My ASD Child

"My son (high functioning autistic) is 14. He knows he is different from other 'typical' teenagers, and he wants to know why. What do I say to him? Also, how would you start explaining sex and changes his body is going through?" This is a tough question to answer, but at 14, your son is certainly ready for some explanation of his disorder. Here is a statement for you to follow when you answer your son’s question: Lots of people have problems and challenges in life to deal with. Some of them can be seen and some can't. You have a condition known as high-functioning autism. We don’t know why you have it. Sometimes it is inherited from other people in a family. High-functioning autism has something to do with the genes that are in our bodies, and something may have happened to some of them before you were born. Children have the condition from the time they are born, but some children are going to school before the doctors diagnose it. More and more peop...

"I’d love to see some information about how to teach in a way that a high functioning autistic mind will absorb, particularly rote facts such as math measurements and such. I’d also love more information about teaching basic social skills, manners, and social graces." Children with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger's have excellent rote memories and often show intense interest in one or two intellectual areas, such as math, transportation, history, or the characters in a television series. Sometimes the special interest is so absorbing that they ignore all other subjects. They learn every fact about the chosen topic and talk about it endlessly, whether or not their listeners are interested. The child may have little understanding of the meaning of these facts. But, if you can tie rote information into the area of interest, you may find it easy to teach him or her - and the learning will be remembered. For example, if the child is interested in transport...

"I know they talk about how 'prevention' is key when trying to deal with meltdowns in children with autism (high functioning), but what about when the child is already full-swing into a meltdown? Is it just too late at that point to make any difference?" It's never too late to intervene, but the task of actually putting the brakes on a meltdown will be much more difficult once it is underway. Having said that, here are some suggestions... Crisis Intervention Tips for Parents of Children with ASD level 1 or High-Functioning Autism : 1. A step isn't completed until the child has given you his verbal consent to the conditions of the step. For example, [parent gently restraining the child] "I will let you go when you stop slamming your bedroom door. O.K.?" Be prepared to repeat steps if additional meltdowns occur before moving on to the next step. 2. Allow the child, whenever possible, to make choices as you move through the crisis interv...

"We have been to many professionals over the years to get help for our son. It seems as though each therapist or psychiatrist we see comes up with a different diagnosis. First, our son had ADHD ...then he had OCD ...then it was ODD ...now it's autism (on the high functioning end of the spectrum). Who are we to trust? Can he really have all of these disorders? Help!" When parents seek help for their youngster with ASD level 1, or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), they encounter varied opinions from family, friends, teachers, and even professionals. For example: "he'll outgrow it" ... "leave him alone" ... "he's just being lazy" ... "he's just being defiant" ... "it's no big deal" ... "he just wants attention" ... "he's probably got ADHD" ...and so on. Many professionals try to work with the "special needs" youngster as if his disorder is like other developmental diso...

"Once my son (high functioning) has an idea in his head, he won't budge. For example, somewhere he heard that looking into the sun will blind you (which is true). But he has taken this to a whole new level by refusing to go anywhere without his sunglasses. If he doesn't have them before we walk out the door - it's meltdown city! I've told him countless times that as long as he isn't staring directly into the sun, he's not going to lose his eyesight. This discussion goes in one ear and out the other, and this is just one of dozens of examples. My question is: how do you change the mindset of a stubborn child who refuses to listen to reason?" In all discussions with a High-Functioning Autistic child about a challenging situation, there will be two aspects: the selling of an idea (your part) the buying of an idea (your son's part) Both parts must always be considered together. The best "sales pitch" is incomplete if the new idea...