My ASD Child

Question My son is 10 years old and awaiting an Aspergers diagnosis. He frequently misinterprets the actions of others and becomes quite angry. He loses his temper frequently. How can we help him? Answer Your son is experiencing a great deal of stress due to the symptoms of Asperger’s (high-functioning autism). Some kids react by becoming depressed, some become anxious, and others become angry and experience rage against the frustrating events that occur in their day. Some kids externalize their feelings and blame others, while some internalize their feelings and have a difficult time controlling their anger. Their may be no particular event to his anger – just an aggressive mood or reaction to a frustrating experience. Encourage self-control and teach your child to consider alternative behaviors. Self-control can be strengthened by teaching your child to stop and count to ten, taking a deep breath and reminding themselves to keep calm. Or for s

1. Cognitive Issues— Mindblindness, or the inability to make inferences about what another person is thinking, is a core disability for those with Aspergers. Because of this, they have difficulty empathizing with others, and will often say what they think without considering another's feelings. The youngster will often assume that everyone is thinking the same thing he is. For him, the world exists not in shades of gray, but only in black and white. This rigidity in thought (lack of cognitive flexibility) interferes with problem solving, mental planning, impulse control, flexibility in thoughts and actions, and the ability to stay focused on a task until completion. The rigidity also makes it difficult for an Asperger youngster to engage in imaginative play. His interest in play materials, themes, and choices will be narrow, and he will attempt to control the play situation. 2. Difficulty with Reciprocal Social Interactions— Those with Aspergers display varying diffic

1. Does your youngster tend to focus on one subject, to the exclusion of all others? Yes - she latches onto one topic of interest and learns everything there is to know about it. She won't even think about something else! No - she has some favorite topics, but displays a wide range of interests. 2. Does your youngster have difficulty interacting socially, particularly when it comes to nonverbal communication? Yes - she seems unable to pick up cues in people's body language and vocal inflection. No - she seems to be able to read the mood of a room pretty well, and understands what is and isn't appropriate in a conversation. 3. Does your youngster vary her vocal inflections, volume, or pitch? No - she speaks in a monotone, regardless of the subject or the environment. Yes - she shouts, whispers, laughs, whimpers, and more. 4. Does your youngster adhere to rigid, repetitive routines when it comes to everyday tasks? Yes - everything has