My ASD Child

==> 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

==> 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.

COMMENTS:

Anonymous said... This is a great article and very helpful. As an educator of children with Asperger's, I am always looking for innovative techniques to teach social skills. I think one of the first steps is for parents to recognize that problem solving skills that may come naturally to some, need to be taught and broken down for those with Asperger's. It can be a challenge, put with practice and consistent support, skills can be taught, retained, and generalized.

Anonymous said... I have read that giving them free access to whatever causes the stim will eventually cause them to get tired of it. if you know a million ladies who need a foot massage you might be able to wear him out. Sorry it's causing you huge problems.

Anonymous said... It might also be the start of a passion for selling shoes, sandals, everything for feet. Girls love their feet & shoes we need people passionate to work in businesses to cater for that. The passion just needs a bit of direction & channeling. Best wishes.

Anonymous said… There are many ways to embrace a foot fetish, and I'm sure he'll find a way to channel that passion, cuz it's life long. I also pray that someday he will find a woman who understands.

Anonymous said… Me too!! Because There are not that many good women out there and I hope he doesn't end up with the wrong one. :( He has autism and foot fetish just like ms, So I'll pray for him.

Anonymous said… I have an 30 year son with severe foot fetish and will get violent if you don't let him touch your feet .

Tics in Teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

"I'm 16 years old and I have ASD [level 1]. My parents and my friends tell me that I'm always blinking my eyes. Does everybody with autism have tics? What causes it? What can I do to stop it?"

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can have many complications such as tics. Tics are rapid sudden movements of muscles in your body. Tics can be vocal, too. Both kinds of tics are very hard to control and can be heard or seen by others. However, some tics are invisible (e.g., toe crunching, building up tension in your muscles).

Simple tics involve just one group of muscles and are usually short, sudden and brief movements such as twitching the eyes or mouth movements. Some simple tics can be head shaking, eye blinking or lip biting. Simple vocal tics can be throat clearing, coughing or sniffing.

Complex tics involve more than one muscle group and are longer movement which seem more complex such as jumping, hoping, touching people, hitting yourself or pulling clothes. Other complex vocal tics can be repeating words of others or yourself all the time or repeating out loud what you have read.

Tics may increase as a result of negative emotions such as stress, tiredness or anxiety. But they may increase due to positive emotions as well, such as excitement or anticipation. These emotions are often experienced in those diagnosed with ASD. A strong urge can be felt before the tics appear, but sometimes with intensive therapy, these urges can be suppressed. When tics - or urges to have tics - are suppressed, there can be a build-up of other tensions or even stress. Often when the tic is gone, those who suffer from it feel a sense of relief.

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

Whenever kids with ASD focus their energy on something else (e.g., laying computer games or watching TV), their tics often decrease due to relaxation and/or distraction.

Shoulder shrugging is one of the most common simple motor tics. Others include:

eye blinking
facial grimacing
head twitching
jumping
kicking
lip biting
nose wrinkling
repetitive or obsessive touching

Common vocal tics include:

barking
coughing
grunting
hissing
sniffing
throat clearing

Transient vs. Chronic Tics—

It's perfectly normal to worry that a tic may never go away. Fortunately, that's not usually the case. Most tics are temporary and are known as transient tics. They tend to not last more than 3 months at a time.

In rarer instances, children have tics that persist for an extended period of time. This is known as chronic tic disorder. These tics last for more than a year. Chronic tics can be either motor or vocal, but not both together.

Diagnosis—

Tics can sometimes be diagnosed at a regular checkup after the doctor asks a bunch of questions. No specific test can diagnose tics, but sometimes doctors will run tests to rule out other conditions that might have symptoms similar to tics.

Embarrassment Associated with Tics—

ASD children and teens don't see themselves having a tic (they're not walking around with a huge mirror at all times). So it's only natural that they may think that their tic is the worst tic ever. Of course it isn't, but it's still a concern for those who "tic." And these exaggerated thoughts can cause unnecessary feelings of embarrassment or worry, and actually make the tic worse.

