My ASD Child

Interventions for Young Adults Diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism

Do you have an older teenager or young adult on the autism spectrum who is struggling (or drifting) in life? Then share this post with him or her:

Everyone with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and Asperger’s is different, so interventions need to be individualized. Adults come to this awareness at different ages and stages of their lives, which can influence the approaches they choose.

It’s best to have a set of simple coping skills that you can refer to when needed. So, here are a few basic tips for young adults on the autism spectrum:

1. Work with a Life Coach or Job Coach. He or she will work with you on multiple levels (e.g., concrete skills-building and goal direction, independent living skills, employment related skills, social skills, understanding your traits and symptoms, etc.).

2. Utilize career one-stop centers (i.e., federally funded centers designed to help people learn new, marketable skills, identify jobs and prepare for interviewing).

3. Treat yourself like you would a trusted/valued friend!

4. Stop the blame. Blaming yourself or others is common and not helpful.

5. Simplify your life.

6. People with HFA tend to connect most comfortably around shared interests.

7. Medication can be helpful in decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety that often accompany HFA.

8. Know your areas of difficulty and work on those.

9. Join a group (online or off) where you can meet other adults with HFA.

10. Hire people to do the things you’re not good at (e.g., money management, housework, organization and bookkeeping).

11. Heightened sensory sensitivities may make particular environments unpleasant or intolerable. Thus, change lighting, decrease noise, wear comfortable clothing, etc. when needed.

12. A therapist with an awareness of HFA or interest in learning about it with you is essential.

13. Educating others in your family about HFA.

14. Downtime is required. Sensory and social demands of daily life make more downtime essential for people with HFA. Communicate with those around you about your need for this, but do not use it as an excuse to avoid participation in family or other activities.

15. Disclose your disorder strategically (i.e., only share the information that is required for that time and place). Consult with a trusted person to determine what to disclose if unsure.

16. Decrease “isolation-time” (i.e., do not stay home - all day - by yourself every day).

17. Contact the vocational rehabilitation agency in your state. With an official diagnosis of HFA, you may be entitled to service.

18. Cognitive-Behavioral approaches to therapy are strongly indicated.

19. Build on your strengths rather than focusing on your weaknesses.

20. Be creative in the combination of interventions you use.

21. Attend a group where social skills are explicitly taught.

22. Advocate for environmental changes at work or home. If you are more comfortable, the people around you will be as well.

23. A slower-paced environment will likely be more tolerable and allow for a greater sense of comfort and competence.

==> Launching Adult Children With Aspergers and HFA: How To Promote Self-Reliance

Mind-Blindness in Kids on the Autism Spectrum

More resources for parents of children and teens with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's:

==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's

==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism

==> Launching Adult Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance

==> Teaching Social Skills and Emotion Management to Children and Teens with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Comprehensive Handbook

==> Unraveling The Mystery Behind Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book

==> Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

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Do you need the advice of a professional who specializes in parenting children and teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders? Sign-up for Online Parent Coaching today.

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Why Females with Autism [level 1] Are Less Likely to Be Diagnosed

The vast majority of referrals for a diagnostic evaluation for ASD are boys. The ratio of males to females is roughly around 10:1; however, the epidemiological research for autism suggests that the ratio should be 4:1. Why are girls less likely to be identified as having the characteristics indicative of an autism spectrum disorder?

Below are some possible reasons:

1. Each youngster with ASD develops his/her own techniques and strategies to learn how to acquire specific skills and develop coping mechanisms. One technique is to have practical guidance and moral support from one’s friends. Kids on the spectrum elicit from others either strong maternal or predatory behavior. If the youngster’s natural peer group is females, she is more likely to be supported and included by a greater majority of her friends.

Thus, females on the autism spectrum are often mothered by "normal" or neurotypical (NT) females, who may prompt the ASD youngster when she is unsure what to do or say in social situations - and comfort her when she is distressed. In contrast, “normal” males are notorious for their intolerance of kids who are different and are more prone to be predatory.

This can have an unfortunate effect on the behavior of a boy with the disorder - and many complain of being teased, ignored and bullied by other males. In fact, some males with ASD actually prefer to play with females who are often kinder and more tolerant than their male friends.

2. Females are more likely to be enrolled in speech and drama lessons, and this provides a socially acceptable opportunity for coaching in body language. Many kids with autism have a prodigious memory, and this can include reciting the dialogue for all characters in a play and memorizing the dialogue or script of real life conversations. Knowing the script also means the youngster does not have to worry about what to say. Acting can subsequently become a successful career option (although there can be some confusion when grown-ups with the disorder act another persona in real life as this can be misconstrued as Multiple Personality Disorder rather than a constructive means of coping with an autism spectrum disorder).

