Aspergers in Girls

How the symptoms of Aspergers affect girls differently than boys: 

What is the Best Treatment for High-Functioning Autism?

“What kind of treatment has had the best outcome for children with autism - high functioning? I’m new to the world of Autism Spectrum Disorders, and I want the best for my child.”

The type of treatment that will have the best outcome varies from child to child depending on his or her symptoms and level of functioning. The most important factor is early intervention. Research shows that early intervention treatment can greatly improve a youngster’s development. Early intervention services help kids from birth to 3-years-old learn important skills.  Services include therapy to help the youngster talk, walk, and interact with others.  Therefore, it is important for parents to talk to their youngster’s doctor as soon as possible if they think their son or daughter has Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism (HFA).

Even if the youngster has not been diagnosed with the disorder, he or she may be eligible for early intervention treatment services. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that kids under the age of 36 months who are at risk of having developmental delays may be eligible for services. These services are provided through an early intervention system in your state. Through this system, you can ask for an evaluation.

In addition, treatment for particular symptoms (e.g., speech therapy for language delays) often does not need to wait for a formal diagnosis. While early intervention is extremely important, intervention at any age can be helpful.

There are many different types of treatments available:

• anti-yeast therapy
• auditory training
• discrete trial training
• facilitated communication
• music therapy
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• sensory integration therapy
• vitamin therapy

The different types of treatments can generally be broken down into the following categories:

• Medication
• Dietary Approaches 
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Behavior and Communication Approaches

==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's

According to reports by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Research Council, behavior and communication approaches that help kids with ASD are those that provide structure, direction, and organization for the youngster in addition to family participation.

A notable treatment approach for children on the autism spectrum is called applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABA has become widely accepted among doctors and used in many schools and treatment clinics. ABA encourages positive behaviors and discourages negative behaviors in order to improve a variety of skills.  The youngster’s progress is tracked and measured.

There are different types of ABA.  Following are some examples:

1. Verbal Behavior Intervention (VBI): VBI is a type of ABA that focuses on teaching verbal skills.

2. Pivotal Response Training (PRT): PRT aims to increase a youngster’s motivation to learn, monitor his own behavior, and initiate communication with others. Positive changes in these behaviors should have widespread effects on other behaviors.

3. Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI): This is a type of ABA for very young kids with HFA, usually younger than five, and often younger than three.

4. Discrete Trial Training (DTT): DTT is a style of teaching that uses a series of trials to teach each step of a desired behavior or response. Lessons are broken down into their simplest parts and positive reinforcement is used to reward correct answers and behaviors.  Incorrect answers are ignored.

==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism

Other therapies that can be part of a complete treatment program for a youngster with HFA and Aspergers include:

1. Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Kids (TEACCH): TEAACH uses visual cues to teach skills. For example, picture cards can help teach a youngster how to get dressed by breaking information down into small steps.

2. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): PECS uses picture symbols to teach communication skills. The person is taught to use picture symbols to ask and answer questions and have a conversation.

3. Speech Therapy: Speech therapy helps to improve the person’s communication skills.  Some children are able to learn verbal communication skills.  For others, using gestures or picture boards is more realistic.

4. Sensory Integration Therapy: Sensory integration therapy helps the person deal with sensory information, like sights, sounds, and smells. Sensory integration therapy could help a youngster who is bothered by certain sounds or does not like to be touched.

5. Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy teaches skills that help the person live as independently as possible.  Skills might include dressing, eating, bathing, and relating to children.

6. Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-Based Approach (DIR; also called "Floortime"): Floortime focuses on emotional and relational development (feelings, relationships with caregivers). It also focuses on how the youngster deals with sights, sounds, and smells.

==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism
 

Some dietary treatments have been developed by reliable therapists.  But many of these treatments do not have the scientific support needed for widespread recommendation. An unproven treatment might help one youngster, but may not help another.

Many biomedical interventions call for changes in diet. Such changes include removing certain types of foods from a youngster’s diet and using vitamin or mineral supplements. Dietary treatments are based on the idea that food allergies or lack of vitamins and minerals cause symptoms of HFA and Aspergers.  Some moms and dads feel that dietary changes make a difference in how their youngster acts or feels.

If you are thinking about changing your youngster’s diet, talk to the doctor first. Or talk with a nutritionist to be sure your youngster is getting important vitamins and minerals.

Although there are no medications that can cure Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism - or treat the core symptoms, there are some that can help children with the disorder to function better (e.g., help managing high energy levels, inability to focus, depression, seizures, etc.). Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of risperidone and aripiprazole (antipsychotic drugs) to treat kids on the spectrum who experience severe tantrums, aggression, and self-injurious behaviors.

Medications might not affect all kids in the same way. It is important to work with a doctor who has experience in treating kids with HFA and Aspergers. Moms and dads and doctors must closely monitor a youngster's progress and reactions while he or she is taking a medication to be sure that any negative side effects of the treatment do not outweigh the benefits.

