Showing posts sorted by relevance for query diet. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query diet. Sort by date Show all posts

Aspergers & Picky Eating

"My son was diagnosed with Asperger’s in January. His eating habits are not that great. He will only eat about 3 specific foods which are not at all healthy. How can I introduce something new to him if he doesn’t like to try anything new? Unless he has eaten it before, he will not try it."


This is a common problem with people with Asperger’s. Some AS adults will eat only three or four foods for months at a time. For AS kids, many foods taste terrible to them (but not to others) or have disgusting textures or smells. They can’t help these reactions; they are a part of Asperger’s. Unfortunately your son’s three choices are not healthy ones, so he isn’t getting a balanced diet. For that reason, his diet must change.

Your son’s diet should include protein from eggs, milk, cheese, fish, beef, and chicken, pork, even hot dogs. He needs grains, which provide B vitamins, from breads, hamburger and hot dog buns, corn, and cereals. He needs vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, from juices, fruits, and vegetables. He requires calcium and vitamin D from milk and cheese. Getting him to eat these foods is the challenge.

You will have to eliminate the three items he will eat from your home and offer him a variety of other healthy foods, letting him choose what he will eat from them. Prepare for a battle royal when you do this! He may scream, cry, and have “meltdowns” at every meal. But, when he gets hungry, he will try at least some of the new foods. Whatever you do, don’t give him any of his preferred three foods, or they are all that he will eat and he will never try any of the new foods. Needless to say, the rest of the family must not eat his preferred foods, either.

Perhaps he would try some whole grain cereals. Many children like Life cereal or Cheerios (with or without milk). If he’ll eat the cereal, see if he likes a sliced banana on it. Use Splenda to sweeten cereal, fruits, and baked items. Try popcorn (a whole grain). Don’t load it up with butter. 

Fruit juices may appeal to him. There are new ones on the market that are delicious and have a serving of fruit and one of vegetables in each glass. Try hot dogs and hamburgers. He may like scrambled eggs. If he will drink milk (even chocolate milk or a milkshake), it will give him protein and calcium.

Try mixing rice or noodles into a cheese and chicken casserole. Most children like macaroni and cheese. See if he does. Try tacos made with whole grain tortillas, hamburger, and cheese. Will he eat fried chicken or chicken nuggets? How about fish and chips?

Many fruits may taste sour to him. Canned peaches and pears are sweet and may appeal to him. Cut fruits into bite sized pieces so they are easy to eat. Don’t chastise him if he doesn’t eat them; maybe in the future he will. Make small apple or blueberry muffins. Yoghurt with fruit is an option you could try.

As far as vegetables are concerned, it may be an uphill road! But, sometimes vegetables can be hidden in other foods, for example, in those juices mentioned above. How about putting some onion in his hamburger? Potatoes are vegetables and he might eat oven-fried French fries. Blend some cooked cauliflower into mashed potatoes. He may not notice the difference. He may like sweet potatoes. He might like creamed corn or cornbread. Does he eat any soups? You could try tomato soup made with milk; he might like it or chicken noodle soup. 

It’s very important not to make “a big deal” about what he doesn’t eat. If you do, eating will become an even worse power struggle than it’s going to be. Offer various new foods at each meal. If he doesn’t like them, don’t make an issue of it. He’ll eat something when he gets hungry! Avoid serving soda pop and sweets so he doesn’t fixate on them. When he finally accepts a new, healthy food, offer it often, but not at every meal, so he has to keep trying new foods.

My last suggestion is to make sure he has a multivitamin each day. Get one that is chewable, tastes good, and has a cute shape. Also, drinking Ensure or Pediasure is a good way to supplement his diet with vitamins and minerals.

By

Junk Food Addiction in Teens on the Autism Spectrum

"My teenage son with high functioning autism has (in my opinion) the absolute worse eating habits ...honestly, potato chips and soda make up about 75% of his diet. He would rather lose game privileges than eat a vegetable. I've given up! Help!!"

We all know that adolescents need to eat well since their bodies are still growing, their brains are still changing, and their hormones may be taking a toll on their moods and energy levels. But we also know that adolescents are prone to eating irregularly, and sometimes quite poorly, particularly as they distance themselves from parental controls and eat more meals away from home.

Pizza, cookies, ice cream, and soft drinks may be the most common foods in their diets at this age. But we have more influence and capacity to affect our adolescents' diets positively than we may think we do. The keys to positive change in the arena of diet and nutrition are positive attitude, planning, and preparation. These keys are already in your hands.

Moms and dads have a particularly strong advantage in this arena because, generally speaking, they have higher incomes than adolescents, and adolescents would rather spend more of their incomes on clothing, music, movies, and other entertainment, and as little as possible on food. Adolescents with ASD level 1, or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), are not much different; the only real difference may be that appropriate diet and nutrition may be even more important to help them keep improving their social skills and relations with peers and grown-ups.

Even slight worsening of moods, or additional absent-mindedness due to low blood sugar from skipping a meal, may cause an adolescent with HFA to fall into difficulties in important social situations. Once he or she has created a "social storm," such as a rift with a friend, or opposition to a teacher, the “special needs” adolescent often has more trouble than other adolescents navigating the troubled waters and reaching a safe shore.
 
==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with High-Functioning Autism

Using the keys to positive change in the arena of your adolescent's diet and nutrition is not difficult. Here are some examples of simple and direct changes parents can make:

Positive Attitude—

Most of us yearn to have peace at the dinner table and in the home; we would like to provide healthy food, and have our kids eat it with appreciation and without complaints. Yet we may forget that a positive attitude about food has to begin with us.

In many countries and cultures of the world, kids and adolescents are only too glad to have enough food to eat each day. In much of Africa, families still eat all their meals together, and in rural areas there is generally a single bowl of food, a grain or root starch with a vegetable sauce that young and old family members share. Meat is often more of a luxury, or may be offered only in small quantities. Soft drinks and sugary desserts are luxury items, and a regular component of the diet only for relatively wealthy people.

In the United States, by contrast, we often have too much food, and paradoxically, much of it is not healthy or nutritious. Adolescents complain about the food provided for them, and may refuse to eat, or don't eat well at prepared meals with their families, because they have a confusing array of other choices. They often do not view making daily decisions about what is and is not nutritious as their job, and they shouldn't; it is the job of the grown-ups in the community, whether at home or at school, to guide adolescents to eat wisely by providing nutritious food, and by limiting the supply of non-nutritious foods available.

At the same time, eating together is one of the most affirming and basic family-building activities possible; it also links us to other human beings in our own community and other communities; it is one activity that we all have in common, no matter what culture we are from. Our first job, therefore, is to return a sense of pleasure and even joy to family mealtimes, and to eating in general, if it isn't already there. Our second job is to plan for food that is appropriately nutritious, even planning some meals with our adolescents. And our third job is to prepare the food with a calm attitude and with thoughtful attention to the needs of our adolescents, whether it be for portable meals, late-night snacks, or a constant supply of pocket-sized nutritious energy-boosters.

