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Coping with Birthday Parties for Aspergers Kids

As parents, we naturally want our children to enjoy it all  and have as much fun as we did. So we talk, anticipate, and prepare with mounting excitement as the child's birthday draws nearer. However, for those parents who are raising a child with Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism, it often adds up to an almighty headache! Why? Because these "special needs" children can have a real hard time coping with all of excitement and anticipation.

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Helping Children on the Autism Spectrum to Be Calmer and More Collected

"I love both of my children equally, however the younger 'typical' child has a much better temperament than his autistic brother? Their personalities are as different as night and day! Any suggestions about how I can help my special needs child to be a bit more calm and collected?"

Children with ASD level 1, or High-Functioning Autism, often struggle to make sense of their surroundings and sense of their world. They exist in a body that does not always allow for accurate interpretation of their world, and they are unable to respond in a typical manner. The result of this can be challenging behavior.

For parents and professionals alike, interpreting this behavior can be difficult. Developing a plan to deal with the behavior is often even more challenging as it requires consistency and routine throughout the day and life of the autistic child.
 

Behavioral issues are often the result of a deficit in communication and sensory integration. Overload of the sensory system can result in a shutdown or a meltdown for the child. In order to change the behavioral challenges of the child, it is first necessary to understand exactly what is causing those behaviors. This will require focusing on the routine of the child, or lack thereof, and determining what happens immediately prior to the behavior, and what the end result is. This can take a great deal of time and effort, but well worth the end result.

A “functional analytic approach” to developing effective behavioral modification in ASD children and teens utilizes a process known as “functional behavioral assessment.” Functional behavioral assessment involves employing a variety of strategies (e.g., child-centered planning, treatment team meetings, systematic interviews, direct observations, etc.) to formulate hypotheses about why a child behaves the way he does. 

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Autism Diagnosis: Where do we start?

"We've just discovered that our 2 year old daughter is autistic.  We're not sure where to even start in dealing with this. My wife and I are feeling a bit stunned and overwhelmed."

If you have just received a diagnosis of autism, you are most likely feeling very anxious about your child’s future. The first step is to arm yourself with as much information about this disorder as you can. Make sure you find this information from credible sources -- and don’t believe everything you read!

Although your daughter has a diagnosis of autism, her abilities are going to vary from any other child with autism. There are some key features of autism that probably led to the diagnosis, but how they affect your daughter will be as individual as any child. 

Based on your child’s needs, there are some assessments and professionals you should consider. Communication is a common problem area for children with autism. Contact a speech therapist to assist you in evaluating your daughter’s strengths and needs. Finding the appropriate communication system will help her tremendously across all environments.

Your child may be verbal, but need some training in initiating communication. If she is non-verbal, there are a variety of communication systems, sign-language, PECS (using pictures and symbols), or communication boards that can be employed.

Have an occupational therapist assess your child for sensory dysfunction. Autistic children sometimes have difficulty taking in sensory information and organizing it for future use. Planning a sensory integration program can help your daughter organize her sensory input and reduce sensitivity to a variety of sensory information.

Also, create a routine within your home, and to the extent possible, don’t vary from that routine.

Autism isn’t a life sentence. Prepare yourself to turn to others for support. Join a local support group and/or an online message board where you can ask other parents for information. Be willing to learn from others, and be willing to accept assistance from others. Also, help the rest of your family learn what they can about autism.

Lastly, be an advocate for your child. You know your daughter better than anyone else, and no one will love her like you do.




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Aspergers/High-Functioning Autism and Medication

There are some medications that may improve certain associated symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, etc.) that can occur in many kids with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism. Because there are no definitive treatments for Aspergers, some moms and dads may turn to complementary or alternative therapies. However, most of these treatments haven't been adequately studied. It's possible that by focusing on alternative treatments, you may miss out on behavior therapies that have more evidence to support their use.
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ASD: Difficulty Identifying and Interpreting Emotional Signals in Others

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects an individual's ability to communicate, interact w...