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Talking To Aspergers and HFA Children About Puberty

"Our son with high-functioning autism (age 12) has never really had the 'official' discussion about what to expect in puberty. We may have waited too long at this point, but in any case, how can we approach this topic in a way that a person with his challenges can understand (he takes most things very literally by the way - and is a bit immature for his age)?" Click here for the answer...

Auditory Integration Training: Help for Sensory Problems

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Auditory Integration Training (AIT) was used in the early 1990s as a treatment for autism. It has also been promoted as a treatment for ADHD, depression, and a wide variety of other disorders. It typically involves 20 half-hour sessions over 10 days listening to specially filtered and modulated music. The American Academy of Pediatrics and three other professional organizations consider AIT to be an experimental procedure. AIT aims to address the sensory problems such as hearing distortions and hyperacusis (i.e., oversensitive hearing), which are said to cause discomfort and confusion in children suffering from learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders. These hypersensitivities are believed to interfere with a youngster’s attention, comprehension, and ability to learn. The training typically involves the youngster attending two 30-minute sessions per day, separated by a minimum of three hours, for ten consecutive working days. The youngster listens via headp

The "Virtual School" Option for Children on the Autism Spectrum

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"I spent two years fighting with our local public school system to get my son OT, SLP, and appropriate modifications and resource for his diagnosed disability. After so many meetings with county level Special Ed administrators who refused almost every resource until advocates were involved, we decided to quit fighting the school and just fight for our son. K12 is a public school and my son has an IEP and a case manager. We continue to have meetings with a committee that sign off on modifications. My son's case manager works with me to give me the support I need to make sure the modifications are appropriate and in my son's academic best interests. Before you shake your head at the crazy home school mom, understand that I am a certified teacher who taught in public school before becoming a mother. As a teacher I can tell you my son is receiving a great education that does not force him conform or endure ridicule for his differences. My question is, what is