My ASD Child

Why is this disorder referred to as “high functioning”? High Functioning Autism (HFA), previously referred to as Asperger’s, is a term applied to children on the autism spectrum who are deemed to be functioning at a higher cognitive level (IQ>70) than other children on the spectrum. Is there a difference between High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s? The amount of overlap between HFA and Asperger’s is disputed. While some researchers agree that the two are distinct diagnoses, others argue that they are identical. On the other hand, the term HFA may be used by some researchers to refer to all autism spectrum disorders deemed to be cognitively higher functioning, including Asperger’s, especially in light of the removal of Asperger’s as a separate diagnostic from the DSM-5. HFA is characterized by traits very similar to those of Asperger’s. The defining characteristic most widely recognized by professionals is a significant delay in the development of early speech and la

Antisocial behavior is characterized by diagnostic features such as superficial charm, high intelligence, poor judgment and failure to learn from experience, pathological egocentricity and incapacity for love, lack of remorse or shame, impulsivity, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying, manipulative behavior, poor self-control, promiscuous sexual behavior, juvenile delinquency, and criminal versatility among others. As a consequence of these criteria the antisocial individual has the image of a cold, heartless, inhuman being. But do all antisocial individuals show a complete lack of normal emotional capacities and empathy? Like healthy people, many antisocial individuals love their parents and pets in their own way, but have difficulty loving and trusting the rest of the world. Furthermore, antisocial individuals do suffer emotionally as a consequence of separation, divorce, death of a beloved person or dissatisfaction with their own deviant behavior. Antisocial indiv

“I'm currently studying law and was wanting to know what some of the characteristic features are that predispose to criminal offending for teens with [high-functioning] autism?” First of all, let me be clear that there is little to no evidence that teens on the autism spectrum engage in criminal behavior any more than the general population of similar age. Second, the following characteristics may apply to some “typical” teenagers, not just those with ASD: 1.   Social naivety and the misinterpretation of relationships can leave the autistic teen open to exploitation as a stooge. His or her limited emotional knowledge can lead to a childish approach to adult situations and relationships, resulting in social blunders (e.g., in the mistaking of social attraction or friendship for love). 2.   Overriding obsessions can lead to offenses (e.g., stalking, compulsive theft). Harshly reprimanding the teen can increase anxiety - and consequently a reflective thinking of the unthinkabl

Asperger’s (high functioning autism) is a lifelong developmental disorder, but ironically, most research studies on the disorder have been cross-sectional (i.e., they only provide a snapshot of what it looks like at a single point in time). Why? Because following people with Asperger’s and HFA over long periods of time is expensive and requires a lot effort on the part of families and researchers, which is unfortunate since long-term studies are the only way to understand what early-life factors help some kids with the disorder do better than others over the long haul (something that can’t be assessed in cross-sectional studies). Thanks to new statistical techniques, researchers can now group their study participants based on shared characteristics that unfold over time. A handful of long-term studies, each including up to several hundred participants, have now followed individuals on the autism spectrum for nearly 20 years. As the young people in these studies come of age, res

Articles in Alphabetical Order: 2019  1.       "Best-of" Tips for Parenting Children on the Autis... 2.       "Learned Helplessness" in People on the Autism Spe... 3.       "Reward Systems" for Kids on the Spectrum: Are The... 4.       Activity-Shifting- Part II: Helping Kids on the Au... 5.       Activity-Shifting: Helping Kids on the Autism Spec... 6.       Adjusting the Physical Environment to Decrease Anx... 7.       Affective Education: Teaching Children on the Auti... 8.       Anxiety-Management: Tips for Parents of Children o... 9.       Asperger's Traits That Get Misinterpreted As "Inap... 10.    Attention Problems in Children with Asperger’s and... 11.    Attribution Retraining: Helping Kids on the Spectr... 12.    Avoiding Negative Reinforcement: Tips for Parents ... 13.    Best Books for Parents of Kids on the Autism Spect... 14.    Best Education Games for Kids on the Autism Spectr... 15.    Best Tips f