My ASD Child

“My high functioning autistic child struggles emotionally while at school. His self-esteem is low, and he is often very self-critical and unable to tolerate making mistakes. Also, he is easily overwhelmed when things are not as his rather rigid views dictate they should be. Any suggestion for his teachers in this regard?” Kids with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger’s have the intelligence to participate in regular education, but they often do not have the emotional resources to cope with the demands of the classroom. Many are easily stressed due to their inflexibility. Temper outbursts are common in response to anxiety and frustration. Also, interacting with classmates and coping with the ordinary demands of schoolwork can produce a significant amount of self-doubt (e.g., the child starts to believe that he or she is “dumb”). These “special needs” students are so easily overwhelmed by environmental stressors, and have such profound impairment in the ability to form inter

How to Avoid " Back-to-School " Meltdowns and Tantrums FYI to Parents: Getting ready for the new school year should start earlier when you have a ... But this year, you can make the back-to-school process easier... Asperger's Kids and Back-to-School "Separation Anxiety" With the start of school , boys and girls begin to spend much of their day in the classroom, a place where pressures and relationships with other children can be... Helping Aspergers Children Avoid The " Back To School Jitters" Preparing kids with Aspergers (High-Functioning Autism) for the new school year requires a little more than making sure uniforms fit and backpacks are filled... Back-to-School “Quick Tip Sheet” for Parents of Children on the Autism Spectrum Parents of kids with Asperger's (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have... How to Avoid " Back-to-School " Meltdowns and Tantrums in Asperger&

Playing and conversing with classmates is a daily routine for school-aged kids. But children with ASD (Aspergers, High Functioning Autism) are often isolated and rejected by their peers. Their problems making and keeping a “buddy” are exacerbated by their poor social skills. The sensitive educator should realize that kids go to school for a living. School is their job, their livelihood, and their identity. Thus, the crucial role that teachers play in the youngster's social development and self-concept should not be under-estimated. Even if a youngster is enjoying “academic success,” her attitude about school will be determined by the degree of “social success” she experiences. There is much that the educator can do to promote social development in the special needs child. Kids tend to fall into four basic social categories in the school environment: Children who, although not openly rejected, are ignored by peers and are uninvolved in the social aspects of school. Ch

Kids with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA): frequently have an excellent rote memory, but it is mechanical in nature (i.e., the youngster may respond like a video that plays in set sequence) have a pedantic speaking style and impressive vocabularies that give the false impression that they understand what they are talking about, when in reality they are merely parroting what they have heard or read have poor problem-solving skills  tend to be very literal (i.e., their images are concrete, and abstraction is poor) usually have average to above-average intelligence – especially in the verbal sphere – but lack high level thinking and comprehension skills Programming Suggestions for Teachers: 1. The writing assignments of students with AS and HFA are often repetitious, flit from one subject to the next, and contain incorrect word connotations. These kids frequently do not know the difference between general knowledge and personal ideas, and therefore assume t

“My teenage son with ASD (high functioning) is out of control, don't know what to do? I tried every option available to me with the exception of bootcamp. I just can't afford to put him in a bootcamp or military school. But that's the only solution that I see. He’s 17 and is on pot every day. He has a hair trigger and will go off big time whenever he is the least bit irritated over something… fits of rage over little things that most people would just ignore. Has threatened to kill himself when he’s upset. Please help!!!” Emotional Dysregulation (ED) is often found in young people with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA), and is a term used in the mental health profession to refer to mood swings and emotional reactions that are significantly “out-of-control.” Examples of ED include destroying or throwing objects, angry outbursts, aggression towards self or others, a decreased ability to regulate emotions, an inability to express emotions in a positiv

"Help! My 9 y.o. Aspergers son is suffering real bad anxiety trying to get back into the routine of school after the Christmas holidays. He is crying on and off all day at school and bedtimes, finding it hard to sleep and again crying. I feel so helpless that I can't do anything for him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated." Aspergers (high functioning autism) children of all ages commonly experience school anxiety (i.e., school-related stress). This is often most apparent at the end of summer when school is about to start again, but it can occur year-round. This post explains school anxiety – and what can be done to help the Aspergers child become more relaxed and confident. Social Stressors— Many Aspergers children experience some level anxiety in social situations they encounter in school. While some of these issues provide important opportunities for growth, they must be handled with care: • Bullies— Many schools now have anti-bullying programs a

From the office of Mark Hutten, M.A. - Counseling Psychology Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Learn How to Reduce - and Eliminate - Meltdowns, Tantrums, Low-Frustration Tolerance, School-Related Behavior Problems, Sensory Sensitivities, Aggression, Social-Skills Deficits, and much more...   CLICK HERE   to get started...   [Note: At check-out, click on RETURN TO MERCHANT   before leaving PayPal to access this digital product.] Dear parents, I'd like to talk to you about my parenting system that significantly reduces problematic behavior in children and teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism (ASD Level 1). "Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism" is a 4-part downloadable eBook (along with audio instruction) designed to help parents of Asperger's and High-Functioning Autistic kids who are experiencing behavioral difficulties. The p