COMMENTS & QUESTIONS [for May, 2017]

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.

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Hi Mark, all the way from little old New Zealand.. We have just recently come across your online support group and so many things ring true to what we are going through at the moment with our Miss 14 ( we've been in a living nightmare for the last year and a half )
And no light at the end if the tunnel. we have almost given up.  I get called a f***ing whore, s**t, b**ch on a daily basis, get food thrown over me, over walls, floors etc telling me how disgusting the food  I make is. That stuff is only the start of it.   She has currently decided that we, her parents, are the worst people in the world and has run away to stay with her also 14 year old boyfriend and his family.  We have told her we love her, but this time it is her choice to make. She either wants to be here, or she doesn't.  That this time, we won't stop her, no police etc, and that she can come home when she is ready.  As long as she's ready to to start making a change and also making an effort. It's been almost 2 weeks.

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Basically, my son is non-violent, very lovely, smiley, very well-behaved [loves to co-operate & collaborate] & we can see how he tries hard to be calm & open to correction. All the adults invariably love him for his behaviour & purity of thought. Even his carer said she absolutely loves him & he won role model of the year because he is caring, kind & self-controlled from intensive 1 on 1 training. Yet, he has no social skills & always tell the truth 100% of the time however tactless.

I find coaching him social skills very difficult as he's only an enthusiastic listener at his own familiar home. Outside of what is thoroughly familiar like being comfortable at home & with adults, he days dreams & fails to listen when youngsters talk about anything that is not within his sphere of obsessive interest - he zones out... another world. This zone-out inability to listen to a turn-taking conversation frustratingly for all but himself happens almost all the time. If you play/talk snooker/music with him, he would take turns, easily, no problem. He would not zone out but how many youths love snooker as obsessively or plays as much music as he does? None. He has not met any. Not even one - his age.

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We are looking for a therapist for our son to also help him as we go through the process. We live in Alpharetta GA in case you know of anyone. We have a very high functioning son and somehow we have forgotten in the process that he has Aspergers. He is now 16 and after two years of fighting with him, we are just now realizing that while he has grown so much,  he still has areas that we need to focus. I feel terribly that we did not realize this before.

He is in a college prep program and really doing extremely well, but here is my question. The environment he in at 16 is stressful, he is making friends and doing well in classes. But home life is full of melt downs and challenges. He hides out in his room and will not talk to us about any issues or conversations so we cannot help him. He truly dislikes being told he is different and hates it when we tell him he has any social or emotional challenges. Do we continue to push him to understand his limitations  - so he understands he still needs to partner with us? He doesn’t want to be considered different and thinks that HFA means he is not smart or able. I have not been able to change this perception for him at all. Thoughts? Advice?

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Hello Mark,

I am a single mom with a 15 years old son.  I had triplets which are 22 all scholar and athletic. I home school them for several years and had never had an issue.  My  younger son on the other hand always been an issue with school, social and activities.  He was diagnose with ADHD at 9 years old.  I have been able to help him with school until this year.  He just started high school and struggle to get a "d" he is failing 9th grade.  I am getting lots of pressure from
My ex and the other children. They are telling me I am too soft not disciplinary enough.  I see my son with so
Much anxiety that I don't want to add to it.  I don't know what else to do with him.  We had several session with a counselor and she mention to have him
Tested for asperger.  I have to wait until August for insurance to pay for it but when I read the symptom, He has at least 75% of it.  So now I do see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I thought I was going crazy for a while. He doesn't do  anything that I tell him. He doesn't want any of my help.  I just need a little direction since this is new to me.  I will buy your audio book tonight.  If you have any other advise, it would be awesome.

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My friend teen daughter is way out of control.  Besides trying blackmail to get what she want now she is cutting and uses the excuse that she is being abused at home.. I know that she is not being abused. Example last week she came home drunk after her curfew.  Her mother scolded her for drinking so she went to her room and cut her wrists if her mother had not heard her fall to the floor she would have bleed to death.  When the police questioned her she told them that she was being abused now the mother faces losing not only one child but her youngest daughter also.  The teen refuses to go to any consoling.   It appears that the police only believe the teen on what is going on.  I have even talked to them and they do not seem to listen to anyone but the teen.

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Dear Mark:
I have been following your website for months now hoping that someone would ask about helping their child through retirement. My wife and I are "late in life" parents to a beautiful 12 year old aspie daughter. My wife is a teacher and I a hospital chaplain. Our daughter has, according to her specialist, abilities with communication, empathy, compassion and the arts that are not often seen. She still struggles socially but is better than most.

My wife within the last week has been told by a neurosurgeon that she must have a complex cervical fusion surgery that will likely impact her voice and so he recommends retirement due to that and the recovery time necessary. She has decided to retire early to give herself the best chance at a good recovery. However, our daughter is transitioning from the private elementary school across town to the middle school where my wife used to teach and she expects that her mother is going to be there next year.

Question - how do you tell a pre-teen aspie that the dream that they have had is now not going to happen and that it is nobody's fault? My daughter has never been the type to be ultra angry or violent but I can see that this is going to be a real difficult situation for all of us with a possibility of huge fall out. what are your suggestions?

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Once again I am reaching out to a discrete group of clinicians with experience in evaluating or treating young men with ASD who were charged criminally for engaging in inappropriate  behavior, typically online viewing of child pornography. I am a criminal defense lawyer.  Over the past decade, I have become increasingly involved, directly or indirectly, in defending these young men.   