Here are several ways to keep positive attitudes circulating in your home:
  1. Ask family members what their favorite dinners are, and either prepare those meals yourself or allow them to prepare those meals, once a week.
  2. Do not make meal times a time to criticize or moralize; try to open the conversation to everyone, and avoid topics that exclude some people, or are boring for kids or teenagers. In some households, family members are allowed to call out, "Not of general interest!" when inappropriate or boring dinnertime conversation topics are introduced.
  3. Get family members to take turns helping to set the table creatively with attractive, even unusual, centerpieces or decorations. Some of these may even help generate conversation with ordinarily quite adolescents.
  4. Offer only nutritious foods at mealtimes. Try to buy as many fresh foods as possible, and use color contrasts to make the meal appeal to the artist in your son or daughter.
  5. Start each meal together, at the table, and wait for everyone to be there. It helps to share a moment of silent appreciation, a chosen quote, or a prayer if you are so inclined. Let all family members take turns choosing the opening.
  6. Try music and candlelight for a change. Ask your HFA teenager to choose some quiet music that he or she especially likes.

Planning and Preparation—

Turning your kitchen into a generator of good nutrition and better eating habits may feel like a monumental task, but it is entirely manageable if broken down into tasks that only take an hour or less:
  1. Based on your family's list of favorite meals, and the cook's preferences, create a new grocery list featuring fresh foods and non-sugar foods for the main meals.
  2. Go through the refrigerator and the pantry shelves and gradually reduce and eliminate unhealthy foods. These include those foods whose primary ingredient is sugar (i.e., the first ingredient on the label), and foods with artificial ingredients, including preservatives and artificial coloring. Get rid of all soft drinks. Extra salty or fatty foods should also be limited, but these are more problematic for adult health; adolescents can handle some salty, fatty foods because of their higher activity levels. Then don't buy unhealthy foods anymore. If anyone asks, you can tell them you can't afford them. Having to buy these foods themselves will immediately reduce your adolescents' need for them.
  3. Rotate cooking duties. Cooking is a practical skill and art form that all adolescents should master early in life. An adolescent with HFA may especially appreciate feeling self-confident serving tasty food he or she has prepared to friends and family.
  4. Provide some snack foods, portable foods, and quick meals. These in-between food sources are often the culprits in poor nutrition and diet, however, so it is crucial to look closely at ingredients, and change the foods that are available whenever you determine that the current offerings are unhealthy. Make sure that you provide a continual supply of a variety of these meal alternatives, or your adolescent will resort to relying on vending machines and friends; neither source can be relied upon for solely healthy and nutritious food!
  5. See how many canned or already prepared foods you can replace with fresh foods. These foods are often a hidden source of unwanted sugars, preservatives, and other chemical additives that can actually damage your family's health. Try the local health food store for spaghetti sauce and other sauces and dressings free of chemistry experiments; farmer's markets often have homemade jams, hot sauces, pesto, flavored honey, herb vinegars and other specialties. Check the local bakeries for bread; often bakeries sell their day-old bread at a significant discount - and it is still a lot fresher than what you will find at the grocery store!
  6. Pay special attention to breakfast foods. You may have to woo your adolescent to the breakfast table, but it is worth the effort. Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day for regulating energy levels, brain power, and moods.
  7. Preparing food should be a happy, not a harassed, activity. Have a rule in your house that the cook gets to choose the music or radio program while preparing meals, and others are in the kitchen at the same time only if they are contributing to a positive atmosphere.
  8. Whoever does the majority of the cooking in the family should consider what foods he or she enjoys the most, and should check out a few cookbooks featuring their favorite foods from the library. A happy and inspired cook makes good food; inspiring food makes better mealtimes and better nutrition possible.
 
Quick and Easy Snacks—

Simple examples of healthy snack foods include:
  • apples and peanut butter
  • carrots
  • celery
  • cheese and wholegrain crackers
  • cherry tomatoes and Ranch dressing
  • fruit/nut mixes (e.g., peanuts and raisins)
  • granola or homemade granola bars
  • quick breads and muffins made from scratch
  • whole yogurt with fresh fruit and honey
  • yogurt and fruit "smoothies" made in the blender

Portable foods need to be hard, or in a hard container, so that they are not squashed and unappetizing by the time your adolescent gets around to remembering to eat them. Apples and granola bars are a good start; sometimes try beef, elk, venison or bison jerky from friends who make their own jerky, and more farmers and ranchers are starting to offer these products for sale.

Find a healthy cookie recipe. Using whatever basic chocolate chip cookie recipe your family prefers, cut the sugar by one-quarter cup, and substitute one-half cup quick oats for one-half cup of the flour required. Add chopped nuts, and even coconut flakes, if you prefer. Use real butter rather than margarine. Making a variation of these cookies each week, and filling the cookie jar will provide a more nutritious treat than store-bought cookies.

Quick meals should be meals that HFA adolescents can cook for themselves in the afternoon after school, or late at night when returning from an evening out, or if they are up late studying. Provide instruction in how to prepare basic pasta, and then make sure that a variety of interesting pasta shapes and sauces are readily available and that your adolescent knows how to find the necessary ingredients and pots and pans by him or herself. Egg-based meals are another example. Make sure that your adolescent knows how to prepare basic scrambled eggs, omelets, fried or poached eggs, hard-boiled eggs, and French toast. With just these two basic food sources in his or her cooking repertoire, your adolescent can create a dozen different healthy meals.

Rather than using direct praise for positive changes in your adolescent's eating habits (which may feel too intrusive or excessive for what he or she will rightly regard as a very basic part of life), ask your adolescent to cook for the family (e.g., "You’re really a good cook; can I get you to cook for everyone one night this week?"). This question will make your adolescent feel both self-confident, and needed. For an adolescent with HFA, these are the marks of growing into adulthood and family membership as the contributing person that he or she wants to be deep down.


Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:
 

==> Videos for Parents of Children and Teens with ASD
 
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PARENTS' COMMENTS:

•    Anonymous said... Wow. This is great info. Keep sharing people. This sounds like my 12yr old son. It's so hard changing his behavioral issues:(
•    Anonymous said... That's not just your opinion. That IS the worst kind of diet. But I don't understand this sort of "problem" when I see it. My son has Asperger's and would prefer to eat cookies and pancakes (or anything with syrup!) 24/7. My solution? I don't let him. Don't BUY potato chips and soda. Set an example as the parent and don't eat/drink that garbage either. Explain the importance of eating well. He is high-functioning so he can grasp that. Slowly introduce new foods. Find what he likes and buy more and more of it and find different, healthier way to prepare it. Example: my son loved/loves McDonald's chicken nuggets. I told him they're garbage and okay for a "treat" but not all the time. Started buying frozen chicken nuggets at home. Then evolved to making them fresh. Then started preparing different chicken dishes breading the chicken and baking it. Find what he likes, spin off that. SLOWLY incorporate new things and make sure you're eating them - and enthusiastically - too.
•    Anonymous said... My daughter is 10 and has always had severe food issues since she was a toddler. Most of it is texture related. The absolute hardest thing about her eating issues is that no matter how much we teach her about how good food is and she understands what is good for the body and what is not, she refuses to eat at all lately. So the heartless and flippant and totally typical "advice" that kids will eat when they are hungry enough doesn't work so well when you have a child with mental/social issues such as this. The food issues are SERIOUS in many kids with Autism, and for parents who ae trying so hard and unable to convince their kids to eat right it is heart breaking. I have tried the vitamin route but I know she isn't getting enough nutrition. She battles frequent and severe constipation. Going glucose free hasn't helped much. She will eat crackers, raw broccoli florets (rarely), carrots, a few select types of nuts, apple juice, and that's about it. I used to be able to get her to eat cheese, apples, strawberries, yogurt, those horrible chicken nuggets (the only meat i've ever gotten her to willingly eat), and macaroni. I know we will have to have some psychiatric help or my child will starve herself. But there are only a precious few child psychiatrists in my state that will accept the insurance plan we have. Our appts are 6 months apart. TELL ME HOW THE HELL I AM SUPPOSED TO GET HELP FOR MY CHILD WHO WON'T EAT?! If you haven't experienced this problem with your own kid, then you just don't have a clue what it is like.
•    Anonymous said... my 5 yr old son w/Asperger & SPD just finished 6 weeks of therapy for feeding. In the beginning, he only ate crackers, cookies, dry cereal, french fries & he drank chocolate milk, juice & Pedia Sure. After therapy, he now eats just about everything!! Spaghetti, Soup, Roast beef, squash, broccoli, greens, okra, etc.!! His therapist explained her method as:: Use a "social story". Read before each meal or every bite. Use a divider plate (3-5) separate compartments. Only put 2-5 small (baby spoon) bites in each compartment. The food consists of 1 favorite, 1 sort of likes & 1-2 new foods. He chooses which food to start with, but he has to take a bite of each food. Also, my son did better in the beginning when we ate alone!! Other family members at the table were distracting & our efforts failed!!! After 4 weeks of eating alone or w/me, now he eats w/all of us!! The short social story is:: It's time to eat, so I can grow!! The foods on my plate will help me grow tall and be strong. I may see foods I have not eaten before. This is ok. I won't know what it tastes like unless I take a bite and try it. After I take a bite, then I will know if it is yummy or not. After I take a bite, and if I don't like it, it will be ok to say "No Thank You, I don't like it". But I have to take a bite to know for sure. I'm ready to grow taller & be strong! Then begin! FYI: don't start out with strong smelling foods (cabbage, greens, etc), this may stall your efforts. We began w/ (new) chicken & dumplings-2 bites, (loves)yogurt- 2 bites & (sort of likes) green beans-2 bites. He realized he loves the dumplings & wanted more than 2 bites!! Some foods were not as sucessful, but many are!!! Even though therapy has ended, we will continue using the social story therapy @ home until he is more comfortable without it!! I don't want any set-backs!! Good luck to you all!!
•    Anonymous said... If you don't buy it he can't eat it. Someone has to be the parent. All kids would live on junk food if they had the option, Aspergers or not! I have sat with my son and made a list with him of the vegetables that he can tolerate and also how he prefers them cooked (baked, mashed, stif-fry), and that is what i serve him. He is happy with that because he is not served the ones he really hates. It is also easy to hide vegies in things like meatloaf, rissoles, soups, spag bol. Grate or even blend once cooked. You may find that removing junk food from their diet will help with behavioural issues too.
•    Anonymous said... I totally understand. We have stopped trying to make our son eat vegies and just started making sure he takes a multi-vitamin everyday. Its so much easier. You have to pick your battles and this is one we have decided not to fight.
•    Anonymous said... I told my son about the dangers of aspartame and he cut it totally out of his diet once he realised it was bad for his brain, his moods have improved and he''s developed a sort of obsession with apples, he'll eat 10 in one go if they're there (because once he starts with the eating he doesn't seem able to stop) I found forbidding or persuading just didn't work, so I decided to inform him (a knowledge of neuroscience has helped) he seems keen to take more control of his eating, and I find empowering him makes everyones life easier x
•    Anonymous said... I feel for you. Not everyone's situation is the same. If it were so easy for all of us JUST to prohibit it, I am sure you would have by now. It doesn't always have to do with having "sense" either. The advise that someone will eat when they get hungry enough is pretty scary too. I think the best suggestions are the ones that are cautious and respectful. That is what we are supposed to be modeling. Empowering with knowledge is fantastic! Don't forget to surround yourself with understanding/supportive people. It is really hard to accomplish better eating habits when you don't have positive support.
•    Anonymous said... Good to see other people have some sense. I read the question and thought "well, stop buying poisonous garbage. problem solved."
•    Anonymous said... Don't keep the soda & chips in the house. He can't eat what he doesn't have access to & he will eventually get hungry enough to eat what's in the house.
•    Anonymous said... I can speak from experience... My son is 1 month GFCF and he's a totally different kid. He's 14 and has always had bowel issues. This has completely gone away. His skin has cleared up. He's less stinky and greasy. He is sleeping much better!! I think there's something to it for sure! Also, I've noticed his anxiety has lessened... And he's about to start his first year of high school!
•    Anonymous said... I don't buy those things or keep them in the house. At that age you can't prevent him from getting them. All your can do is explain that those things aren't foods and will harm his body and then lead by example and hope for the best. My twelve year is the same way in that he will choose the least healthy food he has access to. frown emoticon
•    Anonymous said... My 15 year old son is the same way. He would eat pop tarts, and rolls with cream cheese all day everyday if I allowed it. He is very limited in what he eats. He will eat chicken cutlet if it's breaded or a burger. But he won't go near a vegetable or fruit. He doesn't eat in school either, even if he skips breakfast. He would sooner go hungry . I have tried refusing to let him have those things but... I have seen him make himself sick rather then eat. At that point we talked to dr and now just try to change what he eats and use vitamins but reality of it is. I'm in the same boat as you with me son.. I use a little trick though... I hide veggies in things I can bake like if I make chocolate chip muffin. He will eat those ..
•    Anonymous said... My son is same way. Junk food all the time. We found out awhile back, he also has RAD (reactive attachment disorder), in which the patient's symptoms is of craving sugar/sugary products....
•    Anonymous said... Our 16 year old would live on Raman and diet coke if we let her
•    Anonymous said... This is normal.our sons just like this.we try to get him to eat different things but its effortless.he will go all day at school and be hungry and not eat all day if its not his foods.his passion to not eat things is greater than the hunger.we have to limit his chips and we make him drink water but he would live like that forever we get tired of fighting but keep trying.
•    Anonymous said... We discovered dairy sent our son hyperactive, much calmer without it.
 
