My ASD Child

  Do you need some assistance in parenting your Aspergers or HFA child? Click here to use Mark Hutten, M.A. as your personal parent coach.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Mark: I tell you from time to time how much I appreciate these newsletters with Q & A's. Now is one of those times I must tell you from my heart, again, just how thankful I am I found you through an internet search and signed up and paid the low fee.  I have MORE than gotten my money's worth-just so grateful.  We have an only child, and no basis for comparison to other children's behavior, or what should be expected when, other than seeing our friends who have children around the same age who are not on the spectrum.  Anytime I have a question about my son's behavior, I either receive an answer, some directional guidance, or a reinforcement/reassurance that a decision we've made and enforced is one on the right track.   Just recently, our son's mainstream teacher, who is tea

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