 I need to get the benefit of collective experiences on a question, hopefully in a way that only puts a small burden on you, but which may provide enormous help to a present clients.  I am only asking around in the belief that it may be possible to provide what I need without spending a great deal of time. 

I am currently working on a cases initially involving a young men with ASD who was arrested for  viewing child pornography.  However when being interrogated he volunteered that several years earlier he had touched a much younger niece under her underwear.  That is difficult enough to deal with.  But see what happened at the time and how it affected the cop: 

During this interview as he would recall the specific details he would smile uncontrollably and giggle. It was only during the time he was talking about the actual sexual assaults of the child. It was actually disturbing even to me as he went over the two assaults. What was disturbing specifically was the smile and laughter, the apparent satisfaction while in the moment of the assault. It was clear that he was reliving the moment and it was bringing him satisfaction while explaining it to me . . . He said ‘even going over what I’ve done I don’t consider myself what the TV calls sexual predators. I’m not going after kids.’ I then said ‘yeah you’re not ripping kids out of your neighborhood and tying them up in your basement.’ When I said that he got really excited and giggled with a huge smile from ear to ear and said ‘no.’ This actually was so disturbing to me that I had to move my chair away from him and stand up. . .  .  I then asked him what would prevent him from touching any other children in the future, he just again smiled and giggled . . . At this point I confronted him and told him that it was disturbing to me that he giggled and appeared excited when we were talking about assaulting little girls. He agreed that he could ‘see how it would be disturbing.’ I then explained that it was disturbing and scary to me that when I talked about touching other little girls that he was smiling and giggling, clearly excited. He responded ‘yeah that’s bad.’”   

This is a perfect and catastrophic example of misinterpreting someone with ASD because of their inappropriate facial expressions. Of course the clinical and family history confirms that smirking, etc. is the way he reacts under stress or when being criticized, a very common experience. However, if not explained to the satisfaction of the prosecutor and judge, I see no chance of avoiding a criminal conviction and sex offender registration and substantial jail time. 

I would like to provide as many examples as I can this kind of misunderstanding.  So I am looking for examples in literature, or from clinical practices of individuals who have had similar problems, especially with the police,  that I can use as examples.  And whatever useful information I get I will try to make it available to other defense lawyers seeking to help the same population. 

As you can see from the attached, I am relying on fairly general stuff, in literature and individual reports from individuals on web sites like Wrong Planet.  I need something more.  Any technical additions or references you can think of for me to add, I would appreciate greatly. 

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My 10 year old daughter was abused in fostercare before i adopted her. I have had her most of her life but by age 5 her behavior was more than tipical 5 year old behavior. By age 10 she was diagnosed as having RAD. She is having trouble at home, school and any place that she is not allowed to be totally in control. Is there help for her to ever be able to cope with the rules of living in the real world? Since there is no medicine that will help her the psychiatrist discharged her and in her DC comment she let me know there is alternate housing when and if it becomes more than i can handle.  
I'm not looking for an alternative I'm  looking for perminant help for my child.

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Dear Mark,
              I have sought out help throughout the web and you seem to be the only one that can offer me advice. For that i am thankful. My 15 year old son seems to think that his physical motions upon me is the only manner inwhich he can gain control of me. Recently, he picked up a pair of scissors and began marking up my wife's dresser. I asked him to stop but he refused to do so. I then took his hands and raised them. Upon doing so, he managed to strike me with the scissors in his hand to my right eye. I went to emergency and was taken care of. Afterwards, he muttered death threats against me. I am 57 and i was raised properly. I have always leaned on what was right. I now know that my son smokes pot. Weather or not he has done other drugs i am uncertain. We currently have CAS involved but they do not help me despite me asking. I also have called the police yet again, without assistance. How or where do i proceed?

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Good morning. I am now re-reading your ebook as my marriage has hit a downswing again. My husband and I have tried therapy in the past and it was a complete nightmare, and then for several years he refused to go. When our one son (he is 5 now) became diagnosed with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and Sensory Processing, it became very clear to me that my husband is also likely on the spectrum. Additionally, my husband's ex-wife who is still close to our family (mainly through our children and sharing blended family holidays) sent me an article a few years ago on living with a partner with Aspergers and told me that her marriage to my husband now makes perfect sense to her. After reading that article and literature afterward that I so closely identified with, it was as if I could have written the article myself. Anyway, back in July of 2016 after threatening to separate from my husband and actually meaning it, my husband agreed to go back to a therapist with me to work on our communication issues (is as if we speak completely different languages and live on different planets). I brought up autism spectrum to my husband as possible reasoning for our communication difficulties and my opinion of this was not taken well at all, so I put that to rest as long as we were still progressing toward getting some professional help with or without a diagnosis. I did however chose a marriage and family therapist that was on my son's treatment recommendation list hoping he might be better equipped to bridge communication difficulties of couples both on and off spectrum better than a traditional therapist. The therapist is a Gottman therapist (John Gottman Model). So far we have made quite a bit of progress in how we communicate and relate to one another (going every two weeks or so) and have read the major Gottman text, but even still we get into cycles of arguments where the downswings are almost unbearable. I love my husband and don't want to separate, but we also need to be able to apply the tools we have been given consistently to maintain more peace in our home than not and have an emotionally stable environment for ourselves and our kids. When I am asked to share my feelings by him and do, my feelings are met with much resistance and I'm accused of criticizing him and trying to hurt him. He will act like he cares and shows concern until I tel him my actual feelings and then he gets angry and tells me that he is unaffected by me and what I think of him and tells me he doesn't feel empathy for me. I do not understand my husband. We were high school sweethearts too (didn't understand him then and don't now either). I find myself getting very offended by my husband and how he talks to me (or doesn't speak to me) and I don't want to be offended and anxious so much of the time, but I just am. 

