My ASD Child

A child or teenager with Aspergers or High Functioning Autism may exhibit less eye contact with you and others than expected, and he or she may not read faces for cues about feelings or consequences. This lack of connectivity is often felt in an intangible way, especially by caregivers. We anticipate with open hearts the child who will “give back” our attention. However, in children with Aspergers, there may be very little variation in expressions of emotions and little joy in playing interactive baby games. The arrival of the youngster’s social smile may occur later and infrequently. What can moms and dads do to help their kids with Aspergers? Be understanding when we don't feel like looking - we're not being rude, just feeling insecure. Encourage "looking at my face" but don't push it - it's really uncomfortable for us. Explain how some folks need to see you looking in their direction before they think you're listening. Give your children a f

Most experts do a great job of presenting the problems children with Aspergers (High Functioning Autism) face during their adolescent years, yet they offer few solutions. The years from twelve to seventeen may be the saddest and most difficult time for young people with Aspergers. This is not true of every adolescent with Aspergers. Some do extremely well. Their indifference to what others think makes them indifferent to the intense peer pressure of adolescence. They can flourish within their specialty, and become accomplished musicians, historians, mathematicians, etc. Click here for the full article...

Is your child with Asperger's or high functioning autism going to have a new teacher in the upcoming school year? If so, you will do your child a big favor by emailing the following "summary of educational considerations" to his or her teacher. Here is the link: https://www.myaspergerschild.com/2010/09/aspergers-students-educational.html Most Asperger's (AS) kids have normal or above-normal intelligence, and are able to complete their education up through the graduate or professional school level. Many are unusually skilled in music or good in subjects requiring rote memorization. On the other hand, the verbal skills of kids with AS frequently cause difficulties with educators, who may not understand why these "bright" kids have social and communication problems. Some AS kids are dyslexic; others have difficulty with writing or mathematics. In some cases, AS kids have been mistakenly put in special programs either for kids with much lower levels of

"What does treatment involve for a child with asperger syndrome? We are strongly considering getting our 7 y.o. some type of therapy, but do not know where to start. Also, what can we do as parents to assist in treatment ...or perhaps any self-help strategies to use? Lastly, any tips that we can pass on to our son's teacher to help with this?" Treatment is geared toward improving communication, social skills, and behavior management. A treatment program may be adjusted often to be the most useful for your youngster. Take advantage of your youngster's strengths by encouraging him or her to explore interests at home and at school. Activity-oriented groups and focused counseling can also be helpful. Many kids with Aspergers (high-functioning autism) also have other coexisting conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, and depression. These conditions ca