My ASD Child

Question Can you advise me on social skills training for my 12-year-old child with Aspergers? Answer For children and teens with Aspergers (high-functioning autism), social skills are necessary, but usually lacking. Finding resources for social skills training in the educational setting may be difficult in many areas. If your child’s school offers social skills classes, social skills therapy, or peer mentoring, he should be participating. If not, there may be public or community based programs, or even private therapy choices available. These programs range in cost and availability and could be unattainable. If this is the case, there are ways to teach these skills at home with very little cost. Because this is so important, the Aspergers social skills connection must be addressed as early as possible and continually supplemented as the child’s ability to understand improves with age. Similar to basic manners, here are a few of the basic social skills that shoul

This post discusses strategies that assist in medication treatment of people with Aspergers and high functioning autism. Elsewhere, there are recent reviews offering detailed information on medications used for HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM and ASPERGERS [1]. The objective here is to discuss the logic and organization of medication treatments for symptoms of ASPERGERS and ways to decide which medications may be useful. ASPERGERS and HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM have moved from being esoteric, “boutique” conditions into the mainstream of child and adolescent psychiatric practice. Diligent practitioners recognize they must be informed about the diagnosis, course, and treatment of these disorders. Recent epidemiologic studies suggest a prevalence of approximately 19–67/10,000 people for autism spectrum disorders [2], [3], [4]. Moreover, autism spectrum disorders are no longer the exclusive province of specialists. A typical child and adolescent psychiatric practice is likely to see individuals fr

Question My son was dx with autism at 4yrs. and is now dx with Asperger Syndrome. Lots of therapy and support has helped the motor, speech, and hand flapping/toe walking. He has learned to do the repetitive behaviors mostly at home, since children tease so terribly. I am concerned with his fascination with women's clothing. He has always been drawn to the way in which fabrics move, such as skirts and capes. (He wore capes and a sparkly vest for years.) Lately, he's been wearing some of my blouses. I don't want to say anything that may make him feel badly about himself. However, I don't know what to do, since his classmates are so cruel. Do you have any suggestions? Answer Talk to him about it. If he is nonchalant or professes to enjoy the feeling of the fabric and such, then it is a non-issue. He simply likes how the under-things feel, and it is unlikely to be associated with a sexual obsession if he discusses it openly in this manner. Whatever you do,