My ASD Child

“My 9 year old daughter was diagnosed with high functioning autism last year. She has major trouble wearing anything but shorts and very soft t-shirts on a daily basis. Is it wrong to force her to wear things that she doesn't like? I forced her to wear a dress for picture day at school earlier this year - and it was horrible. I don't know if I'm doing the wrong thing by forcing her.” I wouldn’t say it is “wrong.” Inconsiderate may be a better term. A common thread discussed by parents of children with High-Functioning Autism (HFA), or ASD level 1, is sensory issues. These children can have either Hyper- or Hypo-sensitivity. Some of them even express the sensory issues from birth. The sensory issues can be specific to one sense or across several senses. Oftentimes, these “special needs” children report that some – or most – of their clothes are “tickly.” They are often in the state of “red alert”. Many of the sensations that we take as meaningless, they view as a p

Articles in Alphabetical Order: 2016 16 Life-Saver Posts for Parents of Asperger's Chil... A Crash Course for Parents of Newly Diagnosed Aspe... Advantages & Disadvantages of Being Labeled "Autis... Anger-Control Techniques for Kids on the Autism Sp... Asperger’s Children and Medication Phobia Asperger’s Children and Problems with Impulsivity Asperger’s Kids and Problems with Disruption of Ro... Asperger’s Teens as Aggressors Asperger's and Narcissism Autistic Children and Their Abnormal Reaction to P... Behavioral Interventions for Children with Asperge... Behavioral, Emotional and Cognitive Traits of Kids... Children on the Autism Spectrum Who Wander Off Classroom and Homeschooling Strategies for Student... College Depression in Older Teens and Young Adults... COMMENTS & QUESTIONS [for April, 2016] COMMENTS & QUESTIONS [for Aug., 2016] COMMENTS & QUESTIONS [for D

Some youngsters with ASD level 1, or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), experience fear or panic when they think about going to school in the morning. These kids may tell their moms and dads that they feel nauseous or have a headache, or may exaggerate minor physical complaints as an excuse not to go to school. When the HFA youngster exhibits a developmentally inappropriate and excessive anxiety concerning separation from their home or from those to whom they are attached, they may be experiencing a Separation Anxiety Disorder. This disorder is characterized by the youngster exhibiting three or more of the following for a period of more than four weeks:  persistent and excessive worry about losing, or about possible harm befalling, major attachment figures persistent and excessive worry that a troublesome event will lead to separation from a major attachment figure (e.g., getting lost or being kidnapped) persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school or elsewhere because of fea