My ASD Child

The teenage years are the most difficult time for young people with Aspergers (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). Most experts do a great job of presenting the problems these teens face, but they offer few solutions. Below are 50 tips for parents who want to help their "special needs" teenager survive and thrive during the tough adolescent years: 1. A regular bed time at a reasonable hour is more important than ever, if you can put/keep it in place. Regular routines of all kinds—familiar foods, rituals, vacations—are reassuring when the adolescent’s body, biochemistry, and social scene are changing so fast. 2. A regular bed time for the adolescent gives you time you can count on each evening for yourself and/or your spouse. If you can build in regular respite—such as a night your adolescent spends with a grandparent once a month—go for it, and plan ahead for some relaxation, fun, or culture. (Divorced moms and dads may be able to count on a little time al

Personal/Physical— • Being "in their own world" • Can engage in tasks (sometimes mundane ones) for hours and hours • Can spend hours in the library researching • Clumsiness • Collects things • Difficulty reading body language, facial expression and tone • Doesn't always recognize faces right away (even close loved ones) • Early in life they often have a speech impediment • Eccentric personality • Excellent rote memory • Flat, or blank expression much of the time • Highly gifted in one or more areas (e.g., math, music) • Idiosyncratic attachment to inanimate objects • Intense focus on one or two subjects • Likes and dislikes can be very rigid • Limited interests • Loves learning and information • May frequently repeat what you've just said • May have difficulty staying in college despite a high level of intelligence • Non-verbal communication problems • Preoccupied with their own agenda • Repetitive routines or rituals • Sensitivity to the textu

Children with Aspergers (high functioning autism) may have problems processing information from one or more of the following seven sensory systems: 1. auditory (hearing) 2. gustatory (taste) 3. olfactory (smell) 4. proprioception (movement) 5. tactile (touch) 6. vestibular (balance) 7. visual (sight) These processes take place at an unconscious level, and they work together to help attention and learning. Each system has specific receptors that pick up information that is relayed to the brain. The sensory characteristics of children with Aspergers can be responsible for many of their negative behaviors and unpleasant emotions. Reactions to sensory stimuli for typically developing children often become stress responses for those with Aspergers. Sensory System Impact on Children with Aspergers— 1. Auditory System – Hearing: While they have intact hearing abilities, kids with Aspergers may not efficiently or accurately interpret auditory information. They

You've got something to say to your child, or there is something you want him to do – or stop doing. But, as all children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's tend to do, he is fixated on a particular object or activity (e.g., television, computer, video game, etc.). But before your message can get through, you have to get his attention. Capturing your youngster's focus can be easier said than done, especially if it's already aimed at something else. Shouting sometimes seems like the only way to get him to listen, but it can also raise the emotional temperature in the room to the point where he is less able to attend (and if you shout a lot, he has probably learned to tune you out anyway). Fortunately, there are better ways to get your child’s attention. And you will want to have several strategies at your disposal to keep your approach fresh and “attention-getting.”  Here are 25 such strategies to add to your parenting toolbox: 1. "Can you