==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Comprehensive Handbook

It is also important to remember that kids on the spectrum can get sick or injured just like kids without the disorder. Regular medical and dental exams should be part of a youngster’s treatment plan. Often it is hard to tell if a youngster’s behavior is related to the disorder or is caused by a separate health condition. For example, head-banging could be a symptom of the HFA, or it could be a sign that the youngster is having headaches. In those cases, a thorough physical exam is needed. Monitoring healthy development includes paying attention to symptoms related to the disorder as well as the youngster’s physical and mental health.

To relieve the symptoms of HFA and Aspergers, some moms and dads and doctors use treatments that are outside of what is typically recommended by the doctor. These types of treatments are known as complementary and alternative treatments (CAM). They might include special diets, chelation (i.e., a treatment to remove heavy metals like lead from the body), biologicals (e.g., secretin), or body-based systems (e.g., deep pressure). These types of treatments are very controversial. Current research shows that as many as one third of moms and dads with autistic kids may have tried complementary or alternative medicine treatments, and up to 10% may be using a potentially dangerous treatment. Before starting such a treatment, check it out carefully, and talk to your youngster’s doctor.

More resources for parents of children and teens with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's:
 
==> Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance

==> Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book

==> Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

==> Parenting System that Reduces Problematic Behavior in Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

Caring For Your Aspergers Child Throughout The Lifespan

"I’m feeling very weighed down right now because my son was just diagnosed with Asperger’s, and I’m a single mom with two other children. What can I do to help my son now – and as he grows older?"

After a youngster is diagnosed with Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism, the parent may feel unprepared or unable to provide the youngster with the necessary care and education. Know that there are many treatment options, social services and programs, and other resources that can help.



Some tips that can help you and your son are:

• Contact your local health department or autism advocacy groups to learn about the special programs available in your state and local community.
• Keep a record of conversations, meetings with health care providers and educators, and other sources of information. This will help you remember the different treatment options and decide which would help your youngster most.
• Keep a record of the doctors' reports and your youngster's evaluation. This information may help your youngster qualify for special programs.
• Talk with your youngster's doctor, school system, or autism support groups to find an autism expert in your area who can help you develop an intervention plan and find other local resources.

Understanding Adolescents with Aspergers—

The adolescent years can be a time of stress and confusion for any growing youngster, including adolescents with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism.

During the adolescent years, young people become more aware of others and their relationships with them. While most adolescents are concerned with acne, popularity, grades, and dates, adolescents with Aspergers may become painfully aware that they are different from their friends. For some, this awareness may encourage them to learn new behaviors and try to improve their social skills. For others, hurt feelings and problems connecting with others may lead to depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders.

One way that some adolescents with Aspergers may express the tension and confusion that can occur during adolescence is through increased autistic or aggressive behavior. Teenagers with Aspergers will also need support to help them understand the physical changes and sexual maturation they experience during adolescence.

If your adolescent seems to have trouble coping, talk with his doctor about possible co-occurring mental disorders and what you can do. Behavioral therapies and medications often help.

Preparing for Transition to Adulthood—

The public schools' responsibility for providing services ends when a youngster with Aspergers reaches the age of 22. At that time, some families may struggle to find jobs to match their adult son’s or daughter’s needs. If your family cannot continue caring for an adult child at home, you may need to look for other living arrangements.

Long before your youngster finishes school, you should search for the best programs and facilities for young people with Aspergers. If you know other moms and dads of adults with Aspergers, ask them about the services available in your community. Local support and advocacy groups may be able to help you find programs and services that your youngster is eligible to receive as an adult.

Another important part of this transition is teaching young people with Aspergers to self-advocate (i.e., that they start to take on more responsibility for their education, employment, health care, and living arrangements). Grown-ups with Aspergers must self-advocate for their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act at work, in higher education, in the community, and elsewhere.

Living Arrangements for Aspergers Adults—

There are many options for grown-ups living with Aspergers. Helping your son or daughter choose the right one will largely depend on what is available in your state and local community, as well as his/her skills and symptoms. Below are some examples of living arrangements you may want to consider:

1. Some individuals with special needs may choose to live in group homes or apartments staffed by professionals who help with basic needs. These needs often include meal preparation, housekeeping, and personal care. Individuals who are more independent may be able to live in a home or apartment where staff only visits a few times a week. Such residents generally prepare their own meals, go to work, and conduct other daily activities on their own.

2. Some families open their homes to provide long-term care to grown-ups with special needs who are not related to them. If the home teaches self-care and housekeeping skills and arranges leisure activities, it is called a "skill-development" home.

3. Long-term care facilities are available for those with low-functioning Autism who need intensive, constant supervision.

4. Government funds are available for families who choose to have their son or daughter with Aspergers live at home. These programs include Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, and Medicaid waivers. Information about these programs and others is available from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Make an appointment with your local SSA office to find out which programs would be right for your “Aspie.”

5. Most grown-ups with Aspergers are able to live on their own. Others can live in their own home or apartment if they get help dealing with major issues (e.g., managing personal finances, obtaining necessary health care, interacting with government or social service agencies, etc.). Family members, professional agencies, or other types of providers can offer this assistance.

==> The Aspergers Comprehensive Handbook