Showing posts with label social. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

How To Work With Your Autistic Child For Social Settings

Current studies indicate that about one out of about 160 children is affected with autism or some type or level of autistic spectrum disorder. One of the biggest problems with having an autistic child is that they do not care to or cannot participate in social functions or social gatherings and they have trouble communicating verbally. This clearly creates problems for the child as they develop and mature because they do not interact with children of their own age group to learn how to act and behave in a social setting.
This aspect presents a very unique challenge to the parents of an autistic child. Needless to say, it is difficult to accept the fact that your child is afflicted with autism, but of course as parents, you want to do everything you can for your child to allow them to lead as normal a life as possible. Some parents are even in denial of the fact that their child has autism, but the quicker you as parents can accept that fact, the sooner you can deal with it and get the specialized help that your autistic child needs at this point in their development.
As a parent, you may need to develop a thick skin. What this means is that some people in the general public will make rude remarks or comments about an autistic child. While most people will accept that fact and be helpful and sympathetic, you need to be emotionally prepared for the occasional thoughtless jerk who makes a rude or crude comment about your autistic child. It does you no good to get angry or embarrassed or to cause a scene, and you need to be pacified with the fact that the jerk who made the comment makes himself look incredibly stupid to others via his remark.
One of the ways to allow your autistic child to learn how to act and behave in the general public is via role playing at home. You can pretend to be at a social gathering such as a school picnic and do role-playing, which will allow your child to become comfortable with this setting gradually over a period of time. Keep your role playing sessions short at home, since the attention span of an autistic child is limited, and forcing them to continue with it after their attention is exhausted will simply put a negative spin on being in such a social situation, which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.
One of the traits of an autistic child is that they do not look people in the eye. It is unknown why this is the case but it is thought to perhaps be a function of the child actually realizing that they are not the same as their peers, and this aspect is a reflection of a sign of low self-esteem. While there is no way to prove that via scientific studies, that is a popular train of thought. Whatever the cause though, you may want to work with your child at home, and perhaps even with a reward system for when they are able to look you in the eyes. The model of "proper behavior warrants a reward" has been effective for many, but do not make the reward large, just something very small, like being allowed to play with their favorite toy.
It will take work, but as parents, you have the ability to help shape your child's future. Do not put the entire task on the shoulders of the school, but rather, work with your child at home to create a pleasant and loving atmosphere, and to work with your autistic child to help them function.
For more information about Autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorder please visit our web site at http://www.autism-explained.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Arnold

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

How Can You Help Your Autistic Child Create Friendships?

Friends are important to people. Having friends and creating friends for your autistic child could be challenging. How will you be able to accept this challenge and help your child who has the disorder of autism, create friendships?

It is imperative to know your child.Know his or her weaknesses and strengths. Consider the social limitations your child may have. Not only participating with autistic children, but non-autistic children. Each child is unique and may need various kinds of help or coaching for encouragement and to gain confidence.

Some autistic children may have difficulty in expressing their verbal language. In addition, not being able to understand verbal language from other children. This can make it a challenge to communicate and create friendships with other children and autistic children.

Therefore, it is wise to determine the limitations your child may have, before you decide, your child should socialize and create friendships.

By taking this action, you will learn what your child is expressing and what he or she is able to handle. This will determine what kind of friends are appropriate for your individual to socialize with, when trying to create friendships.

Set a play date for that is fun for your child and other children. This could be done at school, or outside of the classroom. Take time to find the right situation for your child and other children to participate in.

When you do find the time that will work for all of the children, and the place, keep the time short and limited. This will eliminate stress, frustration and rejection from other children. By being aware of this and taking charge of the situation, your child will probably want to continue this activity or another one. It will help to create friends at his or her own pace.

If your child does not like crowds, bright lights, loud noises, confusing activities, multiple activities, take this into consideration. Do not force your child to take part in areas, where you know he or she will become upset. What is a fun activity or place for some children, could be extremely overwhelming for a child with the disorder of autism.

Another way you can help your autistic child create friendships is, if you have made many attempts for your child to participate in activities, new places, new times, to socialize and it does not seem to be working, perhaps it is time for you to be creative with a new idea or plan.