3. Females are more motivated to learn - and quicker to understand key concepts - in comparison to males with ASD of equivalent intellectual ability. Thus, they may have a better long-term prognosis in terms of becoming more fluent in their social skills. This may explain why females with the disorder are often less conspicuous than males with the disorder and less likely to be referred for a diagnostic assessment. Moms with an autism spectrum disorder appear to have more maternal and empathic abilities with their own kids than dads with the disorder, who can have great difficulty understanding and relating to their kids.

4. It appears that many females on the spectrum have the same profile of abilities as males, but a subtler or less severe expression of the traits. Moms and dads may be reluctant to seek a diagnostic assessment if the youngster appears to be coping reasonably well, and therapists may be hesitant to commit themselves to a diagnosis unless the signs are conspicuously different to the normal range of behavior and abilities.

5. One must always consider the personality of the youngster with the disorder and how he/she copes with the difficulties he/she experiences in social reasoning, empathy and cognition. Some youngsters are overtly active participants in social situations. Their unusual profile of abilities in social situations is quite obvious. However, some are reluctant to socialize with others, and their personality can be described as passive. They can become quite adept at camouflaging their difficulties and clinical experience suggests that the passive personality is more common in females.

6. Some young people on the spectrum can be quite ingenious in using imitation and modeling to camouflage their difficulties in social situations. One strategy that has been used by many females is to observe individuals who are socially skilled and to copy their mannerisms, voice and persona. This is a form of “social echolalia” or mirroring where the person acquires a superficial social competence by acting the part of another person.

7. We have a stereotype of typical female and male behavior. Females are more able to verbalize their emotions and less likely to use physically violent acts in response to negative emotions (e.g., confusion, frustration and anger). We do not know whether this is a cultural or constitutional trait, but we recognize that kids who are violent are more likely to be referred for a diagnostic assessment to determine whether the behavior is due to a specific developmental disorder and for advice on behavior management.

Thus, males with the disorder are more often referred to a psychologists or psychiatrist because their violence has become a concern for their mom and dad, or teacher. A consequence of this referral bias is that not only are more males referred, therapists and academics can have a false impression of the incidence of violence in this population.

8. When a youngster would like more friends but clearly has little success in this area, one option is to create imaginary friends. This often occurs with young females who visualize friends in their solitary play or use dolls as a substitute for real individuals. Females with ASD can create imaginary friends and elaborate doll play, which superficially resembles the play of other females.

We need more studies to establish the true incidence of autism in females. In the meantime, these girls are likely to continue to be overlooked and not to receive the degree of understanding and resources they need.

Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:

==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

==> Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder

==> Launching Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance

==> Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Parents' Comprehensive Handbook

==> Unraveling the Mystery Behind High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book

==> Crucial Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

==> Videos for Parents of Children and Teens with ASD

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Resources for Neurodiverse Couples:

==> Online Group Therapy for Men with ASD

==> Online Group Therapy for NT Wives

==> Living with ASD: eBook and Audio Instruction for Neurodiverse Couples

==> One-on-One Counseling for Struggling Individuals & Couples Affected by ASD

==> Online Group Therapy for Couples Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder

==> Cassandra Syndrome Recovery for NT Wives

==> ASD Men's MasterClass: Social-Skills Training and Emotional-Literacy Development

==> Pressed for time? Watch these "less-than-one-minute" videos for on the go.

More articles for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the ASD child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually.

Click here to read the full article…

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Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's or HFA child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and your child are totally exhausted. But... don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next - the meltdown can return in full force.

Click here for the full article...

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Although Aspergers [high-functioning autism] is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager on the spectrum are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

Click here to read the full article…

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Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

Click here to read the full article…

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Two traits often found in kids with High-Functioning Autism are “mind-blindness” (i.e., the inability to predict the beliefs and intentions of others) and “alexithymia” (i.e., the inability to identify and interpret emotional signals in others). These two traits reduce the youngster’s ability to empathize with peers. As a result, he or she may be perceived by adults and other children as selfish, insensitive and uncaring.

Click here to read the full article...

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Become an expert in helping your child cope with his or her “out-of-control” emotions, inability to make and keep friends, stress, anger, thinking errors, and resistance to change.

Click here for the full article...

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A child with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) can have difficulty in school because, since he fits in so well, many adults may miss the fact that he has a diagnosis. When these children display symptoms of their disorder, they may be seen as defiant or disruptive.

Click here for the full article...

Why Your Adult Child with HFA or Asperger's Refuses to "Leave the Nest"

==> Help your adult child "launch"
and make it on his own two feet. <==

Indoor Sensory Swings for Kids on the Autism Spectrum

Below are our top 10 picks for sensory swings. Sensory Swings give kids on the autism spectrum a sense of calmness and blocks out unwanted sensory stimulation. A must for young people who have Sensory Processing Disorder, Asperger’s, High-Functioning Autism, and/or ADHD.