My ASD Child

The diagnostic criteria for Aspergers as outlined in DSM IV TR [1] includes in “criterion A” a description of some of the qualitative impairments in social interaction. The list of characteristics includes: • Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level • Lack of social or emotional reciprocity • Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction Clinical experience and autobiographies confirm that such people have considerable difficulty with the understanding and expression of nonverbal behaviors and social reciprocity. Regarding peer relationships, when we observe and assess the social play and friendship skills of kids with Aspergers, we recognize a delay in the conceptualization of friendship. The youngster may have an overall intellectual ability within the normal range, but their understanding of friendship skills resembles a

1. Are individuals with Aspergers more likely to be involved in criminal activities? 2. Can Aspergers occur with another disorder? 3. Can Aspergers occur with Attention Deficit Disorder? 4. Can the person develop normal relationships? 5. Could a difficult pregnancy or birth have been a cause? 6. Could Aspergers be a form of schizophrenia? 7. Could Aspergers be inherited? 8. Could the pattern be secondary to a language disorder? 9. Could we have caused the condition? 10. Do girls have a different expression of the syndrome? 11. How can you reduce the person's level of anxiety? 12. How do you share the news? 13. Is the person likely to become depressed? 14. Is there a specific area of the brain that is Dysfunctional? 15. What are the advantages of using the term Aspergers? 16. What are the changes we can expect during adolescence? 17. What is the difference between High Functioning Autism and Aspergers? 18. What is the differ

If you have recently received a diagnosis of Aspergers (or high-functioning autism) for one of your children, you may be asking yourself, “How could this be?” You are probably experiencing a lot of emotions right now, but your brain has also kicked into high gear as you search for an explanation. You want to know “Why?” Where did it come from? Isn’t Aspergers an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Is it genetic? Is it due to a poor diet or childhood immunizations? Could our toxic environment be a contributor? While there are many contributing factors (e.g., environmental toxins, dietary sensitivities, etc.) and scientists are still uncovering the mystery of ASDs, one often overlooked factor is that one or both parents probably have an Autism Spectrum Disorder - or at least some of the traits. Since we did not start diagnosing Aspergers until 1994 here in the United States, there are many parents with the disorder who were not diagnosed as children. Now when one of their own chil

The fatal stabbing of James Alenson – allegedly by a teen living with Aspergers (high-functioning autism) – raises the issue of whether this tragedy is related to Aspergers. Those of us who work with kids with Aspergers worry that fingers will be pointed at people with the diagnosis. No two kids with this diagnosis are alike, and generally speaking this is not a dangerously violent group. Current prevalence estimates suggest that 1 in 166 kids will have a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum disorder, with four times more boys than girls being diagnosed. These kids have different learning styles and ways of social interaction. More than half have difficulty responding to sensory input, which may manifest as extreme sensitivity to sounds, touch, smells, and textures of food. They frequently overreact to common inconveniences, such as being bumped in the hallway at school, and may not understand the appropriate distance from others in social situations. Most take much longer to