My ASD Child

The diagnosis of social phobia in Aspergers and high-functioning autistic (HFA) kids emphasizes the following: A youngster with social phobia must show the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people, and his/her anxiety must occur in peer contexts, not just with grown-ups. Due to limitations of cognitive and perceptual skills, Aspergers and HFA kids with social phobia need not recognize that their fear in social situations is excessive or unreasonable. The anxiety brought on by social situations may be evidenced by crying, tantrums, meltdowns, freezing, shutdowns, or shrinking from social situations with unfamiliar people. There must be evidence of the social fears existing for a minimum of six months. Developmental Pathways to Social Phobia— 1. Genetic factors: Taken as a whole, studies using twins to determine whether genetics play a significant part in the development of social phobia are inconclusive. Some twin studies have examined the h...

The logistics of a move can - and will - influence your Aspergers or high functioning autistic (HFA) child's adjustment. For many "neurotypical" (i.e., non-autistic) kids, moving can be a positive experience, as it brings the opportunity to develop new friendships, pursue new interests, increase social confidence, and learn important lessons about adapting to change. However, as parents of Aspergers and HFA children know, “change” is extremely difficult for them. Transitions of any kind, especially those that are unpredictable, are unsettling and can cause the youngster to become totally undone. Knowing how to support your youngster through change in order to make a successful transition is crucial. Helping with transitions is especially important during childhood “life event” changes (e.g., attending a new school, death in the family, divorce, going to college, moving, etc.). Here are some tips to help transition your child to a new home: 1. Access religio...

As a parent, consider the range of emotions you have experienced after the loss of a loved one (e.g., grief, guilt, shock, loneliness, compassion, etc.), and think of how that might reflect in your ASD or high-functioning autistic (HFA) youngster during his first loss.  The difference may be that while you outwardly show a variety of feelings associated with loss, you may not see similar emotions in your "special needs" youngster. Just like you, comprehending the loss of a loved one – even a beloved pet – may take time for your youngster to completely process. Just because he doesn’t grieve in “typical” ways (e.g., openly sobbing, wanting to be with family members, talking to close friends, etc.) doesn't mean he is emotionless or unaffected. In fact, the opposite could be true. Tips for helping HFA children through the grieving process: 1. An HFA youngster's capacity to understand death — and your approach to discussing it — will vary according to the ...

A major life challenge for young people with Aspergers and high-functioning autism (HFA) is attending college after high school graduation. Here are some crucial guidelines to follow as you help your "special needs" teen transition to college: 1. If your youngster's diagnosis has been identified and supported in your school district, a transition plan to support him from graduation to higher education should be implemented by age fourteen with specific resources and contacts identified. 2. Some high schools partner with local colleges to offer higher-education opportunities while the teenager is still attending high school. Inquire about such opportunities well in advance of your teen’s senior year of high school since there may be a waiting list, limited availability, or sign-up procedures. 3. Hopefully at some point in your youngster's school career, a guidance counselor completed an inventory of his aptitudes (i.e., strengths and talents). The results...

Your very sensitive youngster with Aspergers (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA) will probably sense marital discord long before you do – even if you believe you've been very secretive about it. He may internalize what is occurring around him and assume personal responsibility for it. It is a very disturbing time for child with special needs, and the internal personalization of the situation cannot be contained indefinitely. In the AS or HFA youngster, this can manifest itself in: Depressive symptoms Heightened anxiety Increase in “acting out” or other “attention-seeking” behaviors Increased difficulty in school Post-traumatic stress disorder Rashes and other skin irritations Regular symptoms of physical illness Maintaining peace wherever possible and providing reassurances as the divorce unfolds are important considerations for helping AS children through divorce. Here are 20 crucial tips for helping your child with the transition from a traditional two-par...

"We are going to be moving to a nearby town in a few weeks, and starting the first week in September, my son (with high functioning autism) will be attending a new school. The timing is not very good for this move as we had hoped to wait until he finished grade school at the current location. In any event, how can we make this transition without having major meltdowns and/or behavioral problems?" Click here for the answer...

Some "Aspergers" and "high-functioning autistic" (HFA) children do not have the disorder at all, they are simply "gifted." Has your child been misdiagnosed? No one knows exactly how many gifted kids are misdiagnosed by clinicians and pediatricians who are not trained in the unique emotional difficulties of the gifted youngster. A common belief is that gifted kids do not have any particular social or emotional problems. Yet, research indicates that up to 20 % of high school dropouts test in the gifted range. Some gifted kids may not seem different than other “behaviorally-difficult” children in their behavior and emotions, but the underlying causes are different. Any youngster can become withdrawn, aggressive, depressed, anxious, or sad – or exhibit any number of other problem behaviors given the right circumstances. However, there are a many aspects of giftedness that create unique challenges. Gifted kids, many of whom are “asynchronous” (i.e...