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Preventing Meltdowns in Students with Aspergers and HFA: Strategies for Teachers

In this post, we will look at strategies to prevent autism-related emotional outbursts in the classroom… 

Children diagnosed with Aspergers (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) require assistance from educators if they battle with behavior issues in school. Listed here are numerous useful techniques that each teacher ought to know.

AS and HFA may co-exist with other conditions including Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depressive disorders, and anxiety. But mainly, the disorder has an effect on a youngster’s ability to socialize. These children have a problem recognizing facial expressions, sarcasm, and teasing, and fight to adjust to unanticipated changes in routine. Their passions are usually very narrow, which can limit their capacity to connect with others.

As a result of these challenges, kids on the autism spectrum frequently experience rage, anxiety, depression, and irritation. There are many successful interventions that may be used in the school room to help improve the youngster’s learning experience. These can assist the student in feeling more comfortable and decrease anxiety, paving the way for academic achievement.

1. Create a Plan for Emotional Outbursts— Offer a quiet location for the student that has repeated meltdowns. This may be a trip to the bathroom with a classroom aide, or a visit to the school counselor. A written plan for coping during these times of high anxiety is crucial for an AS or HFA student’s success. Assisting kids on the spectrum inside the school room is an additional challenge for today’s overburdened educators. Nevertheless, with insightful monitoring, parental and professional assistance, and inventive techniques, a love of school and learning is usually fostered in kids with AS and HFA.

2. Make Classroom Rules Clear— Children with AS and HFA thrive on rules, but will frequently disregard them when they're vague or not meaningful. Educators should detail the most crucial school room guidelines and why they exist. An itemized list plainly shown, or a handout of the classroom policies can be quite beneficial.

3. Managing Felt Emotions— Another area by which these kids need practical assistance is in controlling felt emotions. Usually, felt feelings are way too big for the situation. One individual with AS states, “An example in my life is when I discover the grocery store is out of a specific item; I get a visceral reaction very similar to the horror I felt when first hearing about the 9/11 tragedy. I know cognitively the two events have no comparison and, yet, my visceral reaction is present and I need to consciously bring my too big feelings down to something more workable in the immediate situation.”

Managing felt emotions does not come automatically, but can be learned over time with systematic instruction and visual supports.

4. Minimize Surprises in the Classroom— Children on the autism spectrum require organized settings to achieve success. They don't like surprises. Things such as unexpected seating changes or unanticipated adjustments to the routine might lead to anxiousness as well as meltdowns. Educators need to provide sufficient warnings when there is to be a change of plans.

For instance, sending a note home to the moms and dads if a seating change is imminent would be beneficial. A back up plan can be presented to the class in anticipation of schedule changes. When the Friday schedule that usually includes watching an educational film in the afternoon changes if time is short, the teacher should inform the children ahead of time that they will work on free reading or journaling instead, as an example.

5. Promote Supportive Friendships— If it seems suitable, educate the class about the disorder. Create empathy by making children conscious of inappropriate words and bullying behaviors. Emphasize the youngster’s talents in classroom lessons to enable him to discover buddies with common interests. When the student on the spectrum appears to be struggling with relationships, group him during classroom activities with the ones that are more kind and understanding. At recess or lunch time, try assigning a classroom pal that will be loyal and guide the youngster through those more chaotic times.

6. Provide Sensory Support— Many kids with AS and HFA also encounter sensory processing issues. Sensitivity to light, sound, touch, taste, and smells can irritate the youngster, making him more likely to act out or withdraw. Consult the moms and dads to determine what these sensitivities are. Minimizing classroom mayhem, noises, and clutter will be a good start.

If at all possible, get the help of an occupational therapist and try to work sensory breaks into the youngster’s school day. Chores such as returning a load of books to the library or even doing a few jumping jacks in the hallway can go a long way in helping the youngster realign and get back to learning.

7. Sensory Diet— Regrettably, medical science doesn't permit us to take a blood sample to measure sensory dysregulation. However, we can figure out and employ a sensory diet to prevent dysregulation, and just like insulin prevents serious consequences for a diabetic, a sensory diet prevents serious troubles for the child on the spectrum. As one adult with AS states, “I spend time every day on sensory integration activities in order to be able to function well in my everyday life.”

A sensory diet employed proactively goes a long way in preventing the first stage of explosive behavior from ever occurring.

8. Visual Supports— An additional critical area of assistance to put in place proactively is visual supports. As one individual with AS states, “I can tell you the saying ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ is the monumental truth. Although each person with the disorder has a unique experience, processing written and spoken words is not considered by most of us to be our ‘first language.’ For me, the meaning I get from spoken words can drop out entirely when I am under stress, my sensory system is dysregulated or my felt emotions are too big.”

Visual supports can be anything that shows rather than tells. Visual schedules are very commonly used successfully with many kids on the spectrum. Having a clear way to show beginnings and endings to the activities portrayed on the visual schedule supports smooth changes, therefore keeping a meltdown away. For maximum effectiveness, visual supports need to be in place proactively rather than waiting until behavior unravels to pull them out.


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==> 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

==> Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

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Comments:

 • Anonymous said... I feel your pain my daughter deals with being yelled at for crying nd melting down. I will be giving these out to all who deal with her!
• Anonymous said... I printed this for my son's teacher. He often yells at him and compares him to the other kids. We have a meeting with him today to discuss my son's attitude...
• Anonymous said...I have experienced meltdowns myself, being and individual with AS. I remember some feelings that I had experienced in 6th grade. Whenever my teacher was angry at me, even just the slightest hint that would express any kind of unhappiness because of me, I would feel as though I had just ‘become frozen’, and begin to cry. It became clear to me that she absolutely did not appreciate my behavior, and would draw all attention to me. To this day, I feel like this was not the correct procedure for a meltdown, and that every teacher should know and understand the facts and statements listed in the article above. (Ok, maybe I am currently only in middle school, but I feel that I have made my point.)
• Anonymous said...Is there any way he can go to school and see what this sports Day is goiing to be about before Thursday? Or at least talk tothe teacher and have him/her give you allt he details they possibly can that you can relay to your 9 yr old? I know that knowing ahead of time some of the expectations and what is going to go on helps my son sometimes.
• Anonymous said...Sports day is on Thursday and already my 9 year old Aspergers son is getting really worked up about. I am dreading it as I know it will end in tears and a meltdown again. Any tips on how to handle it or how to tell the school to handle it.
• Anonymous said...Will the school not just let him join in if he wants to or give him a job like helping at the starting lines or making sure he cheers for his classmates. Thats what my son school does - if he wants he takes part if not he gets jobs to do that make him feel important.


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Aspergers Plus ADHD

Question

My daughter is 9 and has ADHD and Asperger's. She takes Methylphenidate twice a day so that she may focus at school, but when the second dose wears off she becomes uncontrollable. She is loud & completely disobedient. I have a 6 year old son also and am a single mother. I am at my wits end. I feel like I have tried everything and nothing works. She talks back to me always. There is not one time that I ask her to do something that she doesn't argue back. Please help me :o)

Answer

It sounds like she does fine until her meds wear-off. We’ll start there…

Have you tried sustained release forms of ADHD medication, or one of the long acting stimulants?

