My ASD Child

Frequently, the focus of specialized programs for children with Asperger's and High Functioning Autism (HFA) is on early childhood. Unfortunately, published research evaluating educational programs for older kids and teens on the autism spectrum is lacking. However, there is empirical support for the use of certain educational strategies for this older group of children, particularly those that are based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Such strategies should be employed across all age groups to generalize behaviors to new environments or situations, to increase and maintain desirable adaptive behaviors, to reduce interfering maladaptive behaviors (or narrow the conditions under which they occur), and to teach new skills. Middle School— When kids with Asperger’s and HFA move beyond preschool and early elementary programs, educational intervention should continue to involve adaptation of teaching strategies as necessary to enable these “special needs” children to acquire

“Are you familiar with the TEACCH method for helping younger students on the autism spectrum? How does it work, and can it really help these ‘special needs’ students?” Let's first look at the basic principles of TEACCH. They include the following: 1. physical structure refers to the child’s immediate surroundings; daily activities (e.g., playing and eating) work best when they are clearly defined by physical boundaries 2. having a consistent schedule is possible through various mediums (e.g., drawings and photographs) 3. the work system establishes expectations and activity measurements that promote independence (ideal work systems will communicate objectives with minimum written instructions) 4. routine is essential because the most important functional support for kids on the autism spectrum is consistency 5. visual structure involves visually-based cues for reminders and instruction The TEACCH method emphasizes structure and has come to be called “structured teac

“What are your thoughts on psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy for children with Asperger syndrome?” Focused and structured psychotherapy can be very helpful in treating children with Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism (HFA), particularly in the context of the following: anxiety family functioning frustration in regard to education and vocational goals  meltdowns negativism overwhelming experiences of sadness social adjustment Although little information about pharmacological interventions for children with Asperger’s and HFA is available, a conservative approach based on the evidence from autism should probably be adopted. In general, pharmacological interventions for kids on the spectrum are probably best avoided. Specific medication might be indicated if Asperger’s or HFA is accompanied by a thought disorder, severe obsessions and compulsions, or debilitating depressive symptoms. It is important for moms and dads to know that medications are prescribed fo

“What are the most important treatment strategies or program goals for treating younger children with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism?” Although treatment programs may differ in philosophy and emphasis on particular treatment strategies, they share many common goals. There is a growing consensus that important components of effective early childhood intervention for Asperger’s and HFA include the following: entry into treatment as soon as a diagnosis is “seriously considered” rather than deferring until a “definitive” diagnosis is made functional adaptive skills that prepare the youngster for increased responsibility and independence functional, spontaneous communication skills implementation of techniques to apply learned skills to new environments and situations (i.e., generalization) and to maintain functional use of these skills in the educational setting, low student-to-teacher ratio to allow sufficient amounts of one-on-one time and small-group instruction