So, my questions to you are- 1.) in your professional opinion as a therapist and expert on couples on and off spectrum- Can couples make substantial progress without a diagnosis because it is not likely my husband will ever be professionally diagnosed, as "I am the one with the problem that needs to change, not him." He seems to think that being labeled with ASD is some sort of character flaw that he couldn't bear and I'm awful and abusive to even mention it as a possibility. I willingly go to my psychiatrist for my ADHD meds and go to my own personal therapist as needed or in times of situational crisis. He is perfectly supportive of my son's diagnosis, but even mentioning a possible diagnosis for him appears to be out of the question. So, I want to know if we are wasting our time in therapy without a diagnosis? Please, please, please advise. Thank you so much.

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Hello Mark
Do you have suggestions for helping parents in the launching process of  a 36 yo individual dx with Asperger’s who has a team around him of professional supports but he refuses to share information with the parents.  The parents see the same behavior in the home and wonders why he is not working and not moving out?  He appears capable but complains of anxiety and says he is getting support for 15 years?  How can the parent differentiate between narcissim, entitlement, or ordinary fears of adulating  -- between the challenges of Asperger’s? They are frustrated acting on their own without being kept in the loop.  They have fears if they ask their son to leave the family home they may find him lying in the streets.  I can’t imagine why they would leave the parents out of the loop of care plan, unless the son is  happily living the life he has chosen without having to take the responsibility of moving forward.
We recently attended a conference with Temple Grandin and other then saying “tell him to go work”, I didn’t find her suggestions very helpful.  This is a more complex question.   The parents often encourage him to go get work work and have found him many jobs but he says the jobs are just too stressful.  They feel unsafe or fearful for him when they consider pushing him.  They don’t know enough about his experiences to make a rational decision towards launching.  Nor do they have support.  Unfortunately, there is no support for parents here for adults dx with Asperger’s.   Just thought you might have some suggestions.

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My brother, a minister, and his wife adopted a baby 13 years ago
Joshua's mother was on drugs and drank
He was born 3 months premature and no one knew what could happen

He has Asbergers
Is very smart with electronics
Reads well but has no comprehension skills

He doesn't listen well to his parents
He explodes and has no control
He has no social skills

My sister-in-law has been taking him to Massachusetts to an organization that works with brain waves ... it is costly and I have not seen much progress

Can he have a normal life
He has been home schooled along with going to christian schools but neither has been too helpful - he doesn't listen to his mother and gets frustrated at school which makes him explode at home

My brother doesn't make a lot of money
my sister-in-law won't send Joshua to a public school in Bethlehem as they live in the inner city ... therefore he has not been getting much interaction with other kids or school

Are there public schools that can be helpful and how do you find them

Do you know anything about organizations that say they can help readjust the brain through various lessons ... if might be something for the future but now I think it is just taking money from parents who are desperate

I worry that Joshua will get worse as he gets older and though he has a loving family, he doesn't respond well ... he knows he is adopted and wishes a rich family had adopted him

I wish there was something that can help these kids ... more so with the anger issues

I don't know if you have any suggestions, but anything you say would be appreciated.


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Hi Mark:
I am actually not a parent!  I am a defense attorney representing a client in federal court with documented diagnoses of Aspergers and PTSD, and I turned to your resource manual for some insight.  My client definitely demonstrates the Weak Central Coherence and Executive Dysfunction you describe.  And the problem for him is that his probation officer and federal judge ascribe a level of malice and criminality to his thinking that I believe is far better explained by aspects of his Aspergers, which were never really addressed at home by his mother, who falls squarely into your “Indulgent” category of parenting.

I can see how my client drives the court and probation department crazy.  But I fear they are simply locked in an unnecessary and punitive power struggle with him, instead of being willing to tailor his conditions of probation to his disorder.

I would really love to chat with you informally about this, just so I can incorporate some of these concepts into the presentation of my client’s case at his probation revocation hearing, which is coming up.  If there is a time when you could schedule a 20 min. call that would be terrific.

Thanks for your work in this area.  You are, no doubt, preventing more youngsters with spectrum disorders from entering into the criminal justice system.
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We have a very difficult teen, I have some areas to improve and now understand why some things I do are working.
My husband who works away is going to read this and hopefully be consistent in applying this as well.

This is one of our problems we parent different. Mike disaplines  in anger but hopefully we can work together now and be consistent to bring change.

My big question is.
The three areas my
Son has his down falls in is
1. Speaking disrespectly to other kids and other adults.
2. Lying and being so convincing it hard to find the truth ( some times he is very honest and other times very dishonest)
3. Eats junk food and lying he is only having a bit when it's more ( so lying)

I have trying many things but find it hard when I don't have solid evident he is lying.

What and what do I deal with first 
The disrespect or the lying.

He is on the brink of getting kick out the only school I think he could cope with and being a single parent 7 months of the year ( husband works away)
I don't think I could handle homeschooling him
Again. 

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By

Autistic Kids Who Hate To Be Hugged

“I have two sons. The older son (age 9) is very loving and always has been. Lots of hugs and snuggles. Very verbal and social. Well here comes son #2 (age 4) who has high functioning autism. Not a word. He doesn't like hugs or kisses. Anytime I ask for one, he runs away. Anytime I give him a hug, he struggles to get loose. His main method of communication is an irritating SCREAM. He does have his moments of being affectionate, but they are few and far between (usually when he is not feeling well). Of course I love both of my kids, but it saddens me that son #2 just doesn't seem to reciprocate most of the time. Anyone else have a fiercely independent child that you just have to learn to love.... differently?”

