My ASD Child

Do you need some assistance in parenting your Aspergers or HFA child?  Click here  to use Mark Hutten, M.A. as your personal parent coach. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just another thank you for all the help you are giving us parents! So appreciate it! You are doing a great work. We have two young men now in their teens and are always looking for wisdom to help us navigate these new waters. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Mark, At the outset, allow me to thank you for the immense "hand holding" you have been doing for and with me and my family as we help my 12-year old son who has been diagnosed to be an Asperger in November 2012. My purchase of your resource book proved to be one of the most important and valuable decisions I have made as I equip myself with knowledge and continuously search for answers on how best to support my Aspie. In the last two years, we have moved from school to school (about three of them) since previous schools of my son have admi...

Summer vacation can be difficult for some children on the autism spectrum. Here are some tips on how parents can help their child deal with transitions related to summertime activities:

Here's a word of encouragement to all those parents who are struggling with their Aspergers or HFA teen's behavioral issues... ==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism

"What suggestions would you have for helping my child to increase his appropriate behaviors? I think I should focus on bringing out the positive instead of just punishing the negative." Behavior modification is an effective technique used to treat Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism (HFA). The fundamentals of behavior modification can be used to increase desired behaviors in the child, regardless of functional level (e.g., a mother who wants her youngster to consistently make the bed can use behavior modification to help achieve this goal). In order to be successful, behavior modification techniques should be applied consistently across all areas of the youngster’s life. Also, understand that the longer a particular problematic behavior has been evident, the longer it will take to change it. Thus, it may take a while for the chosen techniques to be effective. The parents’ job is to focus on the behavior they would like to increase or decrease. The more parent...

“Is it common for young adults on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum to have a hard time finding employment and to struggle in the workplace when they do get a job? My 22 year old son who is still living at home basically floats from one job to the next, separated by lengthy periods of unemployment. Do you have any advice regarding how he can find the right job for him and stick with it?” I wouldn’t say it’s “common,” but it’s true that some grown-ups with Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) fail to meet entry requirements for jobs in their area of training, or fail to attain a job because of their poor interview skills, social skills deficits, eccentricities, or anxiety attacks. Having failed to secure skilled employment that is commensurate with their level of training, some of these AS or HFA adults are helped by well-meaning family members or friends to find a manual job. But as a result of their typically poor visual-motor skills, they may ...