My ASD Child

High-Functioning Autism (HFA), formerly “Asperger Syndrome,” is first and foremost a social disorder. Children with HFA are not only socially isolated, but also demonstrate an abnormal type of social interaction that can’t be explained by other factors (e.g., shyness, short attention span, aggressive behavior, lack of experience in a given area, etc.). Children with HFA are notable for their lack of motivation to interact with others. However, their social difficulties frequently stem from an incompetence and lack of knowledge and skill in initiating and responding in various situations and under variable conditions. For example, an adolescent with HFA may appear odd because of his continuous insistence on sharing with peers an obsessive interest in space craft, despite their displays of apathy for this topic. The fact that social difficulties of young people with HFA range from social withdrawal and detachment to unskilled social activeness is well documented. Nonet

Adolescence can be a very confusing and difficult time for kids with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism. The teenage years are complicated for all of us, especially for families who are unprepared for this time period. You are very wise to plan ahead for your family’s journey into adolescence. While planning ahead may not make the situation unfold painlessly, it will improve your chances for a smooth transition. For kids with Aspergers, adolescence transition means much more than it does for typically developing kids. Areas of concern include: Appropriate knowledge of dating and sexuality Developing a healthy self-image Education issues like special considerations and allowances due to specific weakness and strengths Participation in all treatment options like classes, groups, therapy sessions, medications, etc. Social skills like communication, personal space, basic personal hygiene, etc. It is especially important that you plan for all the issues that affect

"The older my teenage son gets, the more depressed he seems to be. I think something may be going on at school that he is hiding from us (perhaps not getting the acceptance from his 'friends' that he wants to like him - IDK). Any suggestions? Anyone else have a teen with ASD who seems depressed 24/7?" Teens with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety). One study found that 65% of their sample of patients with AS presented with symptoms of a psychiatric disorder. However, the inability of AS and HFA teens to communicate feelings of distress can also mean that it is often very difficult to diagnose depression. Likewise, because of their impairment in non-verbal expression, they may not appear to be depressed. This can mean that it is not until depression is well developed that it is recognized (e.g., in the form of aggression, alcoholism/drug abuse, increased obsessional be

"We seem to be having ever increasing difficulty with our 13-year-old daughter (high functioning autistic). We began to notice a change for the worse around the time she reached puberty. Her anger and anxiety have reached a new level. She also seems very very depressed much of the time. Is this normal for a teen with this disorder? What can we do to slow down what I see as a train wreck in the making?" Puberty brings with it challenges for all children, however, children with ASD level 1 [High-Functioning Autism] face increased challenges through puberty. The behavior issues of impulsivity can increase in both frequency and intensity. Kids with ASD who experienced bullying in elementary school - and now continue to experience bullying during their middle school years - may become increasingly aggressive.  Adolescence can become a very difficult time for a child with ASD as peers may no longer be willing to tolerate someone who seems different. Moodiness, depression

Angela Ver Ploeg, came to work as a school psychologist in Alaska in 2000, after years of similar work in Ohio and Tennessee. She has a Master's Degree, and an additional Educational Specialist degree. Van Ploeg has immersed herself in the world of kids and teenagers with Aspergers (High-Functioning Autism), and in learning about their daily lives at school and at home. Her intensive study of Aspergers has made her both an expert and an innovator in the treatment programs she recommends to moms and dads and educators. Her insights about the unusual traits of Aspergers are complex and often profound, but her suggestions for families have an encouraging simplicity and practicality. When asked about the kids she sees with Aspergers, Ver Ploeg says that often they experience many problems. For example, a very bright youngster was brought to her who was being expelled for the last six weeks of school - and it was the third year in a row in which he had incurred expulsion. For these

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that Autism now affects 1 in 88 kids (although other estimates say it's more like 1 in 60), and is becoming a challenge shared by more and more American families. The good news: About 10% of kids with low-functioning Autism outgrow most of their severe disabilities by the time they become teenagers. NOTE: Let's be clear about this. The 10% of young people sited in the research continue to have the disorder, but most of the major debilitating symptoms have diminished significantly. A recent study offers some good news for parents with Autistic children: most kids affected by Autism don’t have intellectual disabilities . Even among the severely low-functioning ones, about 10% improve significantly over time with some outgrowing their diagnosis by their teenage years. The research tracked approximately 7,000 Autistic kids in California for a total of 9 years. These children were followed from diagnosis to age 14 (or

  Do you need some assistance in parenting your Aspergers or HFA child? Click here to use Mark Hutten, M.A. as your personal parent coach.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Mark: I tell you from time to time how much I appreciate these newsletters with Q & A's. Now is one of those times I must tell you from my heart, again, just how thankful I am I found you through an internet search and signed up and paid the low fee.  I have MORE than gotten my money's worth-just so grateful.  We have an only child, and no basis for comparison to other children's behavior, or what should be expected when, other than seeing our friends who have children around the same age who are not on the spectrum.  Anytime I have a question about my son's behavior, I either receive an answer, some directional guidance, or a reinforcement/reassurance that a decision we've made and enforced is one on the right track.   Just recently, our son's mainstream teacher, who is tea