thinks? His rationale is quite confusing at times, and I find we are rarely on the same page with simple day-to-day issues."  In looking at the cognitive aspects of the child with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), there are four main areas to consider: (1) mindblindness, (2) cognitive inflexibility, (3) impaired imaginative play, and (4) visual learning strength. We'll look at each of these in turn: 1. Mindblindness (theory of mind): This refers to the child’s ability to predict relationships between external and internal states. It is the ability to make inferences about what another person is thinking. More specifically, the HFA child: Is unaware that others have thoughts, beliefs, and desires that influence their behavior. Views the world in black and white (e.g., admits to breaking a rule even when there is no chance of getting caught). Is unaware that others have intentions or viewpoints different fr...

"I would like to know what to expect from a high functioning autistic child in the teenage years. My son was diagnosed 2 years ago. I know they say that they can suffer from this and that, but what is the long-term goal, what can we expect, what not to expect?" Young people with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) often have a difficult time between the ages of 13 and 19. They may be socially excluded and face rejection by their peers if they act differently from others. They want to be accepted and liked, but often don’t know how to behave and communicate appropriately. School is demanding and they long for friends. The goal for your HFA son is to make it through the teen years with the following: his self-esteem intact at least a friend or two knowledge that his family loves him a high school diploma   There are some teens that manage to navigate these years successfully because they don’t care about peer pressure and focus on a special interest of th...

"Any tips for avoiding temper tantrums when my 5-year-old (high functioning) son and I are out shopping?" All parents have experienced the temper tantrum in the grocery store or the restaurant. While young people with High-Functioning Autism and may have tantrums that seem larger than life at times, they are still tantrums. Here are some tips for parents: 1. Prior to going on outings, it is important that your child is prepared for what is going to take place. So explain the trip's agenda in depth. 2. You may want to have your child engage in some physical activity and play prior to the trip so that he is calm (and slightly worn-out) for the outing. 3. You also want to establish what the expectations are for his behavior during the outing. You will need to keep in mind his age and level of understanding when giving expectations. 4. Don't overload him with rules, but be consistent.   ==>  Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens wi...

What parents should do when things are going 'wrong'... 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 Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism