My ASD Child

Does your Aspergers (high functioning autistic) child or teen seem to have a change in mood as the seasons change? A form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD) appears and disappears at the same times each year. Aspergers children with SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER usually have symptoms of depression as winter approaches and daylight hours become shorter. When spring returns and the days become longer again, they experience relief from the symptoms and a return to a fairly normal mood and energy level. Signs and Symptoms— Like other forms of depression, the symptoms of SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER can be mild, severe, or anywhere in between. Milder symptoms minimally interfere with the child’s ability to participate in everyday activities, while more severe symptoms can interfere much more. The symptoms of SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER are the same as those of depression, but occur during a specific time of year. It's the se

Is your Aspergers (AS) or high functioning autistic (HFA) child "acting-out"?  If so, the behavioral problems may be symptomatic of a deeper issue... Digestive function is the key to physical and emotional health. If your youngster has gluten intolerance and/or autistic symptoms, chances are he has something called “leaky gut syndrome.” In a youngster with leaky gut, the stomach lining is more porous than it should be, allowing protein molecules to slip through the gut and enter the blood stream where it causes an autoimmune and behavioral response . The most common causes of leaky gut are parasites, low stomach acid, prolonged chronic antibiotic use and food additives and preservatives. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. AS and HFA kids with undiagnosed and untreated gluten intolerance commonly show these symptoms: 1. Difficulty in group games or sports: Your youngster may appear to be “cheating” on a board game or sport when, in fact, he c

Over 25% of public schools report that bullying among students occurs on a daily basis. Also, one in five middle school students with Aspergers (high-functioning autism) report being bullied in the past 3 months.   Click here for full article...