First of all, you’re not alone. This is a common issue. Most youngsters with asD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism have a lot of difficulty learning to engage in the give-and-take of everyday human interaction. Even in the first few months of life, many do not interact or make eye contact. They seem indifferent to others, and often prefer being alone. They may even resist parental attention, hugs and cuddling – and seldom seek comfort or respond to a parent’s displays of affection.



Even though a youngster with ASD is attached to his mom and dad, his expression of this attachment is unusual and difficult to “read.” To caretakers, it may seem as if their youngster is not attached at all. A mother or father who has looked forward to the joys of cuddling and playing with their youngster may feel disappointed by this lack of the expected and typical attachment behavior.

Youngsters with autism also are slower in learning to interpret what others are thinking and feeling. Subtle social cues (e.g., a smile, wink, or grimace) may have little meaning. For example, to the youngster who misses these cues, “come here” always means the same thing, whether the parent is smiling and extending her arms for a hug, or frowning and planting her fists on her hips.

Without the ability to interpret gestures and facial expressions, the social world is confusing. To make a bad problem worse, the autistic child has difficulty seeing things from another person's perspective. “Typical” kids understand that other people have different thoughts, feelings, and goals than they have. However, the autistic child lacks such understanding. This inability leaves him unable to predict or understand other people’s actions.

Although not universal, it is common for children on the autism spectrum to have difficulty regulating their feelings. This can take the form of “immature” behavior (e.g., verbal outbursts that seem inappropriate to those around them). These kids may also be disorderly and physically aggressive at times, making social relationships even more problematic. 
 
They have a tendency to “lose control,” particularly when they're in a strange or overwhelming environment, or when angry and frustrated. They may at times break things, attack others, or hurt themselves (e.g., bang their heads, pull their hair, bite their arms, etc.).

Consistency and repetition are crucial to kids on the autism spectrum, and this applies to the “lack of displayed affection” issue as well. Trying to figure out a puzzling disorder like autism can be a lifelong challenge. For many moms and dads, the affection issue may be the biggest obstacle to overcome. But, with patience and learning to go by your youngster’s cues and not your own, you will be able to connect with your son in a deep and meaningful way.




 
Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:
 

==> Videos for Parents of Children and Teens with ASD
 
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By

Disciplinary & Intervention Guidelines for Parents of High-Functioning Autistic Kids

“My 8 y.o. son has autism (high-functioning) and is constantly disrespectful, talks back, is stubborn. He thinks that we (parents) are 'being mean' to him. We have tried reward charts, try to be encouraging and positive, have taken away computer and TV, removing the thing he is playing with, setting him in a corner, doing extra chores, and NOTHING works. We are just so discouraged because nothing seems to be getting through. We have read dozens of books and seemingly tried everything. Please help. I am going insane!”

Traditional disciplinary techniques often fail to produce the desired results for kids with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger’s (AS), mainly because these “special needs” children are unable to appreciate the consequences of their actions. Consequently, punitive measures are apt to exacerbate the type of behavior the punishment is intended to reduce.

Disciplining young people displaying autism-related behaviors will require an approach that is somewhat unique to that of “typical” children. Finding the balance between understanding the needs of the HFA or AS youngster, and the disciplinary strategy that is age-appropriate and situationally-necessary will be achievable when applying some of the strategies listed below. These strategies can be implemented at home, school, and in other public settings.

==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's


Crucial disciplinary guidelines for parents [and teachers]:

1. A short list of rules – along with a visual depiction of each rule – should become your youngster's property, and depending upon the situation, should be kept in his pocket for ready reference.

2. Active ignoring is a good consequence for misbehavior meant to get your attention. This means not rewarding “bad behavior” with your attention – even if it's negative attention (e.g., scolding or yelling).



3. After disciplining your youngster for doing something wrong, always offer a “substitute behavior” (e.g., if she is hitting you to get your attention, work on replacing that with getting your attention by tapping your shoulder).

4. Before you transition from one activity to another, or approach a situation where behavior may deteriorate, discuss with your youngster what will happen, review the family rules, and remind him of the consequences (both good and bad) of any misbehavior. This information may need to be broken down into a few simple instructions and repeated often.

5. Change (not “lower”) your standards. With an HFA or AS youngster, parents need to learn to live in the present moment. The milestones of your youngster’s life are less defined, and the future less predictable (though your youngster may surprise you). In the meantime, set the standards for your youngster at an appropriate level.

6. Children with HFA and AS tend to enjoy being isolated, because it is less stressful for them and they do not have to socialize with others. Therefore, time-outs can actually be a positive experience unless modified slightly. Removing kids from something fun is a better alternative. For example, if the youngster loves to play games on his iPad, the iPad can go in a time-out area – for a period of 15 minutes at most, otherwise the child will feel as though he has lost the privilege for an eternity and will act-out accordingly.

7. Create a list of behaviors your youngster CAN’T control due to his disorder. The list may include items such as repetitive behaviors, poor peer relations or lack of social skills, being easily distracted, sensory sensitivities, obsessive/compulsive tendencies, meltdowns, etc. These are the behaviors that your child should NEVER be punished for. Your youngster will require help and guidance to overcome these issues.

8. Don’t assume your youngster will automatically transfer and apply information previously learned in one environment to a new situation that, in your mind, is remarkably similar. For kids on the autism spectrum, a new situation is a new situation.

9. Enlist the help of your child in creating a “consequence plan.” For each negative behavior you have identified as inappropriate, the two of you decide on a consequence. Discipline needs to be clear, concise, consistent and calm. When your youngster misbehaves, tell her in a few words what she did wrong, and tell her the consequence (which she agreed to in the planning stage).

10. For kids on the spectrum, it is important that the consequence or reward immediately follow the behavior in order to have the greatest effect and opportunity to teach.

==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's


11. Kids with HFA and AS require more exposure to discipline before they begin to understand expectations. Parents must follow through and apply discipline EVERY time there is an incident in order to effectively send a message. Kids who have trouble learning respond very well to consistent structure and limits. But for this to work, moms and dads must be consistent.

12. Kids on the spectrum thrive on clear rules. Thus, post a list of unacceptable behaviors and their consequences in a prominent location. For younger kids who can’t read yet, the rules can be reviewed periodically, and the list should have visual illustrations to demonstrate the unacceptable behaviors and consequences associated with them.

13. Look for small opportunities to deliberately allow your youngster to make mistakes for which you can set aside “discipline-teaching” time. It will be a learning process for you and your youngster.

14. Never assume that your HFA or AS child will understand appropriate social behavior under a wide variety of specific circumstances, and when that doesn't occur, discipline in the moment.

15. Prioritize problematic behaviors rather than trying to fight multiple battles at one time. List the top 3 behaviors that you feel are most deserving of attention. This is an important step, because (a) many of the smaller problems will take care of themselves once the bigger issues have been resolved, and (b) some behaviors need an intervention or therapy in order to be eliminated rather than simple disciplinary techniques.

16. Reset your anger buttons. Your autistic youngster will inevitably do some things that will frustrate the hell out of you, but getting angry with him will only worsen things. So, when you catch yourself starting to get angry – YOU take a time-out. If you’re still angry after the time-out – don’t show it! Put on a “poker face.”

17. Social stories, developed to help HFA and AS kids understand difficult situations, are particularly helpful for teaching appropriate behaviors.

18. Through role play, you can provide your youngster with alternatives to problematic behaviors (e.g., hitting, yelling, throwing, etc.).

19. View all problematic behaviors as “signals of needs.” Everything an autistic youngster does tells you something about what she needs.

20. While it is true you have to change your expectations of your HFA or AS youngster, you don’t have to lower your standards of discipline. It’s tempting to get lax and let a “special needs” child get by with behaviors you wouldn’t tolerate in your other kids. Your youngster needs to know, early on, what behaviors you expect. Many moms and dads wait too long to start “behavior training.” It’s much harder to redirect a 170 pound teenager than a 45 pound 3rd grader.

21. Your HFA or AS youngster likely has triggers that can cause her to become distressed, which may result in a meltdown. Watch carefully for these triggers and distract her when you sense an outburst coming on. For instance, if she thrives on a schedule and you need to change it for some reason, let her know carefully and watch for signs of a meltdown during the change.




22. If parenting strategies fall short and do not yield the desired outcomes, then seeking outside assistance from a therapist who specializes in autism spectrum disorders is highly recommended. There are various standard courses of treatment, with each treatment modality addressing a different set of issues. Some of the most common treatment options include:
  • Applied Behavioral Analysis is a form of therapy used to teach basic skills in many different areas.
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to treat the emotional side of HFA and AS (e.g., anxiety, depression, obsessions, etc.). 
  • Occupational therapy is basically used to teach independence. Grasp, handwriting, social skills, and play skills are often included. 
  • Sensory integration therapy may be included by the occupational therapist. This therapy helps get your youngster’s sensory systems in synch.
  • Physical therapy addresses the physical awkwardness that sometimes comes with HFA and AS. 
  • Social skills training is a therapy that teaches kids on the spectrum how to relate to others, making and keeping friends, how to recognize social cues and gestures, and other details such as personal space and understanding slang.
  • Speech/language therapy covers speech articulation as well as pragmatics, or fluency. Language therapy covers social communication, and in some cases, social skills. Speech/language therapy will help your youngster learn to communicate verbally or nonverbally, if necessary, with the use of picture exchange and/or sign language. When a child can use words to express his anger and frustration, problematic behaviors are greatly reduced.

==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's


23. In worst case scenarios, behavior problems may need to be addressed (in part) through the use of medication. Some medications that may be prescribed include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and stimulants.

24. There are many alternative approaches to treating symptoms associated with HFA and AS. One such approach is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), which is defined as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.” CAM therapies used to treat HFA and AS have been categorized as biological and nonbiological:
  • Examples of biological therapies include: (a) immunoregulatory interventions (e.g., dietary restriction of food allergens or administration of immunoglobulin or antiviral agents), (b) gastrointestinal treatments (e.g., digestive enzymes, antifungal agents, probiotics, yeast-free diet, gluten/casein-free diet, vancomycin), (c) dietary supplement regimens that are supposed to act by modulating neurotransmission or through immune factors (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium, folic acid, folinic acid, vitamin B12, dimethylglycine and trimethylglycine, carnosine, omega-3 fatty acids, inositol, various minerals, etc.), and (d) detoxification therapies (e.g., chelation).
  • Examples of nonbiological interventions include treatments such as auditory integration training, behavioral optometry, craniosacral manipulation, dolphin-assisted therapy, equine-assisted therapy, facilitated communication, and music therapy.

HFA and AS children need limits and structure much more than “typical” kids do. When they can predict what will happen next in their day, they feel confident and safe. Of course, they will test the boundaries. But, it's up to parents to affirm that these standards are important – and to let their youngster know that they believe he or she can meet them.


