My ASD Child

Personal/Physical— • Being "in their own world" • Can engage in tasks (sometimes mundane ones) for hours and hours • Can spend hours in the library researching • Clumsiness • Collects things • Difficulty reading body language, facial expression and tone • Doesn't always recognize faces right away (even close loved ones) • Early in life they often have a speech impediment • Eccentric personality • Excellent rote memory • Flat, or blank expression much of the time • Highly gifted in one or more areas (e.g., math, music) • Idiosyncratic attachment to inanimate objects • Intense focus on one or two subjects • Likes and dislikes can be very rigid • Limited interests • Loves learning and information • May frequently repeat what you've just said • May have difficulty staying in college despite a high level of intelligence • Non-verbal communication problems • Preoccupied with their own agenda • Repetitive routines or rituals • Sensitivity to the textu...

Children with Aspergers (high functioning autism) may have problems processing information from one or more of the following seven sensory systems: 1. auditory (hearing) 2. gustatory (taste) 3. olfactory (smell) 4. proprioception (movement) 5. tactile (touch) 6. vestibular (balance) 7. visual (sight) These processes take place at an unconscious level, and they work together to help attention and learning. Each system has specific receptors that pick up information that is relayed to the brain. The sensory characteristics of children with Aspergers can be responsible for many of their negative behaviors and unpleasant emotions. Reactions to sensory stimuli for typically developing children often become stress responses for those with Aspergers. Sensory System Impact on Children with Aspergers— 1. Auditory System – Hearing: While they have intact hearing abilities, kids with Aspergers may not efficiently or accurately interpret auditory information. They...

You've got something to say to your child, or there is something you want him to do – or stop doing. But, as all children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's tend to do, he is fixated on a particular object or activity (e.g., television, computer, video game, etc.). But before your message can get through, you have to get his attention. Capturing your youngster's focus can be easier said than done, especially if it's already aimed at something else. Shouting sometimes seems like the only way to get him to listen, but it can also raise the emotional temperature in the room to the point where he is less able to attend (and if you shout a lot, he has probably learned to tune you out anyway). Fortunately, there are better ways to get your child’s attention. And you will want to have several strategies at your disposal to keep your approach fresh and “attention-getting.”  Here are 25 such strategies to add to your parenting toolbox: 1. "Can you...

Healthy self-esteem is a youngster's armor against the challenges of the world. Children who feel good about themselves seem to have an easier time handling conflicts and resisting negative pressures. They tend to smile more readily and enjoy life. These children are realistic and generally optimistic. In contrast, children with low self-esteem can find challenges to be sources of major anxiety and frustration. Those who think poorly of themselves have a hard time finding solutions to problems. If given to self-critical thoughts such as "I'm no good" or "I can't do anything right," they may become passive, withdrawn, or depressed. Faced with a new challenge, their immediate response is "I can't." Kids with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have a much harder time with their self-esteem. Here are just a few reasons why: Expressive and comprehensive communication has a direct impact on a youngster's self-esteem....

Aspergers (high functioning autistic) children usually want to fit in and have relationships with other people – they just don’t know how to do so properly. They lack an understanding of conventional social rules and often “appear” to lack empathy. In order to improve socialization, Aspergers kids need to learn and focus on socialization from an “intellectual” standpoint. What may come naturally for those without Aspergers needs concentration by those with it. Perhaps the best socialization tips for Aspergers children come from practice. The only way for the youngster to learn how to be social is to participate in numerous events and outings. How to Help Aspergers Children Develop Social Skills— Tips for Parents: 1. Communicate with pictures. To teach Aspergers children to be social, incorporate picture stories into their daily lives. This is important for difficult subjects such as sharing and communicating feelings. The stories should communicate how to handle the s...