My ASD Child

The Aspergers CAST Test for kids is a test that will enable moms and dads to have a better sense of what the criteria for Aspergers looks like. For some of you, it will settle your nerves, for others, you will now have a better sense of what's going on with your youngster, enabling you to make appropriate choices with a better idea of where her/his challenges lay. Read the following questions carefully, and choose the appropriate answer: 1. Does he/she join in playing games with others easily? Y N 2. Does he/she come up to you spontaneously for a chat? Y N 3. Was he/she speaking by 2 years old? Y N 4. Does he/she enjoy sports? Y N 5. Is it important for him/her to fit in with a peer group? Y N 6. Does he/she appear to notice unusual details that others miss? Y N 7. Does he/she tend to take things literally? Y N 8. When he/she was 3 years old, did he/she spend a lot of time pretending (e.g., play-acting being a super

 RE: "What would be a good punishment for an Aspergers child who ignores the house rules?" First of all, let’s think in terms of discipline rather than punishment . Punishment is mostly about parents getting revenge. Discipline, on the other hand, is mostly about mentoring and providing direction. Moms and dads should consider the following steps when attempting to discipline a youngster with Aspergers or High Functioning Autism: 1. Clearly post rules and consequences. Kids with Aspergers thrive on clear rules, and therefore posting a list of unacceptable behaviors and their consequences can be immensely helpful. For younger kids who cannot read yet, the rules should be reviewed periodically, and the list could also have visual illustrations to demonstrate the bad behaviors and punishments associated. 2. Come to an agreement on disciplinary techniques. Moms and dads need to be in agreement when applying discipline to any youngster, but especially for kids w

Aspergers (AS) is a severe developmental disorder characterized by major difficulties in social interaction, and restricted and usual patterns of interest and behavior. There are many similarities with autism without mental retardation (or “Higher Functioning Autism”), and the issue of whether Aspergers and Higher Functioning Autism are different conditions is not resolved. To some extent, the answer to this question depends on the way clinicians and researcher make use of this diagnostic concept since until recently, there was no “official” definition of Aspergers. The lack of a consensual definition led to a great deal of confusion, as researchers could not interpret other researcher’s findings. Clinicians felt free to use the label based on their own interpretations or misinterpretations of what Aspergers “really” meant, and moms and dads were often faced with a diagnosis that nobody appeared to understand very well, and worse still, nobody appeared to know what to do abou

Question We are already making preparations for the upcoming school year. Can you give me information on working with the school IEP for my Aspergers son? Answer When you have a child with Aspergers (high-functioning autism), IEP negotiations are extremely important. As the parent, you hold a vital position on the IEP team and unfortunately, many moms and dads often feel undermined and in some cases, bullied into accepting the opinions and terms decided by the educational staff. Your input is not only important, but also necessary in the development of a well-rounded IEP for your youngster. In the days and weeks before your IEP meeting, there are several things you can do to make the experience more pleasant and the outcome more positive. This IEP is imperative to your son’s future. Here is a list of suggestions for IEP preparation: Know your son’s strengths and weaknesses so there are no big surprises during the IEP meeting. If you know your son’s abilit

Information— AHA/AS/PDD - Advocates for Individuals with High Functioning Autism, Asperger's Syndrome and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Corp ·          Asperger Syndrome Educational Network, Inc. (ASPEN) ·          Aspies e.V. - Menschen mit Asperger-Syndrom - German self-help organization of people with Asperger Syndrome ·          Autism Research Institute ·          Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities The Autism Connection - A non profit web site dedicated to providing information and resources about Autism to the community ·          Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support (O.A.S.I.S.) ·          Spectrum Connection - Your bi-state (KS & MO) resource for families living with autism ·          The Autism Source Special Ed Law— ·          COPAA: The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates ·          KAPS/Kansas Advocacy and Protective Services, Inc. Educational Resources— ·          Asperger's Syndrome: Useful Information for Te

Question My Aspergers son will not get off the computer when asked. How do I know if this “misbehavior” is Aspergers-related – or pure disobedience? Answer I don't think it matters in this case. Aspergers (high functioning autism) is a disorder, but not a license to do whatever you want to do. If he wants to get on the computer, then use a timer. Most often, when an Aspergers child is on the computer, the parent says, "You can stay on for 15 minutes,” but then the next day, the parent says, “You have to get off the computer in 5 minutes” …then the day after, “O.K., just 30 more minutes.” This is very inconsistent! The child knows that if it's your opinion of when it stops, he can use emotional blackmail to get you to change your mind. That's why you should get a timer and say, "O.K., you've got 15 minutes, and when the timer goes off, that's the end." You can get a computer program that you can load onto your computer, and every so o

Aspergers is a developmental disorder falling within the autistic spectrum affecting two-way social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and a reluctance to accept change, inflexibility of thought and to have all absorbing narrow areas of interest . Individuals are usually extremely good on rote memory skills (facts, figures, dates, times etc.) many excel in math and science. There is a range of severity of symptoms within the syndrome, the very mildly affected youngster often goes undiagnosed and may just appear odd or eccentric. While Aspergers is much more common than Autism it is still a rare condition and few individuals, including professionals, will know about it much less have experience of it. It seems to affect more boys than girls. In general terms they find making friends difficult, not understanding the subtle clues needed to do so. They often use language in a slightly odd way and take literal meanings from what is read or heard. They are happiest w