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
==> Parenting System that Reduces Problematic Behavior in Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism


COMMENTS:

•    Anonymous said… A couple of things to try. We did this with my son, who had an awful time getting up in the morning. It became a battle every day, just to get him out of bed. 1. Video him and show him what his behavior looks like. He won't like it, and prepare yourself for a meltdown over that in itself. 2. Talk about the video once he's calmed down and talk about the 'other' ways he could have handled the situations. For example, better responses instead of backtalk, a reaction that is different that a tantrum. 3. Take those situations and turn them into role-playing - a way to actually practice what should happen, rather than what is happening. 4. Once you've role-played it, video it again and play it back for him. He will see a positive way that he's changed his behavior. The theory behind this is that you are replacing the negative images and reactions that he 'sees' in his head with the positive ones. It may take a few times to replace the action when the time comes, but if he re-views the positive video, it can help him literally see his behavior in a new way.
•    Anonymous said… Give choices focus on positive ignore negative.
•    Anonymous said… I say, I will. Or speak with you as long as you're talking to me like that. (After over explaining why it's not okay.)
•    Anonymous said… My 5 year old  😞 I'm going to try some of these techniques
•    Anonymous said… My 9 year old is the same way. He needs to become a professional negotiator for a big business someday. He is so good at it, no matter how small they requests from me or his dad. Always an argument, refusal, avoidance or negotiation behaviors happening at our house. It drains my energy.
•    Anonymous said… My son is still young and about to turn six so thank God I have not run into this – yet – I'm coming into this with my eyes wide open now based on all of the other parents experience with their teenagers . However I have been reading and reading for at least a year on every possible autism site I can get my hands on. Although I do not know your son and I do not know what you have tried – I would default to diet and get cannabis with THC. Although there are some kids that the parents have trouble finding the right Balance or strain of cannabis with – I have heard many times more successes been failures with diet, supplements and also cannabis with THC
•    Anonymous said… Positive reinforcement, confidence building, talk therapy (not always in the moment if he's angry). Talk and give some one on one time half an hour a day. Do something they like with them for 30 minutes a day, relationship building / trust building. Let them know what they are doing right. Role play / role model / script conversations that are polite. Make your goal for the month Kindness and reward everytime he is kind. Make a goal (item) he wants to work towards and everytime he's kind, genuinely, give him a reward. I used to also give $10 (big money) whenever I got an unsolicited compliment on my son. I would always share with him what the other person said so he took pride and made sure to "shine that part on" and know "this is where I shine". Good luck, give positive feedback and know that you are supposed to ignore a lot of bad behavior (it's weird to do at first). Pick and chose your battles always and it sounds more like an ADHD problem. My child with Autism also has this Dx. You have to encourage, especially if it "hormonal" time because think of our Hormonal stages and then times that by 10. They feel things more intensely. Physical outlets/sports always. Also, "Downtime" 15 minutes break. 15 minutes work on this. 15 minutes break. 15 minutes get this organized. They frrustrate themselves. Mood boosters help.
•    Anonymous said… Video. Try video. It lets him see another perspective and sometimes is an excellent teaching tool.
•    Anonymous said… We had exactly the same problem with my now 15 year old son, tried literally everything we could think of. Its only now that he is on anxiety meds (Resperidone) that he is almost a different child. I'm not condoning drug use for behaviour but for us it was the best decision we could have made. Perhaps look at the symptoms of ODD as well.

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Parents with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism -- Part 2


In part 2 of this series, we will look at poor cognitive shifting in parents on the autism spectrum:

Research in the area of cognition reports that adults with Asperger's (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have problems with updating the scope and focus of their attention. This attentional deficit may be due to an inability to reorient attention rapidly, which can be problematic when the mother or father has care and control of younger kids.  Moms and dads need to be able to reorient their attention frequently, and often need to be able to do so under pressure. 



Research also suggests that many people on the autism spectrum have a deficit in the shifting of attention (e.g., paying attention to what someone is saying while being distracted by sensory stimuli). This trait affects parenting as well. These deficits blend with other neurological differences of AS and HFA (e.g., sensory hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity), and together they affect the core tasks of parenting (e.g., the appearance of a sudden strong smell may prevent the parent from noticing what her youngster is doing). 

Related to attention problems are the deficits in the use of visual attention, problems in attending to both auditory and visual information, and problems in attending to many visual stimulus  simultaneously. For example, an autistic parent with three or more kids may struggle with information and sensory input at playgrounds and parks.  In this case, the parent may claim that she is over-stimulated and overwhelmed neurologically, or she may blame others around her for her misery. In this way, the parent is a lot like an autistic child who becomes frequently overwhelmed due to sensory sensitivities. 

In addition to sensory issues, moms and dads on the spectrum often state that they find it difficult to tolerate the normal mess, noise and chaos of their playful, inquisitive children  for any length of time. These parents cope with what are basically neurological insults in a variety of ways (e.g., shutting down, melting down, withdrawing from the unwanted stimuli, etc.). As a result, this may leave the kids to fend for themselves.

The Aspergers Handbook
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How to Manage Fearfulness in Kids on the Autism Spectrum

Question from a concerned mother of an autistic child: 

"My 9 y.o. son is under a ton of stress right now [I think mostly because of the coronavirus scare]... but there are numerous other things he tends to worry about too. How can we as his parents reduce his excessive and unrealistic fears?!"

CLICK HERE for the answer...