Sustained release forms of these medications have the benefit that the medication is often still working after school, as your youngster is trying to do his homework. The sustained release pills must be swallowed whole (except for Adderall XR).The long acting stimulants generally have the duration of 8-12 hours and can be used just once a day. They are especially useful for kids who are unable or unwilling to take a dose at school.

At least 80% of kids will respond to one of the ADHD stimulants, so if 1 or 2 medications don't work or have unwanted side effects, then a third might be tried. It can help if you are aware of the different medications that are available. Stimulants are considered to be first line treatments, and antidepressants are second line treatments and might be considered if 2 or 3 stimulant medications don't work for your youngster.

Here is a list of long acting stimulants to explore with your youngster’s doctor:

• Adderall XR— Adderall XR is approved for use in kids over the age of six years, although regular Adderall can be used in younger kids from 3-5 years of age. Adderall XR is a sustained release form of Adderall, a popular stimulant which contains dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It is available as a 10mg, 15mg, 20mg, 25mg, and 30mg capsule, and unlike many of the other sustained release products, the capsule can be opened and sprinkled onto applesauce if your youngster can't swallow a pill.

• Concerta— Concerta is a sustained release form of methyphenidate (Ritalin). It is available as a 18mg, 36mg and 54mg tablet and is designed to work for 12 hours. Teens can take two 36mg tablets to get to a dose of 72mg. Like Adderall XR, it is only approved for kids over the age of six years.

• Daytrana— Daytrana is a methyphenidate or Ritalin patch. The patch is available in 10mg, 15mg, 20mg, and 30mg dosages, which are worn for about nine hours at a time on a youngster's hip. The medication in your youngster's system then continues to work for a few more hours once you take the patch off, although you may have to figure how the patch works best for your youngster. One benefit of the Ritalin patch, in addition to working well for kids who don't like to take medicine, is that it gives you a lot of flexibility. For example, on some days your youngster could just wear the Daytrana patch for a few hours and on other days he could wear it a little longer if he has extra homework (as long it doesn't interfere with bedtime).

• Focalin XR— An extended release form of Focalin, with the active ingredient dexmethylphenidate hydrocholoride, which is also found in methylphenidate (Ritalin). It is available in an 5mg, 10mg, 15mg, and 20mg capsule.

• Metadate CD— This is also a long acting form of methylphenidate (Ritalin).

• Ritalin LA— This is is a new long acting form of methylphenidate (Ritalin). It is available in 10, 20, 30, and 40mg capsules. Unlike the other long acting forms of methylphenidate, the Ritalin LA capsules can be opened and sprinkled on something if your youngster can't swallow them whole.

• Vyvanse— The latest medication to get approval to treat ADHD is Vyvanse, a long acting stimulant that is similar to Adderall. In fact, its main ingredient is lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a derivative of one of the ingredients in Adderall. Initially available in 30mg, 50mg, and 70mg capsules, newer 20mg, 40mg, and 60mg capsules should be available soon.

Side effects of stimulants can include a decreased appetite, headaches, stomachaches, trouble getting to sleep, jitteriness, and social withdrawal, and can usually be managed by adjusting the dosage or when the medication is given. Other side effects may occur in kids on too high a dosage or those that are overly sensitive to stimulants and might cause them to be over-focused on the medication or appear dull or overly restricted. Some moms and dads are resistant to using a stimulant because they don't want their youngster to be a 'zombie,' but it is important to remember that these are unwanted side effects and can usually be treated by lowering the dosage of medication or changing to a different medication.

Here are several points to keep in mind with regard to medication for Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism:

• Anti-Depressants May Be Needed— While many kids with Aspergers present with hyperactivity, there is a tendency for teenagers to suffer from depression. There are various reasons why depression may be so common. For example, teens with Aspergers generally want to fit in socially. They can become depressed when they fail to fit into society's molds or norms or can't grasp the importance of its rules. Depression may also hit as they deal with anxiety and obsessive behaviors.

• Consider non-Medical Therapies— There are several therapies that are proven to be effective in treating and improving behaviors in children with Aspergers. Behavioral therapies help the child learn to cope with obsessive tendencies, deal with tantrums, cope with anxiety or control angry outbursts. Social skills classes help them to understand more of the back-and-forth nature of communication. Speech therapy can help them understand different uses of language. Occupational therapy improves the clumsiness or lack of co-ordination problems.

• Diet and Vitamin Treatments Improve Symptoms— Nutritional deficiencies and mal-absorption problems are common in Aspergers children. Many parents report success with a restricted diet or adding vitamin supplements. Other parents report success with the gluten and casein-free diet or a low-sugar, low-yeast diet. It is best to get a blood or stool test to check for any food intolerances or vitamin deficiencies. Consult a nutritional therapist if you want to go this route. After testing, some common vitamins that Aspergers children often use include: B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, Vitamin C and cod liver oil supplements.

• Medications for Anti-Anxiety or ADD/ADHD are Useful— Anxiety and stress are usually elevated in Aspergers children and teens. They often require medications to cope with the anxiety. Children with Aspergers also struggle with concentration, hyperactivity, focus and attention. Medicines to target ADD or ADHD have proven useful for Aspergers. There can be side effects with new behaviors showing up, however, so any medication use needs to be closely monitored.

• There Is Not Just One Medication— While many of the symptoms of Aspergers can be treated with a variety of medications, there is not one magic pill for the syndrome. Aspergers children and teens often lack proper social skills, have obsessive tendencies and can be clumsy or awkward. Some medications can be used to improve specific behaviors associated with Aspergers, such as anxiety, hyperactivity or attention deficit.

My Aspergers Child: Preventing Meltdowns and Tantrums in Aspergers Children


COMMENTS:

•    Anonymous said... I feel your pain.... I have 3 with ASD and complex behavior challenges including ADHD. Maybe there is a different dose that is more time released ? I am about to go the med route for my daughter. She is so difficult and has been since she was 1.5... She is six now. Ugh it's so draining!!!
•    Anonymous said... I'm familiar w this. Repeat every request and or argue for every little thing.
•    Anonymous said... We have three rules for our family. Each one has a clear consequence. By making these clear then following through discipline is simplified enough that we can spend most our energy on positive interactions with our son. Two years on this approach and he's got himself so much under control that he and his therapist weaned him off all meds. In his case he would take all the emotional power we would give him, so we just had to take the emotions out of correction and give him very clear expectations and hold him calmly to them. Then, we did all we could to let him know we adore and enjoy him just the way he is. In the end my belief is that the work is Gods inside our kids hearts, so prayer is the best thing you can do for your kids, but schedule, routine, clear expectations, calm correction, and happy parents are things that can benefit every family.
 