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

Nobody wants to make tics worse, but is there any way to make them better? While you can't cure tics, you can take some easy steps to lessen their impact. Here's how:

A tic? What tic? If a friend of yours has a tic, don't call attention to it. Chances are your friend knows the tic is there. Pointing it out only makes the person think about it more.
Avoid stress-filled situations as much as you can — stress only makes tics worse. So get your work done early and avoid the stress that comes with procrastination and last-minute studying.
Don't focus on it. If you know you have a tic, forget about it. Concentrating on it just makes it worse.
Get enough sleep. Being tired can makes tics worse. So make sure to get a full night's rest!
Let it out! Holding back a tic can just turn it into a ticking bomb, waiting to explode. Have you ever felt a cough coming on and tried to avoid it? Didn't work out so well, did it? Chances are it was much worse. Tics are very similar.

In certain cases, tics are bad enough to interfere with someone's daily life, thus medication may be prescribed. Don't let a little tic dictate who you are or how you act. Learning to live with - and not pay attention to - the tic will make you stronger down the road.

==> Do you have a struggling teenager with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome? Then you will want to use these strategies to help him survive - and thrive!

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

COMMENTS:

Anonymous said... Thank you for this information. my son just developed a new tic today....rolling his eyes. i will surely have to explain this to his teacher. he has other simple and complex tics such as rubbing his face to the point of developing chaffing and rubbing his hair.he also tugs his clothing and clears his throat. i can now explain these actions . thanks heaps from a mother of an amazing aspergers kid.

Anonymous said... What bout high pitch screams? My son does alot iv tryd everthin to stop it nothin works iv bin kickd out of shops ppl shoutin at me to shut him up

Anonymous said... Thats wot my boy does 2, anybody wud fink im killing him, hav evn had 2 explain 2 my neighbours about him. an gemma dont let anybody make u feel that way, just explain that he has sensory special needs n if they dont understand that then id complain!! x

Parenting Aspergers Children - Support Group said… Re: screams. Screaming is a form of tics. With all tics, trying to stop them - and giving a lot of attention - makes it worse. Cardinal rule re: tics -- the more attention you give them - the more they grow.

Anonymous said... Im finally starting to accept my son has this syndrome..along with adhd n ocd as well..i know hes as tired n misrable as i am with his mind always spinnin but i choose not to medicate.we tried some n he was a zombie n now ive learnd he has a gland disease

Anonymous said... And hormone issues..i just wonder if this is a big part of his difficultys..hes only 5 years old..hes starting school in aug n i know they very much pressure adhd parents to medicate..i refuse.n they refuse to give him an aid n said he cud go 2 special ed

Anonymous said... Well aint happening! He is super smart,just needs 1 on 1 guidance from someone who cares n understands but they refuse to fund it..any suggestions??

Anonymous said... i understand your desire not to medicate. i found for years and years and finally gave in at age 7. my son could not function and was about to be put on a 72 hour hold he was getting so out of control. i was the biggest advocate for living holistically but my son (I actually have two boys on the spectrum) is by far doing better and now can actually benefit from his behavioral therapy instead of just hearing it but not taking it in at all. i would try a company called native remedies and see how their homeopathic stuff works before anything else. try behavioral therapy and see how it goes. e mail me if i can be of further assistance because i am not sure if i will get a message about this thread or not.....sometimes when it is a page you do not get the alert that someone posted back.

Anonymous said... My son has started sniffing constantly!! I am going to start hypnosis on Sunday. Hope that helps!!

Anonymous said... Thanks 4 advice guys ur all great an help me loads threw this x

Anonymous said... My son as gone through a lot of tics from eyetwiching blinking moveing head now lates ones are looking up anr round with his eyes and he keeps saying he has to touch things hard with his finger he i in the process of going throug cahms etc i think he has asd as he has had all symptoms since being a baby he is 8 now.

Anonymous said... Just be you . You blink more but you see and notice more than others . It's a gift .. It may not feel like it now but treasure it and own it . I get a twitch in my left eye now and then . It's normal you don't need to learn or change anything . Your perfect just the way you are.

Anonymous said... My 14 year old son has a tic disorder which causes him to blink. He does not have autism / aspergers but my older son does we have tried many things. But the more attention you or others pay to it the more you will do it. Eliminate sugars and other stimulants, get lots of sleep, and try to reduce your stress smile emoticon good luck buddy!

