My ASD Child

As a young child, Jayne was consumed by Pokemon, the collectible card game of animated creatures originated in Japan. It was no mere pastime, but an all-encompassing interest that engaged her considerable vocabulary to the exclusion of all other age-appropriate attachments or interests. And it was accompanied by other troubling signs: an inability to make eye contact with others, to engage with peers in a reciprocal fashion, and to make friends. As Jayne matured, her social isolation deepened, as did the uncommon and all-consuming nature of her interests. As a teen, she developed an exhaustive knowledge about everything related to a fast-food chain in the state where she resides. At an age when conformity to the norm is at a premium and castigation of those who deviate is most severe, Jayne inhabits an island of her own inaccessible idiosyncrasy. As little as 14 years ago, she also may have had difficulty getting a psychiatric diagnosis that fit. Too verbal and intellectually

The autism spectrum extends from “classic autism” (which lies at the lower end of the spectrum) through to Aspergers (which is characterized as being at the mildest and highest functioning end of the spectrum). Aspergers reflects deviations or abnormalities in four aspects of development: 1. Certain behavioral and stylistic characteristics such as repetitive or persevering features 2. Limited, but intense, range of interests 3. Social relatedness and social skills 4. The use of language for purposes of communication These dysfunctional features can range from mild to severe. Aspergers is characterized by: • a better prognosis than other Autism spectrum disorders • difficulties with pragmatic, or social language • extending into the very superior range of cognitive ability • high cognitive abilities - or, at least, “normal” IQ level • normal language function when compared to other autistic disorders Diagnostic Criteria from DSM— Aspergers:

"Our son (high functioning) will memorize a line from a movie that he really was captivated by, and repeat that line over and over all day long. Is this a trait of autism? another one our son does is constantly tell us what's happening in whatever he's watching on the TV, even if we're actually watching it ourselves! We think it's his way of processing what he see's to help him understand it." A common symptom of Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism includes repetition of words and phrases. In many cases, these phrases are related to something the youngster has been exposed to (e.g., a movie, book, song, etc.). The youngster may continue to say the word or phrase throughout the day or even throughout the following week. If you're the mother or father of a verbal youngster diagnosed with Aspergers or HFA, you may have heard him or her repeat bits and pieces from videos or other sources. This type of communication is called "echolalia.&qu

Question How can I know for sure whether or not my 8-year-old son truly has Aspergers? I'm not totally convinced at this point. There is some speculation based of observations of some of his behaviors - but I still have my doubts. Answer A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation from a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who specializes in Aspergers (high functioning autism) will be able to give you a definitive answer to that question. Aspergers has a specific set of symptoms. However, each individual with Aspergers is unique; not everyone experiences the same combination of symptoms. Below is a basic list to help you identify whether or not your son has Aspergers-related symptoms: Cognitive and Motor Skill Impairments— Cognitive and motor skill problems are common in Aspergers. Typical cognitive and motor skill issues include: Difficulty with imaginative play: The Aspie does not engage in imaginative play as a child. Learns best visually: She has troubl

Question My daughter has difficulty socializing with her peers. One day, she has friends, and the next day no more. When conflicts arise, she doesn't know what to say, do. She doesn't know how to express in words her feelings. She tries, but it's confused. She sees things as black and white. How can I as a parent help her? Answer Here are some tips for those Aspergers (high functioning autistic) individuals who struggle with developing friendships: 1. Think about the person you want to be friends with. Anchor your thoughts on the other person. Here are some things to keep in mind: How might they feel about what you want to say? What might they think? What do you know or remember about them? What might they want to talk about? 2. Watch your non-verbal body language. Your physical presence ‘greases the wheel’ of conversation. How you present yourself physically will plant the seed in your friend’s mind that you want to talk to him/her. Here are som

"Is there a way to teach a child with high functioning autism to not take the things a parent says so literally? My daughter’s literal mind is completely baffled by sarcasm. She will try to dissect and understand common phrases and end up with some very bizarre ideas about the world. I try to keep my sarcasm to a minimum, but no matter how hard I try to account for her literalism, there are always things that I miss. I end up saying something that confuses the hell out of her, and when I try to explain, it just confuses her even more. As just one example, we were running late getting out the door and on to a doctor’s appointment a few days ago. She was stalling, so I barked, ‘Get those shoes on your feet right now!’ So, she literally picked up her shoes and placed them ON TOP of her feet (I had to laugh). Anyway… how can I help with this issue?" All kids have a "blind spot" in understanding various concepts. For example, some students don't "get"

Has anyone found any direct combination of Aspergers Syndrome and Specific Learning Disability? Have a small girl of 5 yrs who displays these traits. Aspergers may be associated with learning difficulties and attention deficit disorder. Indeed, many kids and teens with Aspergers have previously been diagnosed with AD/HD instead of Aspergers. Children with AD/HD may have difficulty with social interaction, but the primary difficulties are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. In children with Aspergers, the social awkwardness is a greater concern. As kids with Aspergers enter adolescence, they become acutely aware of their differences. This may lead to depression and anxiety. The depression, if not treated, may persist into adulthood. Also, what is the connection between Semantic Pragmatic Disorder and Aspergers Syndrome ?? ==> First, we'll look at SPG... Semantic Pragmatic Disorder— HISTORY— Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder was originally defined in the literature