My ASD Child

"I have two boys, one of which has ASD [high functioning autism]. My husband has been diagnosed as well. I often feel like I'm in a constant state of playing mediator (and sometimes feel like I'm parenting 3 children, rather than 2 children and one adult). Is this common for families like ours, and what can I do to reduce our stress?" Being a member of a family in which one or more members have ASD Level 1 or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) can be extremely stressful at times. Sometimes it seems as if the entire family focus is on the "special needs" child and on the various tantrums, meltdowns, and other and behaviors that come with it. ALL family members can feel a low level of anxiety in anticipation of what could happen next. Are you too stressed? Ask yourself these questions: Are symptoms of stress impeding my functioning? Am I finding it hard to get through the day's activities? Am I having a hard time eating, sleeping, or getting ...

"How do I make my child understand the rules of board games like monopoly? He wants to play it only his way and gets extremely angry if he has to pay a penalty. He does not understand the sets of rules for different games and only wants to win with his own rules." The child with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism (HFA) may get upset over game rules, sharing, or taking turns. This applies especially when following the rules means that sometimes the child with HFA loses the game! Hence, your son’s insistence on playing with his own rules. He does not understand that others want to win a game sometimes, too. And, even if he does come to understand that, he may not care about their feelings enough to play the game appropriately. While some children act as “the warden” or keeper of the rules, others find it hard to grasp the give and take of peer relationships, including following rules while playing games with others. To help your son with this problem, targe...

Your child on the autism spectrum is very bright in many areas - VERY BRIGHT! Resources for parents of children and teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: ==> Preventing Meltdowns and Tantrums in Asperger's Children ==> Discipline for Defiant Asperger's Teens ==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

1. Does your child tend to focus on one subject to the exclusion of all others? Yes - he latches onto one topic of interest and learns everything there is to know about it. He won't even think about something else! No - he has some favorite topics, but displays a wide range of interests. 2. Does your child have difficulty interacting socially, particularly when it comes to nonverbal communication? Yes - he/she seems unable to pick up cues in people's body language and vocal inflection. No - he/she seems to be able to read the mood of a room pretty well, and understands what is and isn't appropriate in a conversation. 3. Does your child vary his or her vocal inflections, volume, or pitch? No - he/she speaks in a monotone, regardless of the subject or the environment. Yes - he/she shouts, whispers, laughs, whimpers, and more. 4. Does your child adhere to rigid, repetitive routines when it comes to everyday tasks? Yes - everything ha...