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List of Support Groups for Children with Autism, Aspergers, and PDD


· ABMD (Autism BioMedical Discussion)—High volume group for discussions by parents and professionals of research and biomedical interventions as they apply to the investigation and treatment of autistic spectrum disorders. To Join: Send a blank email to abmd-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· ANDI_ADI (Autism Network for Dietary Intervention)—This is an ADVANCED autism-diet discussion group moderated by ANDI, the Autism Network for Dietary Intervention. The purpose of this list is to provide a forum for discussion regarding advanced dietary treatment options such as the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), the Body Ecology Diet (BED), grain-free, sugar-free, low oxalates, supplementation, and other dietary interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. To Join: Send a blank email to ANDI-ADI-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Asperger—An excellent listserv for discussions of all aspects of Asperger Syndrome (AS) and other forms of high-functioning autism, including Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Subscription requires owner approval. This is a well established, high volume autism support list. To Join: Send email with the message, SUBSCRIBE ASPERGER to listserv@listserv.icors.org or join online. Listowners: Head Listowner - Ellen Dietrick; Co-listowners - Karen Reznek, Sandy Sebree, Phil Schwarz , Dave Spicer, Tee Forshaw, Barry Conner
· Aspergers Support—Mailing list for parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism. To Join: Send a blank email to AspergersSupport subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Aut-2B-Home (Autism To Be Homeschooled)—Listserv for homeschooling children with autism. To Join: Send email with the message, SUBSCRIBE AUT-2B-HOME to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG or join online.
· Autinet—An unmoderated parent support group and news service for Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, running since 1996. To Join: Send the message with "SUBS" in the subject line to autinet@autinet.org. In your message to listowner Peter Wise include a little about yourself, your interest in Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and your COUNTRY of residence (for statistical reasons).
· Autism ABA— The Autism and ABA list is an open, unmoderated forum for discussing anything related to autism. Much of our discussion centers around Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), including areas of ABA such as teaching Verbal Behavior (VB) and Natural Environment Training (NET). We're a quiet list, but we have a healthy mix of parents, professionals, and others involved with autism in some way. To Join: Send a blank email to autismaba-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online. Listowner: Christina Burk ChristinaBurkABA@aol.com
· Autism Adolescence—Autism Spectrum Disorders and adolescence support for parents who have pre-teen or teenaged children. Please free to share your stories, advice, woes, rants, tears, and especially laughter here with us. THIS IS A HIGH VOLUME LIST.. http://www.geocities.com/alleycatjo/Autism.html
· Autism Aspergers—A high quality, high volume support list where parents share stories, treatments, therapies, ideas, advice and support about their children with moderate to high functioning autism or Aspergers syndrome. To Join: Send a blank email to Autism-Aspergers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Autism Awareness Action—A moderately high volume group to help parents find autism related resources and support, not state specific but is associated with a Texas autism group. To Join: Send a blank email to autism-awareness-action-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Autism Behavior Problems—Helpful discussion, aid and support in dealing with these behaviors present in the autistic child. Support on topics for all ranges of behaviors...self stimulating, self injurious, aggressive, inappropriate etc and different ways of addressing these problems. To Join: Send a blank email to AutismBehaviorProblems-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Autism in Girls—Restricted membership! This is a high quality list for parents and professionals who wish to exchange information regarding treatment of autism in girls, how autism effect females in the family, and any other issues dealing with autism and females and/or the comparison of males and females with autism. To Join: Send a blank email to Autism_in_Girls-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Autism—The oldest ongoing discussion list for autism, provides general autism support.
To Join: Send email with the message subscribe [password] [digest|nodigest] [your email address] to autism-request@lists.apana.org [Commands in brackets are optional.] or join online. Listowner: Carolyn Baird. Panel Representatives: Ray Kopp, Linda Carlton, Kevin Kramer
· Chelating Kids 2—A restricted discussion list of parents with children who have autism/ mercury poisoning and are using chelation. To Join: Send a blank email to chelatingkids2-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Children with Autism—High volume parent support list for autism. To Join: Send a blank email to children_with_autism-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or subscribe online.
· DTT-NET (Autism: AVB: ABA: Verbal Behavior)—A moderated list for parents and professionals running home (and school) programs to discuss concerns and share their knowledge of Applied Verbal Behavior (AVB), a specialty within the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). To Join: Send a blank email to DTT-NET-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online. Listowners: Jenn Godwin and Steph Hulshof
· Enzymes and Autism—The Enzymes and Autism forum is a high volume list for the discussion of digestive enzymes (and many other types of supplements) and thier effect on the autistic spectrum/PDD, attention deficit, sensory integration, digestion/malabsorption, and food sensitivities/allergies. To Join: Send a blank email to EnzymesandAutism-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Floortimers Floor Timers—A small group, but an important topic. Parents, caregivers, therapists, educators and related professionals who work with children using using a floortime approach share ideas and provide support for one another. To Join: Send a blank email to floortimers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· GF CF Kids (Gluten-Free Casein-Free Kids)—This high volume, unmoderated list provides discussion forum for parents of children on the autism spectrum who are avoiding gluten and casein and other substances in their children's diets. To Join: Send a blank email to GFCFKids-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Gluten-Free Casein-Free Recipes—High volume group to share recipes for cooking a gluten-free, casein-free diet for chidren. To Join: Send a blank email to GFCFrecipes-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· HDO Therapy for Autism—Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), or more accurately, High Dosage Oxygen Therapy (HDOT} is fast becoming one of the more successful therapies for children with Autism. Autism is a neurological injury whether caused by toxicity, birth injury or unknown. Some amazing results are being obtained, especially with young children. To Join: Send a blank email to HDOTherapyforAutism-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Home Schooling Aspies—Support list for Christian moms who homeschool (or are seriously considering homeschooling) their children who have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (or suspect their child has Asperger's Syndrome). All are welcome to join, but there will be a Christian focus to many of the posts. We are here to encourage, support, and pray for one another as we do our best to teach our Aspies at home. To Join: Send a blank email to homeschoolingaspies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Parenting Autism—An excellent, high volume parent support group to share the day-to-day experience of being a parent of an autistic child. To Join: Send a blank email to Parenting_autism-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· PDD BP KidS (Pervasive Development Disorder Bipolar Kids)—This group is for parents and primary caregivers of children diagnosed with PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, PDD-NOS, Rhett's Syndrome, Childhood Disintigrative Disorder), and BP (Bipolar Disorder). To Join: Send a blank email to PDD-BPkids-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online.
· Verbal Behavior—A high volume moderated forum for teaching verbal behavior (VB) within a program of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Discussions include difficulties in the development of communication seen in most individuals with autism and other related disabilities, with an emphasis on functional language and motivational variables using ABA techniques. To Join: Send a blank email to VerbalBehavior-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or join online. Listowner: Christina Burk ChristinaBurkABA@aol.com


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Environmental Triggers for Autism Spectrum Disorder

"What might be some of the environmental factors involved with autism spectrum disorders, and how would they interplay with genetics?"

