My ASD Child

"I understand that social skills must be taught to children on the autism spectrum, but how can parents actually do this outside of a formal skills training course? Thanks in advance for your response!" The process of teaching social skills to children with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) involves a six-step plan: assessment of existing skills defining what skills will be taught (i.e., setting goals and objectives) planning how the skills will be taught (i.e., teaching strategies) implementing the teaching plan assessing child progress adapting the teaching strategy so that the child acquires the target skill Most social skills programs for kids with Aspergers and HFA fall into one of two theoretical frameworks: (1) behavioral and (2) developmental. 1. In a behavioral approach , the youngster’s behavior is evaluated according to (a) the presence of dysfunctional behavior (e.g., presence of abnormal behaviors, abnormal frequency of certain beh

Presented by parents, teachers, and professionals in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders, this video explains underlying differences in students on the spectrum and suggests strategies for increasing their success in school:  ==> Teaching Students with Aspergers and HFA: Course for Educators

“Are most children on the autism spectrum basically the same with respect to symptoms and level of functioning, or are there significant differences from one child to the next?” Active  -  Aloof  -  Passive Kids with Aspergers (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) demonstrate widely differing levels of skills and severity of symptoms. These children demonstrate impairments in relationships to peers, the use of nonverbal communicative behaviors within their social exchanges, the use of imitation, and symbolic or dramatic play. Social interactions are characterized by low rates of both initiation and response. This is most marked in interactions for the purpose of sharing experiences and establishing interpersonal connection. The use of nonverbal communication (e.g., gestures, emotional expressions) is affected in AS/HFA kids, both expressively and receptively. These children use fewer nonverbal gestures and a more limited range of facial expressions in their communications

The recent school shooting may have raised many questions for your Aspergers youngster. There are no easy answers about this kind of tragedy, but it is important for moms and dads to try to explain what has happened in order to help ease their youngster’s fears and anxieties about his personal safety. If your child will be around other kids or has access to media of any type, it’s important to discuss the shooting. It will be less frightening if she hears about it from you instead of from a classmate or reading about it on the Internet.  To guide you through difficult discussions about school violence, here are a few suggestions: 1. Be patient. Tragic news takes time for children to process. They may express their confusion and fear in unexpected ways. Be there with lots of extra, love, support and reassurance. 2. Create a safety plan with your Aspergers youngster. Help identify which grown-ups (e.g., teacher, school counselor, coach, etc.) your youngster can talk to if he