My ASD Child

Question I suspect that I have Aspergers. What course of action should I take - if any? Answer Because individuals with Aspergers are among the most high-functioning and able on the autistic spectrum, they are also the most likely to slip through the diagnostic net. Although many are diagnosed as kids, others reach adulthood either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The key to getting an accurate diagnosis is finding a professional who has experience diagnosing children, teens and adults with Aspergers (High-Functioning Autism). A clinician whose only experience is with "low-functioning" autism may not be as helpful. Here is a list of clinicians who have experience in diagnosing Aspergers. Grown-ups with Aspergers who seek help with challenges they face are sometimes misdiagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, or other mental illnesses. It is important that adults questioning whether or not they have Aspergers seek the services of a professional experienc

Below is a list of professionals (e.g., clinicians, counselors, medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.) who have stated that they are familiar with Aspergers (high-functioning autism) and are willing to evaluate children, teens and adults who have the disorder. If you are a professional who specializes in Aspergers and other autism spectrum disorders and want to get listed, send me an email [ mbhutten@gmail.com ] with your request to be listed on MyAspergersChild.com . Provide information regarding your credentials as well as your contact information. These Aspergers professionals are listed by the U.S. State they practice in and by their names in alphabetical order: ALABAMA ________________________________________ G. Michael Shehi, MD Mountain View Hospital 3001 Scenic Highway Gadsden, Alabama 35904 Phone: (256) 546-9265 ________________________________________ ARIZONA ________________________________________ G. Dean Bathel, LCSW, LISAC 5210 E Pi

Nocturnal enuresis (bed-wetting) is one of many issues Aspergers (AS) and High-Functioning Autistic (HFA) kids face. In comparison, it is likely a less important problem, but a problem nonetheless. Many of these young people have trouble with nocturnal enuresis, because they have difficulty in toilet training. Why the difficulty in toilet training? A number of factors are involved: Kids on the autism spectrum are not good at imitation, which makes the process of potty training more difficult. Some do not even feel the wetness of the bed, which can complicate the training methods to help them overcome nighttime bed-wetting. Many of these children are also hypotonic, which is a condition that includes a lax form of muscle control as well as a failure to respond or recognize stimuli (e.g., the need to urinate). By age 5, nocturnal enuresis remains a problem for about 15 percent of AS and HFA kids. Causes— No one knows for sure what causes nocturnal enuresis, but v

The diagnosis of social phobia in Aspergers and high-functioning autistic (HFA) kids emphasizes the following: A youngster with social phobia must show the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people, and his/her anxiety must occur in peer contexts, not just with grown-ups. Due to limitations of cognitive and perceptual skills, Aspergers and HFA kids with social phobia need not recognize that their fear in social situations is excessive or unreasonable. The anxiety brought on by social situations may be evidenced by crying, tantrums, meltdowns, freezing, shutdowns, or shrinking from social situations with unfamiliar people. There must be evidence of the social fears existing for a minimum of six months. Developmental Pathways to Social Phobia— 1. Genetic factors: Taken as a whole, studies using twins to determine whether genetics play a significant part in the development of social phobia are inconclusive. Some twin studies have examined the h