Anonymous said... My 9 year old son was recently diagnosed with Aspergers and has had tics for some time...eye blinking & clearing his throat. We were told by NHS he may get help with relaxation techniques to help combat stress/anxiety but still waiting! He is often aware of the tics but we try to not make a fuss/ignore them & distract or calm him.

Anonymous said... My son 7 has ASD and has just been diagnosed with tourettes.. he has rapid blinking of his eyes and a neck twitch, which was very noticible especially when he became anxious. He was also anxious and annoyed him when it happened because of frequency. He is now on medication ( not implying to anyone to medicate each to own) but his has improved and he also has told me he doesn't feel the tics anymore.

Anonymous said… My son does. Docs say it's his way of stemming or relieving built up tension.

Anonymous said… My son who is now 15 had a tic where it sounded like he was clearing his throat and a tic where he shrugged his shoulders constantly. These started to interfere with daily life such as school. His neurologist put him on medication for about 2 years. He quit the medicine about 8 months ago and the tics have not returned yet. We are hoping he has outgrown them. He always said he didn't control them his body just needed to do it.

Anonymous said… My son has had throat clearing, grimace style winking and most recently deep breaths that sound like an asthma attack (but isn't!). He's not aware of when he has tics and we just ignore them so he doesn't get anxious. They always go away pretty quick. I also let school know so that they don't think he's just trying to be annoying 😊

Anonymous said… Yes my sweet fella does- but got worse w ADHD meds -

Anonymous said… I wouldn't try stopping them unless they were bothering you. Probably make it worse if you tried to control it.

Anonymous said… My 15 year old does that loud, discusting throat clearing sound. My husband thinks he can get him to stop by taking away computer time but I dont even think he is aware of it most of the time. @ Beth- what medication helped?

Anonymous said… My son would do that, sometimes he picks it up still, he managed to stop himself. Every time he would do it I'd tell him,..." you're grunting kiddo, reign yourself in."

Anonymous said… The last thing you want to do is make him feel he is doing something wrong. Our school had daily behavior reports that my son was aware of. He never had so many tics develop as he did during that time. I put an end to the daily critique and in no time he was able to overcome his hyper sensitive awareness to 'be perfect'. See my comment below.

Anonymous said… I can ask him if he can remember what triggered the throat clearing/grunting and how he was able to stop himself from doing it. Maybe he can offer your son some help.

Anonymous said… Medication can cause tics and so will anxiety. Self-calming techniques are best.

Anonymous said… My son developed many tics while going through daily behavioral reports in school [all the students did]. I stopped his reports because he was becoming overly critical of himself. He started setting his feet straight before sitting, reaching for the doorknob several times before opening it, excessive handwashing, grunting etc...we got him to stop doing them all in less than two months. The only one we could never conquer [since early childhood] was the skipping back and forth after school, or after sitting for long periods, accompanied with flapping. I talked to him recently about it because he is going to be 16, and he is conciously making an effort to recognize when he is doing it an applying himself to end it. We would gently tell him whenever he was ticcing and that he needed to reset his thoughts or reign it in. He did the rest himself. No meds, no punishments.

Anonymous said… We believe the skipping and flapping is from idling too long. He gets off in his own, more enjoyable world and runs around in it for 15 minutes or so.

Post your comment below...

The Best Way to Teach Social Stories to Kids on the Autism Spectrum

"What is the best way to teach social stories? Should this be done by parents, a therapist, or in a peer-group setting? And are social stories good resources for the home-schooler?"

Indeed, social stories can be effectively used to teach appropriate behavior in a variety of settings. Social stories may be used by parents, therapists, or in peer group settings. And home-schooling parents often use social stories effectively. Social stories are used to address many psychological and social symptoms, including:

A lack of imagination in play or expression

Consistent shyness, anxiety, and unhappiness

Depression during the years of adolescence and early adulthood

Difficulty in relationships with others

Feelings of isolation from others

Obsessions, including irrational fears and anxieties

Timidity

The Importance of Social Stories

Social stories are a teaching device for kids. The stories are used to teach everyday social skills to youngsters who have a diagnosis of High-Functioning Autism. The stories contain accurate and useful information for someone encountering situations that they may find difficult or confusing. The stories approach a topic by describing it in explicit detail and focus on teachable skills needed within the story. A typical social story will discuss a given situation, how someone is expected to react in that situation, and why the reactions are appropriate.