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School-Work Problems in Children on the Autism Spectrum

“My 10-year-old son, TJ, is in the 5th grade and has high functioning autism. Every night we get into arguments over schoolwork that causes him to have huge temper tantrum. Two afternoons a week, he has other activities, and by the time we get home, doing his assignments is the last thing he feels like doing. The other three days, we argue about whether he should do his homework right after school or if he should have some time to relax and play first. When TJ finally sits down to study, he wants me there helping all the time. I do want to help him, but I know at some point he is going to need to be able to do it on his own, and I have other things I need to be doing. Also, most of the time he doesn’t even remember what assignments he’s supposed to be working on. I’m really confused about this issue and what my role is. Got any ideas?”

A major cause of anguish for children with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) – and their parents – is the substandard completion of school work. These young people often have a negative reaction to the mere thought of completing assigned tasks. There are two explanations for this: (1) their degree of anxiety and mental fatigue during the school day, and (2) their cognitive profile.

1. Anxiety and Mental Fatigue—

Parents and teachers need to recognize the degree of anxiety experienced by HFA kids as the signs can become evident in their behavior and mood. The indicators of anxiety may not be noticeable at school, but the youngster may behave very differently at home. He may be quiet and obedient in the classroom, but may become intolerant and hostile immediately after he returns home.

School refusal or walking out of school can be a sign of unbearable anxiety. Other kids on the autism spectrum may express the signs of stress at school through episodes of extreme anger and explosive behavior (e.g., meltdowns). Others may simply “shut down” and become somewhat depressed.
 
==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kids with HFA and AS who are having problems learning the “social curriculum” and coping with the anxiety of school usually want a clear division between home and school. Their general view is "school is for work, and home is for fun." Thus, the prospect of interrupting their fun and relaxation at home with school work is unacceptable to them – and is a source of ongoing conflict.



2. Cognitive Profile—

Kids with HFA have an uncommon profile of cognitive skills that must be recognized and accommodated when it comes to school work. One feature of the profile is impaired executive function. The profile is similar to that of kids with ADD, for example:
  • a need for supervision, guidance, and determining what is relevant and redundant
  • an unusual profile on standardized tests of intelligence, especially with regard to verbal and visual intelligence
  • difficulty generating new ideas
  • difficulty planning, organizing and prioritizing
  • poor time perception and time management
  • poor working memory
  • tendency to be impulsive and inflexible when problem solving

Some kids on the spectrum are “verbally-oriented” and have a relative strength in reading, vocabulary and verbal concepts, while others are “visually-oriented” (a picture is worth a thousand words).

Tips for Parents and Teachers—

The following strategies are designed to minimize the impaired executive function, accommodate the profile of cognitive skills, and help HFA kids complete their school work assignments with less anxiety, both at home and school:

1. When it comes to school work, the HFA youngster may have difficulty getting started or knowing what to do first. Procrastination can be an issue, and the child’s mother or father may have to supervise the start of the school work.

2. Once the youngster has started his work, this is not the end of the supervision. The parent will also need to be available if the youngster requires assistance when he is confused and to ensure that he has chosen the appropriate learning strategy.

3. There can be a tendency for kids on the autism spectrum to have a closed mind to alternative strategies. A technique to show that there is more than one line of thought is to provide the youngster with a list of alternative strategies to solve the particular problem. The youngster may need to know there is a plan ‘B’.
 
==> Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder

4. If the assignment takes several days to complete, it is important that the educator regularly reviews the youngster’s rough drafts and progress, which also increases the likelihood that it will be completed on time.

5. The area where the youngster performs her school work must be conducive to concentration and learning. It’s helpful to have appropriate seating, lighting and removal of any distractions. The distractions can be visual (e.g., the presence of toys or television), which are a constant reminder of what the youngster would rather be doing, or auditory distraction (e.g., the noise from electrical appliances or the chatter of siblings). Ensure that the desk only has equipment relevant to the task. The child’s working environment must also be safe from curious brothers and sisters.

6. Teaching a youngster with HFA requires special skills and the mother or father is not expected to have those skills. As a parent, you are also more emotionally involved than a teacher, and it can be difficult for you to be objective and emotionally detached. One option is to hire a tutor to provide the skilled guidance and supervision.

7. Special consideration should be given to the youngster’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses. If the youngster’s relative strength is in visual reasoning, then flow diagrams, mind maps, and demonstrations will enhance his understanding. If the child’s strength is in verbal skills, then written instructions and discussion using metaphors (especially metaphors associated with his special interest) will be helpful.

8. The use of a computer is helpful, especially for those kids who have problems with handwriting. Sometimes the mother or father can act as a secretary, typing the material for the youngster and proof reading his answers. School work can be a collaborative rather than solitary activity. Note: parents are not being over-protective here, they just know that without their involvement, the work would not be done.

9. Consider allowing the HFA youngster to complete her school work at school. It can be undertaken at lunchtime and before or after classes in their home class or the school library. However, the child will still require supervision and guidance from a teacher or assistant. In high school, some autistic teens have been able to graduate taking fewer subjects and the extra time available in the school day dedicated to school work.

10. One characteristic of kids on the spectrum is the difficulty explaining their reasoning using speech. For example, the youngster may provide the correct solution to a math problem, but not be able to use words to explain how she achieved the answer. Her cognitive strategies may be unconventional and intuitive rather than deductive. The parent or teacher may need to accept the child’s correct solution, even if the logic is somewhat unclear.

