My ASD Child

What is a Social Story? A social story is a simple method that may be used at home, school, or in the community to teach or maintain social skills, daily living skills, or behavior management skills of kids with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism (HFA). A social story addresses specific situations by teaching the child appropriate behaviors and responses (e.g., how to cope with changes in routine, how to get along with peers, how to work in the classroom) and provides (a) an explanation of detailed social information (e.g., guidelines for waiting a turn in conversation, sharing, or demonstrating good manners), and (b) desired responses instead of problem behaviors. The purpose of a social story is to: address a wide variety of problem behaviors (i.e., aggression, fear, obsessions) break goals into easy steps correct child responses to a social situation in a nonthreatening manner describe social situations and appropriate responses help the child cope with both e...

Question I’m a 23-year-old male with Aspergers. I would like to date, but am having great difficulty in finding a girlfriend. I can even see myself getting married someday if I find someone I’m compatible with. Any suggestions? Answer Some adults with Aspergers (high functioning autism) are married or in long-term relationships. Some are not. Often times, it is only when Aspergers parents have kids that they recognize their own Aspergers traits. Also, Aspergers adults tend to have “alternative lifestyles” in statistically greater numbers than the general population. Some Aspergers adults do not feel particularly attached to their sexuality (i.e., they don’t identify with a particular sex or seek relationships with a particular sex). Other Aspergers adults simply avoid pursuing relationships (other than friendships). "Aspies" should not feel pressured to act outside of what they are comfortable with when it comes to developing relationships with others. Rel...

Question I’m a high school student with Aspergers. I want to have some friends, but can’t seem to find any. It’s like they don’t want anything to do with me. How can I make at least a few friends? Answer Friendships are usually built on one or more things of shared interest between two individuals. Friends share their thoughts and feelings as well as experiences. Teenagers with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism tend to be very open and honest and willing to share themselves with others, which are traits that friends will value. However, some peers may not value this trait. They may not be ready to be open and honest and share personal information about themselves with you, so it makes them feel uncomfortable when you offer these things to them. Some non-Aspergers teens like to take the development of friendships slowly. When someone asks you questions about yourself (e.g., where you were born, what school do you attend, what do you like to do), they are indicati...

Moms and dads with ASD level 1 (high-functioning autistic) kids are often shocked and worried about the defiant behaviors these young people sometimes exhibit. Corrective measures intended for a developmentally "normal" youngster seldom work for Autistic children, leaving parents at a loss as to how to deal with harmful behavior. There are no hard and fast rules for treating ASD, because each youngster exhibits different behaviors that require different treatment plans. For moms and dads struggling with ASD defiant behavior, finding safe and effective ways to deal with it is difficult without help. Kids on the spectrum seldom respond to traditional parenting techniques (e.g., time outs, withholding privileges) leaving parents confused and desperate for fast-acting strategies. 1. Applied Behavioral Analysis — Therapies based on ABA methodology are customized based on the youngster’s ability, environment, and the behavior most in need of correction. For kids with a ...

Question I’m an adult male diagnosed with Aspergers. Should I tell people that I have this diagnosis, or is it better that they don’t know? Answer This is mostly a matter of personal choice. Sometimes it’s good that others know – other times it may work against you. In relationships, disclosure of an Aspergers (or high-functioning autism) diagnosis has been known to save relationships that are in trouble, but it has also been known to lead to break-ups or divorce if the non-Aspergers spouse/partner is unwilling to deal with the changes/issues inherent with this disorder. Experiences have been mixed. You may want to consider disclosing your diagnosis to your employer (or potential employer) if you know that you will need some accommodations to do your best at work (e.g., incandescent rather than fluorescent lighting, solitary work rather than working in groups, flat-screen computer, etc.). If you want to disclose your diagnosis for this purpose, the best person t...