My ASD Child

"Help! My 9 y.o. Aspergers son is suffering real bad anxiety trying to get back into the routine of school after the Christmas holidays. He is crying on and off all day at school and bedtimes, finding it hard to sleep and again crying. I feel so helpless that I can't do anything for him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated." Aspergers (high functioning autism) children of all ages commonly experience school anxiety (i.e., school-related stress). This is often most apparent at the end of summer when school is about to start again, but it can occur year-round. This post explains school anxiety – and what can be done to help the Aspergers child become more relaxed and confident. Social Stressors— Many Aspergers children experience some level anxiety in social situations they encounter in school. While some of these issues provide important opportunities for growth, they must be handled with care: • Bullies— Many schools now have anti-bullying programs a...

Question How can I help my daughter understand her brother with Aspergers? Answer Kids without Aspergers can have a difficult time understanding their Aspergers siblings. The Aspie seems smart, uses big words that are hard to comprehend, avoids hanging out with the family, and focuses all of his being on his special interest. In many ways, he is a stranger. He does not appear to be disabled; he just seems quirky and embarrassing. Children may need family pep talks and counseling to help them understand and cope with their Aspergers sibling’s condition. Here some ideas to help your children understand their Aspie sibling: • Allow your non-Aspergers kids to help your Aspie with his therapy. Nearly all therapies can be worked on at home for greater progress. Enlist the entire family and multiply your Aspie’s social interaction and progress on therapy goals. • Aspergers support groups offer non-Aspergers siblings a chance to build friendships with other children living ...

A common behavior characteristic in Aspergers (high functioning autism) kids is the dislike of grooming and personal hygiene habits. "Aspies" of all ages seem to have difficulty establishing sound hygiene routines in the areas of bathing/showering, brushing hair, changing clothes, haircuts, cleaning teeth and washing hair. Some Aspies tend to feel that showering or bathing isn't necessary. I remember asking my grandson with Aspergers if he was going to shower. He said “no” …he didn't have time for that. He then asked for an orange. I told him he could after he showered. That worked the ONE time. Then I started to find the peels and seeds in the shower. When I asked him about it, he said it was faster to do both at the same time. The source of the problem stems mostly from the sensory sensitivities associated with Aspergers (particularly with tactile sensitivities) rather than from “laziness.” The nervous system of Aspies is always on high alert, and their...

Written by Nathan, a 17 year old Asperger's teen, as a project for his school newspaper: Every "Aspie" (someone with high functioning autism) wants to be cool, yet most of us aren’t. But the truth is that there are no secrets to being cool; it's about who you are and how you behave. And there are things that you can do to bring out the cool in you. Below are some tips that'll show you how to look and sound cool with your peers. Use them, and you'll transform yourself into one of the socially adept – and your buddies will look forward to hanging out with you. 1. Always remember that attitude is a key factor in how people look at you. Have a great personality: be talkative, nice, and have charisma! 2. Always remember, the first day of high school is the most crucial. First impressions are EVERYTHING! It's how people will perceive you, for a while at least, until they get to know you better, which will take time. 3. For Aspie girls, don...

Question We live in Ireland and my son who is 6 goes to a Gaelscoil (a school that teaches through the Irish Language). We speak mainly English at home. I was recently told that Jude's (my son) Irish is not up to standard and has been suggested that perhaps we should look into sending him to an English speaking school. My problem is that Jude is very happy in this school and I feel that such a major change to him would be very upsetting to him and also Jude knows the Irish but in his mind he doesn't speak Irish only English. Do you have any tips to either get my boy to use the Irish that he has in school or to make the transition to a new school easier for him? I would be grateful for any pointers you have. Answer Re: Irish is not up to standard… Please watch the video entitled Aspergers Students: Tips for Teachers for tips on helping your son get up to speed with his Irish. Re: Making the transition to a new school… Here are some tips that can help...