My ASD Child

One very common problem for young people with Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism is difficulty adjusting to new situations. Most of them have difficulty adjusting to a new environment, new homes, different teachers at school, or any other major changes in their daily routines. Even new clothes or changes in their favorite food or drink can cause frustration and emotional outbursts. They rigidly stick to old habits, and their rigidity often results in obsessive and/or compulsive thoughts and behaviors. While there are many reasons these kids resist change, most of these reasons have a common source: FEAR. Click here for the full article...

"As a teacher in Middle School, I need some suggestions regarding how to help my special needs student to transition from one activity to the next without having anxiety and resultant tantrums." All students must change from one activity or setting to another throughout the school day. Transitions naturally occur frequently and require children to stop an activity or move from one location to another, and begin something new. Students with Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) often have greater difficulty in shifting attention from one task to another. This is due to a greater need for predictability, challenges in understanding what activity will be coming next, or difficulty when immersion in a favorite activity is disrupted. Several supports to assist students on the autism spectrum have been designed both to prepare them before the transition will occur, and to support them during the transition. When transition techniques are used, these “speci

Most kids on the autism spectrum will experience meltdowns. Parents often find it hard to tell  meltdowns and tantrums apart, but they are different problems. Meltdowns can be difficult and scary for kids with Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism, as well as to their parents and siblings. However, with just a few critical changes, the household can move past such episodes fairly easily. The affected child will feel more in control of his or her feelings/reactions and will, hopefully, come to trust that help will always be there. ==> Here are a few simple strategies that parents and teachers can use to lessen the intensity and frequency of autism-related meltdowns ...