Deciding on an Appropriate Social Story

Social stories are individualized in that each youngster is seen as an individual whose problems accompany a diagnosis of High-Functioning Autism.

An appropriate social story captures the areas of the youngster’s life that are challenging. The child’s behavior is evaluated by parents and teachers at home, in public, and at school. Parents, teachers, and therapists look at the child’s tantrums, withdrawal, social, and escape behaviors. They target these behaviors, and use a social story that addresses the behaviors.

Here's an example:

Lining Up—

At school, we sometimes line up. We line up to go to the gym, to go to the library, and to go out to recess. Sometimes my friends and I get excited when we line up, because we’re going someplace fun, like out to recess. It is okay to get excited, but it is important to try to walk to the line. Running can cause accidents, and my friends or I could get hurt. I will try to walk to the line (the behavioral goal for the child).

As you can see, social stories are short and to the point. They are structured to describe social situations, explicitly describing what the youngster can expect from the situation, and what society expects of the youngster.

The Benefits of Social Stories

Social stories are beneficial in that they focus on “theory of mind” impairments (i.e., mind blindness), which are inabilities to understand the feelings and behaviors of others. In addition, social stories not only provide information about social situations, but also help the child learn how to handle them. Socially relevant information, with illustrations and text, have been shown to be highly effective with young people on the autism spectrum.

Dealing With Frustration: A Social Story--

==> Continue learning how to effectively use social stories to teach your child social skills...

==> Social stories in video format can be viewed here...

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

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

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Resources for Neurodiverse Couples:

==> 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

==> 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.

How to Teach Social Skills to Your Child on the Autism Spectrum

"I would like to know how to advise my son with ASD [level 1] on social skills, such as relating to friends without being insulting to others and driving them away."

One of the behavioral traits seen in kids with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lack of "demonstrated" empathy (i.e., they can empathize, but may not show it). They don’t realize that other people have thoughts and interests that are different from theirs.

They’ll interrupt a conversation and start churning out facts about their pet interest (e.g., medieval history, Star Wars’ trivia, Math, etc.) even if it has nothing to do with what the other kids are talking about.

This and their lack of other social skills (e.g., looking others in the eyes when conversing, responding appropriately to greetings and questions, understanding fads and the interests of peers, etc.) makes making friends very difficult for ASD kids.

With some of these children, social abilities remain intact or aren’t really noticed until around age eight. It is around this time that their peers begin perceiving them as “different.” The autistic is singled out for teasing. In addition, he may be seen as oppositional because kids with ASD take words and gestures very literally. Communication with ASD kids must be “concrete” (i.e., brief and easily understood).

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

Your son can be taught most of the same social skills that youngsters without ASD learn on their own. You can work with your son’s school to produce cards or posters with facial expressions that define feelings. Also, full-length mirrors can be used to make these kids aware of their facial expressions and overall body language. You and his teachers can role play social situations with him to help him learn appropriate responses and actions.

On a related note, it is critical that schools become fully equipped to help children with ASD. The number of schools with diagnostically appropriate services will increase when parents, doctors, and social service practitioners lobby educational institutions for assistance in teaching these students.

Until the school provides more assistance with your son, there are a number of things that you can do at home. For example, surround your son with friends and family so he will have familiar people around on a consistent basis. If your son is intimidated by a large number of people, just have one friend over at a time.

In addition to friends, you can train your son in appropriate social and perceptual skills. He can learn to perceive and interpret nonverbal behaviors, process visual and auditory information, and become aware of social/behavioral conventions.

To help you help your son, go on the internet and look for ASD support groups. Also, look for a group in your area. If there is none available, there are people who stay in touch via the internet. Whether in person or over the internet, they can give you advice and support which will help you help your son.

