My ASD Child

"I need some strategies to help my daughter calm down. She has autism (high functioning) and ADHD and is wound tighter than a ten cent top most of the day. If I had her energy, I could probably fly to the moon and back by just flapping my arms." Many children with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism who are also hyperactive benefit from sensory stimulation . Providing a sensory room or area can be very effective. Be as creative as you can when providing sensory stimulation for your child. There are many things you can purchase, but you can also make many things within your home. What you use should in part be determined by what your child enjoys or is seeking. Some ideas are:  A mini trampoline can provide physical exercise and sensory input. Create a touch board, and attach a variety of materials, from sand paper, to carpet.  Fill a tub with sand, navy beans, or other similar item that they can play in.  Find different scents of potpourri that they can u...

"What would be the best therapy for high functioning autistic children who are overly sensitive to bright lights, loud noises, strong odors, certain fabrics, and certain foods?" Children with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism often have a secondary diagnosis of sensory dysfunction . This may be found in the youngster who can't get enough sensory input, and needs to touch everything, jump on things, and simply craves input - or it may be the youngster that can't stand touch, doesn't like certain clothing because it irritates him or her, and can't handle sounds. Most of us unconsciously learn to combine our senses (i.e., sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, balance, body in space) in order to make sense of our environment. Kids on the autism spectrum have trouble learning to do this. Sensory integration therapy (SIT) is a type of Occupational Therapy (OT) that places a youngster in a room specifically designed to stimulate and challenge all of th...

Selective mutism (SM) is strongly associated with anxiety disorders, particularly social anxiety disorder. Some kids on the autism spectrum have SM, which is their way of avoiding anxious feelings elicited by expectations and social encounters. ==>  Do you have a struggling teenager with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome? Then you will want to use these strategies to help him survive - and thrive! 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...

"My 4-year-old (high functioning autistic) son has trouble moving from task to task. How can I help him finish a particular activity (like putting his legos back in the boxes), and then get him to move on to the next thing (like getting ready for bed) without creating anxiety and the resultant meltdowns?" Children with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism thrive on routine and structure. As your son begins to recognize structure in his life, this may be the time to make a visual schedule to help him recognize when certain events are happening in his day. A visual schedule works better than a written schedule for obvious reasons, as your child may not be able to read and thus may not get the benefit of the visual cue. To make such a visual schedule, you can use a white board on which you put the hours of the day and a space at the top for the day of the week. Purchase strips of Velcro that have a sticky back and place a small square of Velcro in each time slot. ...