My ASD Child

“We are new to the world of autism spectrum disorders. Is it common for a child with high functioning autism to spend all (or certainly most) of his time doing only one thing? Our 5-year-old son would spend 24-hours-a-day telling you about dinosaurs if he didn’t have to sleep. Should we just go along with the program, or attempt to curb this appetite for dinosaur trivia?” Click here for the answer... Resources for parents of children and teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: ==>  Preventing Meltdowns and Tantrums in Asperger's Children ==>  Discipline for Defiant Asperger's Teens ==>  Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management ==>  Launching Adult Children with Asperger's: How to Promote Self-Reliance  ==>  Everything You'll Ever Need to Know About Parenting Asperger's Children ==>  Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism ==>  AudioBook: Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger’s and High-Functioni

“My son with high function autism is almost completely heartless when it comes to dealings with his younger sister. He’s rude and mean and sometimes aggressive with her. Is it common for a child with this disorder to have no empathy? Will this aggression become more violent over time?” Click here for my response...

"How can a parent explain abstract concepts of friendship and love to an 8 year old daughter with ASD?" Talking about abstract concepts with a youngster who has ASD level 1, or High Functioning Autism (HFA), can be challenging. Typically, kids with HFA have a very difficult time understanding abstract concepts, especially those that have to do with social interactions. When you talk to your daughter about friendship and love, understand that this will not be something she can grasp overnight. A great deal of the conversation depends on the age of your daughter. Younger kids, especially elementary school age, will likely be talked to about friendship many times. Keep the conversations as concrete as you can, using specific examples. If your child has a good friend, talk to her about what sorts of things she can do to nurture that friendship. She can invite her friend over for play dates. She can share her toys. She can talk to her friend, especially when her friend wa

“I have a very lonely and depressed 17 year old son with Asperger’s that spends all of his time (except for going to school) in his bedroom playing video games. I don’t totally understand why he is always so down in the dumps. I wish there was something I could do to help him find some friends and start enjoying life. Any suggestions?” Click here for the answer...