My ASD Child

“How can I get my 9 y.o. son (high functioning autistic ) to obey and do as he's told? He won't do his homework and refuses to clean his room. He is defiant and talks back. When we try to discuss these problems with him in a peaceful, mature manner, he usually ends up getting angry and yells at us. And with the recent start of summer school, things have gotten much worse. What are we doing wrong?” Unfortunately, disobedience is an issue more common in High-Functioning Autism (HFA) than in the general population. It can occur for numerous reasons. For example, anxiety, low-frustration tolerance, sensory sensitivities, social skills deficits, difficulty understanding emotions and their impact on others, when rituals can’t get accomplished, when the youngster's need for order or symmetry can’t be met… just to name a few. Thus, it’s important to understand that in many cases, the child’s oppositional behavior may be a symptom of some underlying issue related to his or

A meltdown appears to most parents as a tantrum. However, a meltdown has more to do with the child's temperament, whereas a tantrum has more to do with the child's anger at not getting his or her way. There are nine different temperaments in children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism (HFA): 1. Poor Adaptability : This shows itself when Asperger's and HFA children resist, shut down, and become passive-aggressive when asked to change activities. Change in routine is very difficult for kids on the spectrum. 2. Negative Persistent: This is seen when the Asperger's or HFA youngster seems stuck in his or her whining and complaining. This occurs because he or she hasn't learned any other way to deal with frustration yet. 3. Negative Mood: This is found when Asperger's and HFA children appear lethargic, sad and lack the energy to perform a task. 4. Low-Sensory Threshold: This is evident when the youngster complains about tight clo

==> Relationship Skills for Couples Affected by Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

“Dustin, my son with high functioning autism, recently turned 13. He started back to school this week (8th grade) and we are already having some issues. He still has a hard time engaging with other classmates, his personal hygiene is lacking (e.g. hates to shower or comb his hair), and he’s simply not interested in the current fads or topics of conversation among his peer-group. Now he tells us that he’s being teased by a few kids in his class. Last school year, he 'failed' socially and became completely ostracized from his peer-group and felt a sense of general isolation from everybody. It appears that we are going to have a repeat performance of these issues again this time around. He mostly just stays to himself (playing his digital piano and video games in his room). How can I help my son in this situation? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.” Due to the fact that the adolescent with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) tends to be a loner, develops odd mannerisms, and