11. Kids with HFA and AS often enjoy having access to a computer and may be more able to understand the subject matter if it is presented on a computer screen. Material presented by a real person adds a social and linguistic dimension to the situation, which can increase the youngster’s confusion and anxiety. Educators should consider adapting the school work so that a considerable proportion of the work is conducted using a computer. Word processing facilities – especially graphics, grammar and spell check programs – are invaluable in improving the legibility and quality of the finished product.

12. Kids on the spectrum are notorious for their difficulty coping with frustration, criticism, and their emotions. They can become quite agitated when confused or when making a mistake. The parent or teacher will need to be available to model calmness and to help the youngster remain composed and logical.

13. A small digital recorder used for dictation can provide a record of the educator’s spoken instructions regarding what assignments are to be completed, and the youngster can add her own comments or personal memo to the recording to remind her of key information. 

==> Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

14. If regular breaks are necessary to promote concentration, the work can be divided into segments to indicate how much work the youngster has to complete before he can take a momentary break. The usual mistake made by parents and teachers is to expect too much prolonged concentration.

15. A timer can be used to remind the youngster how much time is remaining to complete each section of school work. It is also important to ensure that time scheduled for the work does not coincide with the youngster’s favorite television program, for example. If it does, she may be able to record the show and watch it later.

16. A school work diary or planner can help the youngster remember which books to take home and the specific school work for each evening. Also, a diary (perhaps with stickers and other decorations) may make homework less unappealing to the youngster.

17. A daily school work timetable can be made by the mother or father with guidance from the educator to define the expected duration and content of each assignment. This can be extremely helpful if there are problems with the youngster’s allocation of time to each school work component. Sometimes the work can take hours when the teacher intended only several minutes on a specified task.

18. Lastly, if all these techniques are unsuccessful, consider allowing the HFA youngster to be exempted from doing school work. If the strategies outlined above are unsuccessful or unable to be implemented, then forget about school work. Sometimes this advice is a great relief to the youngster, his mother and father – and the educator!

In conclusion, here are some simple bullet points regarding schoolwork-related problems that parents and teachers will need to remember:
  • Be available for help (this doesn’t mean you must be there beside your child every moment).
  • Be consistent about what time of day the work will be done.
  • Be patient when your child makes the same mistakes over and over again. Maybe he needs to be taught using a different approach.
  • Be realistic in your expectations on how much time it will take. Remember, this is all new for a younger child, and she is just beginning to build her logic and knowledge base.
  • Don’t do problems or assignments FOR your child.
  • Have everything the youngster will need ready before he starts.
  • If the youngster has lots of work, ask her what she would like to start with. This small gesture helps the youngster gain some control over an activity she doesn't like.
  • If your child can’t do his homework at school, he might need to unwind and relax when he first comes home, instead of launching straight into work. 
  • If your child finds it difficult to do homework at home, check to see if he can do it at school instead.
  • If your child has more than one piece of homework, it may be useful to ask the teacher to either make sure your child has written down the homework in his diary – or write it in for him. 
  • Keep the homework-routine predictable and simple. 
  • Keep the work time as quiet as you can.
  • Remember that disorganization is a problem for most kids on the spectrum. Thus, the best assistance you can provide would be in the area of teaching organization skills.
  • Set a timer for 15 minutes, and when it dings, tell your youngster to take a quick break to stretch or get a drink of water.
  • Use a reward system (e.g., the completion of all assignments is rewarded with an extra 15 minutes of computer-game time later that evening).

 
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Parents with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Part 1

Many parents with Asperger's (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) experience significant difficulties in parenting -- especially if one their children is also on the autism spectrum. Even though the challenges experienced by moms and dads on the spectrum are significant, these challenges are not well understood in the child welfare community. This is in part due to the fact that the AS or HFA parent is able to parent adequately on many fronts, yet he or she is invisibly "disabled" (i.e., the disorder is not readily apparent to the observer). 

Many AS and HFA parents are relatively high functioning in the workplace, but struggle raising their children due to social skills deficits. As any mother or father can tell you, parenting involves a great deal of social expertise, conflict-resolution skills, empathy, listening skills, stress-management, and effective disciplinary techniques -- just to name a few.



Proper parenting is a monumental task that involves (a) providing emotional, relational and financial support, (b) guidance, (c) nurturing, (d) teaching, (e) short and long-term planning. It is a challenge even for parents who have not been diagnosed with a disorder.

Problems in parenting are the result of some of the traits associated with AS and HFA (e.g., weak central coherence, poor cognitive shifting, lack of a theory of mind, etc.) -- not the result of poor parenting skills. While these parents do suffer from significant neurological deficits that can be mistaken as poor parenting, these deficits have more to do with how their brain is wired. They must not be viewed as "bad" parents, rather parents who struggle with a disorder that can affect their parenting abilities.

Most moms and dads with AS and HFA work very hard to understand their kids -- and are eager to parent in their kid’s best interests. But, due to the challenges associated with the disorder, they often fall short. This, in turn, can create a lot of guilt and frustration in the parent who may be viewing herself or himself as a "failure." 

Unfortunately, when these parents begin to experience significant parent-child conflict, they rarely seek outside assistance in the form of parent education. Instead, they may continue parenting in a rather immature and haphazard manner, which often results in their children parenting themselves and/or growing up too  quickly (i.e., they become little adults who appear much older than they are). 

Autistic parents who continue making the same parenting mistakes over and over do so because they lack insight into their disorder and how it impacts their role as a parent. To make matters even more difficult, many moms and dads on the spectrum have a youngster with similar profiles to their own and who are a huge challenge to them. 


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Raising Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents' Grief and Guilt

Some parents grieve for the loss of the youngster they   imagined  they had. Moms and dads have their own particular way of dealing with the...