My ASD Child

Written by Nathan, a 17 year old Asperger's teen, as a project for his school newspaper: Every "Aspie" (someone with high functioning autism) wants to be cool, yet most of us aren’t. But the truth is that there are no secrets to being cool; it's about who you are and how you behave. And there are things that you can do to bring out the cool in you. Below are some tips that'll show you how to look and sound cool with your peers. Use them, and you'll transform yourself into one of the socially adept – and your buddies will look forward to hanging out with you. 1. Always remember that attitude is a key factor in how people look at you. Have a great personality: be talkative, nice, and have charisma! 2. Always remember, the first day of high school is the most crucial. First impressions are EVERYTHING! It's how people will perceive you, for a while at least, until they get to know you better, which will take time. 3. For Aspie girls, don...

Question We live in Ireland and my son who is 6 goes to a Gaelscoil (a school that teaches through the Irish Language). We speak mainly English at home. I was recently told that Jude's (my son) Irish is not up to standard and has been suggested that perhaps we should look into sending him to an English speaking school. My problem is that Jude is very happy in this school and I feel that such a major change to him would be very upsetting to him and also Jude knows the Irish but in his mind he doesn't speak Irish only English. Do you have any tips to either get my boy to use the Irish that he has in school or to make the transition to a new school easier for him? I would be grateful for any pointers you have. Answer Re: Irish is not up to standard… Please watch the video entitled Aspergers Students: Tips for Teachers for tips on helping your son get up to speed with his Irish. Re: Making the transition to a new school… Here are some tips that can help...

Have you experienced an out-of-control yelling match with your Aspergers (high functioning autism) teen? While parenting these teens, moms and dads often find themselves in a power struggle. Teen "Aspies" try all sorts of things to get what they want, and sometimes this involves yelling and cussing-out their parents. The techniques that follow should help parents deal with aggressive Aspergers teens: 1. Avoid Excessive Negative Attention— It's a mistake to pay more attention to what the Aspergers youngster is doing wrong (e.g., his failures, mistakes, misbehaviors, etc.) than to what he is doing right (e.g., his successes, achievements, good behaviors, etc.). When you go to bed at night, review the day you have had with your Aspie. Have you spent as much time during the day looking at his appropriate behaviors as you have looking at his inappropriate actions? You should avoid using punishment as a primary method of control. Instead, substitute positive conse...

Question What is the best therapy for a child with Aspergers? Answer Actually, there is no “best” therapy for Aspergers (High Functioning Autism). However, there are various standard courses of treatment. Each treatment modality addresses a different set of issues. When a youngster is first diagnosed with Aspergers, he may be referred for therapy. Aspergers, as you know, is not a condition that can be cured. It is a neuro-developmental condition that is treated with an individualized treatment plan that may include different therapies and medications. Here are some of the most common treatment options: 1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is used to treat the emotional side of Aspergers (e.g., anxiety, depression, obsessions, etc.). This therapy helps form the connections between feelings, emotions, and behavior. 2. Occupational therapy is basically used to teach independence. Grasp, handwriting, social skills, and play skills are often included. This therapy may ...

At this moment in time, I feel like my heart is broken. A good friend of ours contacted my husband today and said that last week our son K___, 14, said sexual things and showed dirty pictures. We asked K___ and he said nothing was said or done. When our friend came over with his 10 year old son, we all sat down and K___ just sat there as the 10 year old told how K___ put on a DVD where there were women kissing and two people having sex though they didn’t see anything. Along with the 10 year old was his 7 year old sister. K___ has a human body book and he showed the 7 y/o where the penis goes into the vagina. K___ also asked the 10 y/o if he knew that a man’s penis can go into another’s bum and did he want him to try it out on him. Needless to say, I felt nauseous and in shock. Our son has sex and puberty books, and as a rule, asks if he wants to know anything. I am totally gob smacked. I have read discussions on other websites and I know we are not alone. Other parents ...

Young people with ASD [High-Functioning Autism] respond with anger mostly because they feel frustrated - they feel helpless to understand the situation fully, and helpless to change it. Parents need to understand that anger is not the same thing as aggression. Anger is a feeling, while aggression is a behavior. Anger is a temporary emotional state caused by frustration; aggression is often an attempt to hurt a person or to destroy property. Explain to your ASD child that anger is OK – aggression is not. Dealing with your child’s anger requires first finding out what he is feeling. Ask him what happened, what went wrong, what he wants, and what he is feeling. He may - or may not - be able to tell you very clearly, and he may need your help to label his feelings. Contrary to some popular opinions, punishment is not the most effective way to communicate to ASD children what we expect of them. Explaining, modeling, and setting rules are far more effective. However, expect you...

The way kids with Aspergers (Aspies) perceive the world makes sense to them, and for the most part, they can’t change the way they think or act. However, with assistance, they are able to adjust their behavior so as not to cause conflict and confusion with parents, teachers, and peers. Here are some common issues that will need to be dealt with when working with an Aspergers (high functioning autistic) child: • Aspergers kids don’t take much notice of the reaction of the people listening to them and may ramble on regardless of the listener’s interest, thus appearing insensitive to other’s wants, needs, and feelings. • Aspergers kids look just like their peers, and they often have average or above average intelligence, but they have difficulty understanding and relating to others in a way other non-Aspergers kids of their age do. • Aspies can be assumed to be selfish, because most would just rather play by themselves with a special interest of their own. • Aspies...