If you know your child, you will know if he or she needs more time to adjust to other individuals, activities, new places, etc. Be sure you are not placing an enormous amount of pressure on your child, by having too high expectations for him or her to socialize on your terms and thoughts. Instead, take into consideration each individual is different. You will want to evaluate your motives for encouraging creative friendships and socialization for your child.

If your child feels comfortable with one friend and is having fun, that may be all that is necessary for the present time. You may find you do not need to create more friendships or have your child participate in more social activities. Keep the pace simple for creating new friendships. Do not push your child into new friendships, when one or two friends could be enough and it will avoid unwanted stress.

Bonita Darula operates a web sight==> http://www.autismintoawareness.com SIGN up to RECEIVE your COMPLIMENTARY WEEKLY AUTISTIC NEWSLETTER on current TOPICS. For example: How can you help your child create and have friends? Order your Autism updated information from your Complimentary Autistic Newsletter to help your child and you.

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Sunday, October 9, 2011

Autism Symptoms - The Profound Impairment of Social Interaction Skills

Autism has an array of "classic" symptoms, with a profound impairment of social interaction skills perhaps being the most familiar to the layperson. Parents often notice something is not quite right with their child, often as early as infancy. In most cases, the signs are present within the first two to three years of life, whereupon a diagnosis of autism is made by medical professionals after a thorough assessment and evaluation using a checklist of items.

In infancy or during the toddler stage, the child doesn't make spontaneous eye contact, or actively avoids it. He shows a lack of response to his own name when it's spoken and intuitive reactions to social stimuli are lacking. For example, there is an impairment of exchanging nonverbal social action cues, like returning a smile or reacting to a frown. A "deadpan" expression is common, but not universal, among children with autism.

Another cue for parents is the child's not asking for what he wants or needs. He is more likely point or use a gesture to make his needs known.

The autistic child shows little spontaneous interest in the people around him and does not make an effort to point out things that they are talking about or enjoy. Related to this is a lack of empathy toward others, because he doesn't understand what makes others feel pain or sorrow.

Tantrums and a strong resistance to any change in his routine or environment are usually clues, too. The child may have a certain set of rituals of his own creation that mean nothing to others but have a high significance for him.

At times, the child may appear to be developing normally and then suddenly withdraws from social interaction. There is an inability or lesser ability to make friends with other children. Moreover, there's an impaired ability to strike up and sustain a conversation with other people.

As a follow-on, imaginative and socially cooperative play are lacking. The inability to establish and maintain social interactions tends to isolate the child; however, it would be a mistake to believe the child with autism prefers to remain alone. Personal attachments may be formed but in a limited way. Developing better social interaction for the autistic child often hinges on strategies to enhance his communications skills.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism: Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder.

Wondering What Autism treatments Work Best? Here's a comprehensive guide about autism to help parents and caregivers avoid a fruitless and frustrating journey when raising an autistic child Knowledge is power! No disorder is as confusing to understand and as complex to diagnose.

To learn more go here now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Gee



Sunday, October 2, 2011

Turning Common Interactions Into Meaningful Social Skill Lessons for a Child With Autism

Do you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who is challenged socially? Do you realize that you don't have to rely on the professionals who provide services to your child to enhance their social skills. Social skill groups and classes led by experts in the field are extremely beneficial but you also have the power to take every social interaction your child experiences and turn it into a teaching/learning opportunity.

As parents we interact with our children numerous times during the day. Each interaction has a specific reason attached to it, helping a child dress, tucking them into bed, or reading them a story are simple encounters that are almost done by default as if we are on automatic pilot. These can be anything from a greeting, asking them a question or giving them a direction that may be brief yet powerful. When you think of it, every contact we have with our children is a social one and as simple as it might be we can make it even more significant to our autistic child if we take 30-45 more seconds to describe what we are doing.

Children with Autism are very concrete and literal and we should not assume that they are picking up everything we do via watching or observing us. We need to be more mindful and deliberate when it comes to parenting a child with autism because they do not always absorb things just by being exposed to them. Realistically, there is much that is happening that is not being noticed unless we specifically point it out.

The best strategy for turning a social encounter into a meaningful learning experience for your autistic child is to call attention to the manner in which you relate to them and why. This is a simple yet effective way to expand your child's social toolbox. Here are some tips on how to make each interaction you have with your child more meaningful and useful.

