My ASD Child

This post discusses strategies that assist in medication treatment of people with Aspergers and high functioning autism. Elsewhere, there are recent reviews offering detailed information on medications used for HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM and ASPERGERS [1]. The objective here is to discuss the logic and organization of medication treatments for symptoms of ASPERGERS and ways to decide which medications may be useful. ASPERGERS and HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM have moved from being esoteric, “boutique” conditions into the mainstream of child and adolescent psychiatric practice. Diligent practitioners recognize they must be informed about the diagnosis, course, and treatment of these disorders. Recent epidemiologic studies suggest a prevalence of approximately 19–67/10,000 people for autism spectrum disorders [2], [3], [4]. Moreover, autism spectrum disorders are no longer the exclusive province of specialists. A typical child and adolescent psychiatric practice is likely to see individuals fr

Most children with Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) lack emotional intelligence to one degree or another. Emotional intelligence is the ability to (a) identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups; (b) harness emotions to facilitate various cognitive activities (e.g., thinking and problem solving); (c) detect and decipher emotions in faces, pictures, voices, and cultural artifacts, including the ability to identify one's own emotions; (d) comprehend emotion language; and (e) appreciate complicated relationships among different emotions. Emotional intelligence consists of four attributes: Social awareness: Understanding the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people, picking up on emotional cues, feeling comfortable socially, and recognizing the power dynamics in a group. Self-management: Being able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors, managing emotions in healthy ways, taking initiative, following through on commit

If you are an older teen or adult with Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism, and are struggling to “make it” (i.e., cope) with real-world circumstances and social situations, then this may be the most important article you’ll ever read: The ideal treatment for Aspergers coordinates therapies that address core symptoms of the disorder, including poor communication skills and obsessive or repetitive routines. While most therapists agree that the earlier the intervention, the better, there is no single best treatment package. Aspergers treatment resembles that of other high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders except that it takes into account the linguistic capabilities, verbal strengths, and nonverbal vulnerabilities of children with Aspergers. A typical program generally includes: Cognitive behavioral therapy to improve stress management relating to anxiety or explosive emotions, and to cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines Medication, for coexisting con