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

When attempting to share information with schools about ASD, help teachers and other staff to understand the following. ASD is not:

mental retardation. Some autistic people may be very intelligent — there is a lot of evidence that Albert Einstein may have been autistic
"savant" syndrome. Some autistic people are "savants," (e.g., instant calculator, etc.) but most are not. Other autistic people are "gifted," however, and have high "general" intelligence. Many autistic people have normal intelligence, and some may be retarded
an emotional problem. ASD is a neurological condition which people are usually born with. Psychological trauma doesn't cause it
a psychosis or lack of reality contact
"a fate worse than death." Autistic people have some disadvantages, but some live very happy and rewarding lives. Many autistic people wouldn't want to be "cured," as this would be like erasing them and replacing them with different people

==> Specific strategies for teaching social skills can be found here...

==> "Social Stories" in Video Format for Kids on the Autism Spectrum

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

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

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Resources for Neurodiverse Couples:

==> 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

==> 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.

How to Promote Self-Confidence in Your Child on the Autism Spectrum

Early on, the youngster with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) or Asperger’s (AS) begins to notice that his peers can do certain tasks easily that are very difficult for him. As a result, he may begin to feel bad about himself. He may receive frequent criticism, or at best, luck warm praise. For example:

“You are making progress” (with what exactly?).
“You are doing fine” (how fine?).
“You are doing better” (better than what?).

Criticism damages self-confidence, and general (i.e., non-specific) praise is often too abstract to be meaningful to concrete thinkers.

By making a regular habit of commenting on the positives, and by offering specific comments on what their HFA youngster is doing well, moms and dads will promote desired behaviors and boost his or her self-confidence. Specific praise includes phrases such as:

“You are listening carefully. I’m proud of you.”
“You are sitting properly and looking at me.”
“You cleaned the table after dinner.”
“You finished the assignment.”
“You picked up the bag the lady dropped. Thank you.”
“You remembered to bring home the work you have do.”

With specific praise, the “special needs” youngster can be very clear on what behaviors are expected and liked.

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

Visual, specific “proof of progress” helps the youngster with HFA to notice - and feel confident - about her accomplishments and progress. Charts, check lists with lots of checks, gold stars, home-made certificates, and stickers can be used when the child works hard on tasks:

(a) at home (e.g., making her bed, putting the toilet paper into the holder when the last piece is gone, remembering to take out the garbage, setting the table correctly, helping her mom with the shopping, etc.),
(b) at school (e.g., keeping her desktop organized, standing quietly in line for lunch, waiting for her turn to talk, etc.).

Moms and dads - and educators - boost the HFA youngster’s self-confidence by seeking-out what he can do well and supporting these strengths to the fullest extent. Whether it is telling stories, selling things, science, photography, nature, inventing, computer work, or art, the “special needs” youngster needs ongoing and frequent support to become the best in his “areas of strength.” This extra support will help the child to value the educational process, and it will help him feel better about himself.

Teaching the HFA child that many people have overcome difficulties to become successful is another valuable way to boost confidence. For example, adventures where the characters got lost or had to fight sharks or other beasts, read or play videos of biographies in which kids or grown-ups have had to struggle to achieve their goals, stories of achieving despite illness or disability, stories of fighting prejudice or unfairness, etc. Kids on the autism spectrum enjoy and benefit from discussing these kinds of challenges.

In addition, when moms and dads can introduce their youngster to highly effective members of society who struggle with various disorders, particularly an autism spectrum disorder, the child can hold her head higher. All members of society who are functioning well with HFA (e.g., athletes, business executives, celebrities, firemen, policemen, etc.) can serve as role models and inspiration for the “special needs” youngster.

When parents and teachers learn to cherish and model diversity, the HFA youngster learns that there are many different ways to think, learn, work, raise kids, and so on. He feels better about himself when he understands that doing things differently, learning differently, and being different is perfectly acceptable – and that differences can enrich our lives. True self-confidence manifests itself when the child is able to do what he wants to do – even if he doesn’t do it the way everybody else does.

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

SHARE WITH YOUR CHILD:

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

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

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Resources for Neurodiverse Couples:

==> 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