My ASD Child

Parents and teachers who interact with kids and teens who have Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) often observe unusual sensory responses. For instance, these young people are often hypersensitive to certain visual stimuli (e.g., fluorescent lights) and certain sounds (e.g., echoing noises in a school gym). This sensitivity can cause agitation and behavior problems. Some children with AS and HFA have been reported to have a high tolerance for physical pain. In addition, kids on the spectrum commonly engage in self-stimulatory responses (e.g., obsessive object spinning, light filtering, etc.) and other unusual stereotyped patterns of behavior.    These behaviors are most often displayed when the youngster is under stress or when he experiences fatigue, sensory overload, etc. The sensory issues of kids and teens with AS and HFA appear similar to those with autism; however, their reactions to sensory issues seem more overt than those seen in children with autism.

 "We're trying not to use the same discipline methods with our autistic child (high functioning) that we use with the other two children, but we fall back into old habits and end up using traditional methods that usually backfire. Any suggestions?" Many kids and teenagers with Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) are prone to behavior problems, and on occasion, aggression. Even though frequently motivated to be near to – and to socially interact with – peers and grown-ups, young people with HFA are deficient in age-appropriate, reciprocal social interaction skills (e.g., those required to participate in cooperative play and related activities). A propensity for socially unacceptable behavior and insensitivity to – or unawareness of – verbal and nonverbal social cues makes these “special needs” kids vulnerable to displaying a variety of behavior problems. Accordingly, parents and teachers must provide appropriate instruction and supports for HFA children

Ronnie was a well-liked seventh-grader, despite his quirkiness. His classmates accepted him and were understanding of his Asperger’s diagnosis. One day Ronnie was talking with his classmates in the restroom before class when his friend Seth began cussing in anger about his C in Math. Ronnie picked up on the cussing and associated it with being mad. The bell rang and Ronnie went on to his next class. As he sat down, he realized that he left his social studies book in his locker. His teacher, Miss Sanders, would not let him go back to his locker, and immediately Ronnie got angry and began to swear. Miss Sanders sent Ronnie to the dean’s office, leaving Ronnie perplexed as to what he did wrong. He thought it was acceptable to cuss when he was angry about something. He didn’t understand the “hidden curriculum” – in this case, that what is acceptable around fellow classmates may not be acceptable around teachers. Children with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have di

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