The rate of diagnosed cases of ASD level 1 (high-functioning autism) grows each year. A number of experts believe that the rising Asperger’s rate is an epidemic that will continue to grow, and they claim that the cause of autism must be environmental.

Other experts argue that the increased number of cases is not due to an epidemic, but instead due to a better understanding of how to diagnose these children with symptoms that were previously missed. Still others claim that the rate of the disorder is not growing more now and would have been larger in the past if the current diagnostic criteria were in place.

Environmental Factors—

A variety of environmental triggers is under investigation as a cause (or contributing factor) to the development of ASD and other autism spectrum disorders, especially in a genetically vulnerable youngster:



1. Mercury: A major toxin to the brain is mercury in its organic form. But according to a report published in Pediatrics, there is no evidence that kids with ASD in the U.S. have increased mercury concentrations or environmental exposures. Though many moms and dads of kids on the autism spectrum believe their youngster's condition was caused by vaccines that used to contain thimerosal (i.e., a mercury-containing preservative), the Institute of Medicine concludes there is no causal association. Even so, many Autism organizations remain convinced there is a link.

2. Gluten and Casein: Another environmental factor may be associated with gluten and/or casein consumption. A popular hypothesis follows this logic:  Wheat gluten and casein contain proteins which break down into molecules that resemble opium-like drugs. Kids on the autism spectrum have compromised digestive systems (called "leaky gut"). Leaky gut syndrome means that a child’s intestines are unusually permeable, allowing extra-large molecules (e.g., proteins) to leave the intestines. Thus, instead of simply excreting these large opium-like molecules, ASD kids absorb the molecules into their bloodstreams. The molecules travel to the brain, where they induce a state similar to that of a drug-induced "high."

When wheat and casein are removed from the diet, the youngster no longer experiences the high, and his behavior and abilities radically improve. A corollary to this hypothesis states that when a youngster's preferred diet is mostly comprised of wheat and dairy products (e.g., pizza, crackers, milk, ice cream, sandwiches, etc.), that proves that the child is addicted to the opiate-like molecules and would benefit from the GFCF diet. In any event, if your child will only eat a few foods, and these select foods involve wheat and/or dairy, then you will want to have him tested for food sensitivities.

3. Pesticides: Exposure to pesticides during pregnancy may boost risk. In a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers compared 465 kids diagnosed on the autism spectrum with nearly 7,000 “typical” kids, noting whether the mothers lived near agricultural areas using pesticides. The risk of having an autism spectrum disorder increased with the poundage of pesticides applied and with the proximity of the women's homes to the fields.

4. Organic Pollutants: Exposure to organic pollutants that have built up in the environment is another area of concern. For example, polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs (substances previously found in electrical equipment, fluorescent lighting and other products) are no longer produced in the U.S., but linger in the environment. Particular types of PCBs are known to be developmental neurotoxins.





The Genetic-Environmental Interplay—

Researchers are focusing on how the interaction of genes and the environment play a role in autism. Among the findings so far is that the immune system functioning of the mother may play a role in the youngster's later development of an autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers took blood samples from 163 mothers – 61 had kids with an autism spectrum disorder, 62 had normally developing kids, and 40 had kids with non-autistic developmental delays. Then they isolated immune system antibodies (called IgG) from the blood of all the mothers. They took the blood samples and exposed them in the laboratory to fetal brain tissue obtained from a tissue bank. Antibodies from the mothers of kids with an autism spectrum disorder were more likely than antibodies from the other two groups to react to the fetal brain tissue. There was also a unique pattern to the reaction.

In an animal study, researchers then injected the antibodies into animals. The animals getting the IgG antibodies from mothers of kids with an autism spectrum disorder displayed abnormal behavior, while the animals given antibodies from the mothers of normally developing kids did not exhibit abnormal behaviors.

In another study, researchers found that levels of leptin (i.e., a hormone that plays a role in metabolism and weight) was much higher in kids on the autism spectrum than in normally developing kids, especially if the disorder was early in onset.

Critical Developmental Windows—

Asperger’s and other autism spectrum disorders are considered to be “developmental” disorders, meaning that disruption of specific maturational steps in the brain is thought to be prerequisite for developing the disorder. With many cases of autism spectrum disorders now routinely diagnosed before age 2, sensitive windows of developmental vulnerability must occur during the prenatal and/or early postnatal periods of development. Within those periods of development, there are likely to be narrower windows of greater risk for environmental exposures. Thus, it would seem that the prenatal and early postnatal periods should be a primary focus for risk of the disorder.

No single environmental factor explains the increased prevalence of Asperger’s or other autism spectrum disorders. While a handful of environmental risk factors have been suggested based on data from human studies and animal research, the most significant risk factors remain to be identified. The most promising risk factors identified to date fall within the categories of physical and psychological stressors, infectious agents, environmental chemicals, drugs, and dietary factors. However, the rate at which environmental risk factors for autism spectrum disorders have been identified through research has not kept pace with the emerging health threat posed by the disorder.

Additional research is needed, but perhaps more importantly, successful risk reduction techniques for autism spectrum disorders will require more extensive developmental safety testing of drugs and chemicals.


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Help for Sleep Problems in Children on the Autism Spectrum

"I need suggestions on how to help my child fall asleep and stay asleep! It takes him a long time to settle down, and even when he finally gets to sleep, it's not long before he wakes up and we start the whole process all over again."

Studies find that approximately 73% of young people on the autism spectrum experience sleep problems, and these problems tend to last longer in this group than they do for kids without the disorder. For example, kids on the spectrum are more likely to be sluggish and disoriented after waking.

Laboratory research has begun to describe the unique physiological presentation associated with sleep problems in these children, including disruptions in the sleep stage most associated with cognitive functioning (i.e. REM or Rapid Eye Movement sleep). In addition to physiological differences, some of the sleep difficulties in this population may be related to anxiety.

The impact of poor sleep is unequivocal. Poor sleep negatively impacts mood and exacerbates selective attention problems commonly found in kids with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism, as well as impairing other aspects of cognitive function.

There is no one panacea to manage sleep problems for these children. However, there are many interventions that are likely to be helpful. In general, moms and dads need to understand and be prepared for resistance to change that these “special needs” kids often show. Parents should also be prepared for problems to get worse before they get better as kids often initially challenge - but then gradually become accustomed to - new routines.

A good place to start an intervention targeted at improving sleep is changing lifestyle behaviors and environmental conditions that can influence sleep/wake patterns. These include exercise, napping, diet, and aspects of the bedroom and sleep routine.

Many children with ASD level 1, or High-Functioning Autism, have problems sleeping through the night or getting to sleep due in large part to sensory issues. Sensory dysfunction is typically an issue for kids on the autism spectrum. Many moms and dads are forced to try medications, or natural supplements (e.g., melatonin) to try to regulate sleep patterns. These may be beneficial.

