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A Crash Course for Parents of Newly Diagnosed Kids

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"Our child was just diagnosed with high functioning autism. We have blamed ourselves for many of his behavioral issues, but now see there was something else going on. So instead of viewing myself as a failed parent, I need to see my role as my son's advocate. What should I be looking for in the way of expected obstacles/challenges to address as they come up?" You just discovered that your child has High Functioning Autism (HFA). Welcome to Club! You probably didn’t want to be here. But, don’t get discouraged. No one signs up for this membership. Think of it like this: At least you know what the heck is going on now, which is 10 times better than parenting in the dark. Maybe up until this point, you blamed yourself for many of the emotional and behavioral issues your child experienced. You may have even viewed yourself as a “failure” or a “bad” parent because you couldn’t get your child to stop his negative attitude, tantrums and meltdowns. Well, let’s set the reco

Six Symptom Clusters of ASD [level 1] that May Warrant Medication

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"We have generally been against trying medication, even to treat the worst symptoms of our autistic child, but is there a point at which the advantages of some form of drug treatment outweigh the disadvantages?" To answer this question, we will need to look at six clusters of symptoms. They are a convenient way of talking about drug treatments for the common kinds of behaviors that hinder the lives of children and teens who have Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). These clusters are not comprehensive, but were chosen because they are common reasons to seek drug treatment for HFA: 1. Inflexibility and Behavioral Rigidity: Symptoms of inflexibility or behavioral rigidity are often difficult to quantify, and yet often introduce some of the most disruptive chronic behaviors exhibited by children with HFA. These can be manifest by minor differences in the environment (e.g., changes in location for certain activities), difficulties tolerating changes in rout

Myths of High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's

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ASD level 1, a higher functioning autism spectrum disorder, is very misunderstood by the general population. Here are 12 common myths regarding the condition and the children who have it... More resources for parents of children and teens with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's : ==>  How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's ==>  Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism ==>  Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==>  Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism ==>  Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Comprehensive Handbook ==>  Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book ==>  Highly Ef