My ASD Child

“How do I help my 13 year old son to come to terms with his diagnosis of 'high functioning' autism and help him to understand that it is not the end of the world?” So many times in life, we focus on the negative. It’s raining, getting up early, taking a test, and spilling a glass of milk are things that happen all the time. None of these are true negatives, but our perspective makes them worse than reality. You can turn each of these examples into a positive with a shift of thinking: thick green grass, seeing the sun rise, showing off skills, and a floor that needed a good mopping anyway are all positive outcomes to the same situations. High-functioning autism (HFA) is definitely not the worst thing in the world. There are many positive qualities to be found in a teenager with the disorder. They’re smart, so knowledgeable, and have an amazing memory. Young people on the autism spectrum have an intense sense of right and wrong and desire to follow the rules. In the sam...

"My 6-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. But now we are seeing signs that he may have 'high functioning' autism. What percentage of ADHD children also have autism? Is a dual diagnosis common?"   CLICK HERE for the answer...

“We have finally had a diagnosis for high functioning autism and ODD after 6 and a half years of hell… my son is now 14 and apparently there is no help available!! He has a diagnosis and his statement will be drawn up for educational purposes, but where does that leave us as a family...he is so difficult to take anywhere… our house has been slowly getting destroyed by temper tantrums… so far every door needs replacing and the walls are covered in holes. I have a 9 yr old daughter with epilepsy who is really beginning to dislike being at home… it seems every day our house is filled with arguments over petty things which often lead to violent outbursts… there is no medication for him apparently, but I as a mother cannot cope much longer… this is changing me as a person, I'm finding I'm snappy and irritable and finding it hard to just get on with everyday …things that seemed so easy before... any suggestions on where what or who to go to for help!?” For moms and dads of kids...

"What is the real difference between Asperger's Syndrome and Autism? When I tell people that my daughter has Asperger's, they usually ask me, 'What is Asperger's exactly?' And I say, 'It's a form of Autism.' But that doesn't really help them to understand Asperger's since there is supposedly a big difference between the two disorders." There is a great deal of confusion when it comes to the differences between Aspergers (high functioning autism) and Autistic Disorder. It seems that even medical professionals have difficulty determining a clear line between the two disorders. Often, it boils down to simply categorizing children according to the specific traits they exhibit, such as how they use language. However, there are some professionals who assert that Aspergers and Autism are actually the same disorder and should both fall under the heading of Autism. Click here for more information on the new criteria for Autism as desc...

From A Woman's Perspective: A young lady who has participated for several years in a social group for adults with high functioning autism and Asperger’s Syndrome sponsored at our TEACCH Center in Asheville, recently remarked, “There aren’t a heck of a lot of ladies who have Asperger’s Syndrome or autism. The majority are males, and although we get along with the guys, there are some issues that they are never going to understand. I wish there was more information specifically for ladies who have autism.” Her comment prompted the initiation of the first ladies’ group at the Asheville TEACCH Center.  While talking with this lady, who is in her 20’s, I was reminded of my own early adulthood. I remember the strong support of “ladies’ consciousness-raising groups” that sprouted up on college campuses and in living rooms in the 60’s and 70’s. While struggling for and demanding equality between the sexes in the society at large, we discovered that there were important distincti...