My ASD Child

Social and communicative dysfunctions are arguably the most handicapping conditions associated with Aspergers. Although the rubric social communication is used frequently to encompass these deficits, social communication is actually a redundant term. All communication, by its definition as an exchange of information between speaker and listener, is social in nature. The purpose of using the term social communication here, however, is to focus attention on the close relationship between the linguistic forms of communication used by high functioning people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs), and the function of these skills in the achievement of social interaction. In fact, in typical people over the age of 3 years, linguistic communication is the primary modality of social interchange. Although linguistic communication skills are used for a variety of purposes—regulating others' behavior, referring to objects and events, narrating and predicting experiences, and learning acad...

Question : Do people with Aspergers often take action on the threats they make when they blow up? My sister (who died tragically 5 years ago) has a 18 yr old so with AS. When he gets really worked up, he threatens to kill himself and "take others with him." His threats of suicide are often paired with "if I don't get what I want", not "I am so depressed I want to die." These threats seem to be more of a bullying technique instead of a cry for help. I hesitate to call the police because there is no other topic that sets him off more than the police. Click here for the answer...

Asperger's Syndrome: Research Library Alexithymia and AS: Fitzgerald M, Bellgrove MA (2006). "The overlap between alexithymia and Asperger's syndrome". J Autism Dev Disord 36 (4): 573–6. doi : 10.1007/s10803-006-0096-z . PMID 16755385 . -- Hill E, Berthoz S (2006). "Response". J Autism Dev Disord 36 (8): 1143–5. doi : 10.1007/s10803-006-0287-7 . PMID 17080269 . -- Lombardo MV, Barnes JL, Wheelwright SJ, Baron-Cohen S (2007). " Self-referential cognition and empathy in autism ". PLoS ONE 2 (9): e883. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0000883 . PMID 17849012 . Allen D, Evans C, Hider A, Hawkins S, Peckett H, Morgan H (2007). "Offending behaviour in adults with Asperger syndrome". J Autism Dev Disord . doi : 10.1007/s10803-007-0442-9 . PMID 17805955 . American Psychiatric Association (2000). " Diagnostic criteria for 299.80 Asperger...

Question Can you advise me on social skills training for my 12-year-old child with Aspergers? Answer For children and teens with Aspergers (high-functioning autism), social skills are necessary, but usually lacking. Finding resources for social skills training in the educational setting may be difficult in many areas. If your child’s school offers social skills classes, social skills therapy, or peer mentoring, he should be participating. If not, there may be public or community based programs, or even private therapy choices available. These programs range in cost and availability and could be unattainable. If this is the case, there are ways to teach these skills at home with very little cost. Because this is so important, the Aspergers social skills connection must be addressed as early as possible and continually supplemented as the child’s ability to understand improves with age. Similar to basic manners, here are a few of the basic social skills that shoul...