My ASD Child

Living with Aspergers (high functioning autism) is not something to shy away from. You can run – but you can't hide. So, if you think you have Aspergers, or if you have had it for a while, the following tips will help you in multiple areas of your life (i.e., spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, financially, and vocationally): 1. Be self-aware. Go online and read all about Aspergers. Folks who have it tend to be outspoken, and can have overall issues with the natural 'flow' of communication between two "normal" folks. Once you start to notice your own differences, you can actually adjust them. 2. Consider finding a group for support, most likely to be found online. However, take into consideration that most Aspergers individuals can be hard to talk to since they're, well, not always so good at that. You can use this group throughout your journey through life. 3. Consult a therapist to learn more about Aspergers. A therapist c...

"Any tips for helping my high functioning daughter to take a bath? This is a daily battle that is becoming unbearable." Sometimes getting your Aspergers or high functioning autistic youngster to take a bath or shower can be like pulling teeth. While some of these kids do enjoy playing in the tub, there are those who fight not to have to get washed up. Here are some tips for helping your youngster to enjoy bath time and actually want to bathe: 1. Allow your youngster to use bath crayons in the bathtub. Bath crayons are great because they come in a few different colors and wash off easily on any type of tub. Let your youngster draw pictures in the bath tub and wash them away with the tub water. You can even teach your youngster how to write his name, words, sentences, or anything you like and give him a little education during bath time. Just be sure to explain to your youngster that bath crayons are only for tub time and never to be used anywhere else. 2. Buy b...

With Aspergers and High Functioning Autism (HFA), the brain seems unable to balance the senses appropriately. It's common for these youngsters to have sensory problems. They may be hypo-active (low sensitivity) or hyper-reactive (high sensitivity) or lack the ability to combine the senses. Aspergers and HFA kids often have a "fight or flight" response to sensation. This condition is called "sensory defensiveness" and may be diagnosed as a "sensory processing disorder." These children can be sensitive to many things (e.g., the noise hair clippers make, the sensation of cutting hair, feeling loose hairs on their body, seeing hair fall on their clothing or the floor, etc.). When their perceptions are accurate, they can learn from what they see, feel, or hear. On the other hand, if sensory information is faulty, their experiences of the world can be confusing. Many young people with Aspergers and HFA are highly attuned - or even painfully sensitiv...

Essential Aspergers Information That All Parents And Teachers Need To Know:

Taking your Aspergers (high functioning autistic) son or daughter to the dentist can be a difficult experience for both child and parent. Here are some helpful tips to effectively deal with dentist appointments: 1. Ask the dentist to lean the chair back before your child gets in it, because sometimes Aspergers and HFA children don’t like the feeling of being moved backwards. 2. Bring along a sibling or friend and let your child watch as the doctor or hygienist performs the task on them first. 3. Collaboration and teamwork are essential for a successful trip to the dentist. 4. Consider some physical exercise (e.g., riding a bike) to be done before and after the visit for calming. 5. Create and read a social story about going to the dentist with your child. The social story should take the uncertainty out of what will happen at the dentist office. 6. Deep pressure can be used before and during the visit for calming. 7. Dentists should review your youngster’s...

The following summary identifies the specific learning difficulties of Aspergers and high functioning autistic students and suggests a number of possible classroom strategies: Difficulties with language— “Comic Strip Conversations” can be applied to a range of problems with conversation skills difficulty understanding complex language, following directions, and understanding intent of words with multiple meanings encourage the student to ask for an instruction to be repeated, simplified or written down if he does not understand explain metaphors and words with double meanings limit oral questions to a number the student can manage pause between instructions and check for understanding small group instruction for conversational skills teach appropriate opening comments teach rules and cues regarding turn-taking in conversation and when to reply, interrupt or change the topic teach student to seek assistance when confused tendency to interrupt tendency to make irrel...

How does a diagnostician or clinician conduct an assessment for Aspergers? Autism Spectrum Disorders are very complex, yet their features can be very subtle; they are not always obvious on the surface. As a result, an Aspergers (high-functioning autism) assessment will take more time than most other assessments. Below are the methods that clinicians who are new to the field of Aspergers can use as a guide. These are also the methods that moms and dads should look for to make sure they are getting a good assessment for their Aspergers child. An assessment should be conducted by a doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist who has expertise in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This is important because most degree programs may only give passing information about Aspergers. A clinician may have a lot of experience in evaluating and may know the DSM criteria for Aspergers – but knowing the criteria on paper is not the same as having the background to really know all of the subtle featur...