Using sensory integration therapy can also be helpful so that the youngster can learn to regulate his or her activity level. The idea behind sensory integration therapy is that it is possible to "rewire" the brain of the child with sensory processing difficulties. Practitioners of sensory integration therapy are usually occupational therapists. Their focus is on the following systems:
  • proprioceptive (i.e., helping the child work on his ability to manage his body more appropriately; for example, to run and jump when it's time to run and jump, to sit and focus when it's time to sit and focus, etc.)
  • tactile (i.e., normalizing the child’s reactions to touch)
  • vestibular (i.e., helping the child to become better aware of his body in space)

A trained sensory integration therapist evaluates the child for sensory defensiveness, hypersensitivity, and sensory cravings, using several different scoring techniques. Some of the standard tests include:
  • The PEERAMID for ages 6-14 years
  • The Bruininks Osteretsky Test of Motor Proficiency for ages 5-15 years
  • Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) for kids between the ages of 4 to 8 years, 11 months
  • The Test of Sensory Integration for kids between the ages 3 to 5 years (TSI)

Depending upon the needs of your youngster, the therapist may use various techniques such as:
  • brushing and joint compression
  • deep pressure therapy, which may include squeezing, rolling, etc.
  • gross motor play such as wall climbing, balance beam, etc.
  • jumping on a mini or full-sized trampoline 
  • playing with a toy that vibrates, is squeezable, etc. 
  • swinging

Sensory integration therapists also may develop a sensory "diet," which may include a variety motor activities (e.g., spinning, bouncing, swinging, squeezing balls or silly putty, etc.), as well as therapist-provided interventions such as brushing and compressing arms and legs. The idea is that this "diet" will be provided throughout the day, whether by trained therapists, by the child’s teacher, or by the child’s parent. 

* Additional information on this topic can be found here:  Settling and Waking Problems



 
Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:
 

==> Videos for Parents of Children and Teens with ASD
 
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Here's what other parents have had to say:

•    Anonymous said... A friend of mine uses melatonin, for her son and has done for few years now. They use a low dose and only on school nights, never in holidays or fri or sat night. tThis is a godsend for them as he was only sleeping a couple of hours a night.

•    Anonymous said... A good routine, dont rush them and my best friend Melatonin. Its been shown that asd kids produce much less melatonin than their peers. Hideously expensive here in the uk and hard to get in the uk prescription only £200+ for a months supply but over the counter in the usa for $15 three months worth. Go figure.

•    Anonymous said... Chamomile tea, warm bath, aromatherapy, benadryl......any combination of the above.

•    Anonymous said... I have a routine. Often I will lie down with her for1-5 mins which we agree on beforehand and we have a music box which seems to soothe her. Took a long time to get this routine. Initially I was just glad to get her out of my bed now its much easier

•    Anonymous said... melatonin has been a life-saver for us! Talk with your dr. but there's usually no issues whatsoever. My aspie/severe SPD kiddo was the same way...up and down all night long. We started him on 3 mgs and that would help him drift off but he kept waking all night still. So we upped to dose to 6 mgs and that has worked awesome! Finally we can ALL get some rest!!

•    Anonymous said... Melatonin no side effects, safe. We noticed a huge difference in daytime behavior right away as well, a good nights rest is amazing.

•    Anonymous said... My aspie takes medications. He struggled with sleeping for awhile, but now with meds he sleeps better and is less irritable.

•    Anonymous said... My son will sit in the bathroom until he is calmed down enough to go to sleep. Sometimes it's an hour.

•    Anonymous said... Not enough light, too much light? Room to noisy, room too quiet? Hot and sweaty then gets cold when asleep? Needs something over his head Scared of spiders / monsters / shadows Lots and lots of things you can try, keep melatonin as a last resort

•    Anonymous said... our 5 yr old has same problem. In the beginning, we avoided medication. We tried aromatherapy, soothing bath + massage, classical music, etc., but nothing worked. He would sleep for 45 min., then jump to his feet in bed while screaming scared out of his mind. This would happen 2-3 times every night. After 1 yr. of minimal sleep, we had our son's Pediatric Behavioral Specialist prescribe him medication to aide in his sleep & help w/anxiety. He put him on Guanfacine 1/2 tablet at night. It also helps calm him due to severe anxiety. He's been on it for 2 yrs & it has done wonders for him. He's never had any side-effects from this medicine. Good luck in finding the best method for your child. I'll be praying for your son & your family!

•    Anonymous said... Physical activity helps, particularly yoga and gardening. As a last resort use melatonin and of course cannabidiol.

•    Anonymous said... Routine . Routine . Routine . Then he will still wake up tho about every few hours . My son is 13 . At age four we started clondine . Till he was about 7 then seroquel for a year . Off and on meletonin . It's not good for all night staying asleep . We tried trazadone also . Actually to get him to naturally stay asleep will take him getting older . My son at 13 can and will go to bed, early actually, and stay asleep with usually nothing . Ambilify in morning now and orap at night . But because he active and older its much much better . No problems with sleep at this time ! Good luck , just be patient and get help so YOU can get rest ! I'm catching up on mine during these "slow" years lol things have leveled out for now , as much as they can anyways . Never a dull moment that's for sure !

•    Anonymous said... We have used clonidine for the last 4 years. It has made a world of difference in our family. We have not noticed any negative side effects.

•    Anonymous said... We start our bedtime ritual an hour early. It includes bathroom, changing clothes, brushing teeth, etc. in the same sequence every night (the process is prompted by "ten minutes to bedtime.....5 minutes to bedtime....."). All of this is navigated/ motivated by reward. For us it is a book of his choosing and prayers from mom and dad. If he chooses to be uncooperative or takes too long playing in the bathroom sink, he is reminded he may be losing his book time. Also, we have always told him that he didn't have to go right to sleep if he is not tired, but he did have to stay in his bed and rest. He always goes to sleep within a reasonable time.

•    Anonymous said... We use a kids hypnosis cd on repeat and Relax & Sleep aid from the dollar tree. It has Melatonin in it. But I heard bad things about melatonin in larger quantities. Always research meds even the herbal ones

•    Anonymous said... Our doctor put our son on trazidone. He would fall asleep but not stay that way. I would find him up playing on his tablet or sleep walking. The meds help him stay asleep and we see such a HUGE difference in his behavior after a good sleep

•    Anonymous said... We used melatonin for almost a year but he started waking up and it became ineffective. So we brain stormed, as usual, and now we do our best to get some of his energy out. We do stretches. We put him in a long shower or bath depending on how he is feeling. I rub lavender baby oil on his legs and feet and neck. It has seemed to be more effective.

•    Anonymous said... We used to have the same issue. Still do from time to time but it's rare now. Our Dr.told.US to try melatonin . It's natural over over the counter. Found with vitamins and supplements. It helped.a lot!
 
*    The trick is finding the routine that works. We went through a lot of trial and error. After several years of melatonin, she was able to power through it and it no longer worked. We struggled for a while and then found that a sound machine, a diffuser with calming essential oil, 3mg of melatonin and rolling her tightly in her favorite blanket works. If we miss one of these components - it doesn't work.
 
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Raising Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents' Grief and Guilt

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