- Use the rewind button. After a typical social interaction you have with your child, rewind what you just did and replay it for them in slow motion. Ex. "Did you notice what I just did? I wanted to ask you a question so I made sure I was close to you instead of hollering from across the room." Replay the scene using each approach and ask which one works best. For older children you can also get into a discussion of why that tactic was the better one to use.

- Pretend you need help. All children like being asked to share their opinion - it makes them feel important. When you have time to think ahead, try involving your child in a social skill decision. "I want to ask your dad a question but he looks as if he is busy right now, what do you think I should do?" Then present two plausible options, one more socially acceptable than the other and ask your child what do you think will happen if I use option A, then examine option B.

- Paint a picture of what you just did. "I wanted to make sure I had your attention so I leaned over and looked into your eyes." Then follow up with a specific description of using that skill - "When you want to make sure someone is listening to you, it's best to get in front of them and look at the color of their eyes." Add any specific details that you think your child will need - in front of means an arms length away, not right up in their face, etc.

- Point out your mistakes. Even as adults, not all of our interactions are successful but we often know where we went wrong. This is a great opportunity to share your experience with your child and prompt them to think about what you could have done differently. When asking their advice do not let too much time go by after you pose the question or make them feel pressured by it, simply fill in the answer for them and briefly discuss it, if possible.

Remember, there is no such thing as too much repetition for a child on the autism spectrum. It is always a good idea to end each one of these possible scenarios with a specific description regarding the social skill you are trying to teach and duplicate it as often as you think you need to in order for your child to grasp the skill.

There is always ample opportunity to practice most of these skills because they occur over and over again in our daily activities. The added benefit to this process is that we grow in awareness as to how we utilize our own social skills to communicate and get to practice them more consciously.

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Visit her website http://www.parentcoachingforautism.com to get your FREE resources - a parenting ecourse, Parenting a Child with Autism - 3 Secrets to Thrive and a weekly parenting tip newsletter, The Spectrum.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Hammer


Friday, July 29, 2011

The Difference Between Autism and Aspergers

In order to more fully understand the difference between Autism and Aspergers it is helpful to understand that Autism, also referred to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), covers a range of developmental and cognitive abilities ranging from mild to significant impairments. A person who has been diagnosed with autism may be so severely affected that there are significant impairments to social, language, and cognitive development. On the other hand, autism may be so mild that a person my function at a very high level intellectually while continuing to struggle with social interactions.

One of the primary areas of difficulty for a person with autism is in the area of language development. Since the early 1990's many young people diagnosed with Autism have made progress (approximately 85%) with language development partly due to early intervention and increased awareness and understanding. Although speech can be developed, many individuals with autism continue to struggle with repetition of words they have recently heard (echolalia), and an inconsistent style of speech with respect to language patterns. Grammatical structure may also present difficulty. The development of vocabulary may be inconsistent. It is not unusual for children and adults with high-functioning autism to have patterns of language that are not expressively different then individuals with high functioning Asperger's syndrome.

What stands out as a characteristic trait in individuals with Asperger's is a heightened awareness and interest in a specific area. The intensity of the focus on a subject is often more significant than the desire to interact socially. When autism signs are diagnosed the focus often tends to be centered on order, structure, and routine. Although, once again, the difference is harder to discern when comparing high-functioning autism to Asperger's syndrome.

By definition of ASD, for a person with autism, cognitive impairment is often a marked deficit. In addition to language deficits, functional and self-help skills often present substantial difficulty. Individuals with Asperger's, on the other hand, characteristically have average to above average intellectual skills. While social skills present difficulty, language and self-help skills are often close to age appropriate.

When considering the types of autism and Asperger's symptoms the lines are not always clear. As previously mentioned, mild autism and Asperger's syndrome may look very similar. The difficulty lies in the fact that every individual is different. No two people react and behave in the same way. To better understand the difference between autism and Aspergers one must look at the specific symptoms, behaviors, and their frequency, while continuing to gather information on autism and the symptoms of Aspergers.

http://www.autism-aspergers-books.com/articles/the-difference-between-autism-and-aspergers/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Abrams



How To Overcome Autism and Anxiety On Socialization

Children with autism are often misunderstood, especially when it comes to autism and anxiety on socialization and it's not surprising that the most loving parents can make some mistakes.

The body of information about this condition is vast, but some of it is conflicting. This can leave even the best parents feeling confused and overwhelmed. One thing no parent wants to see is his or her child is suffering in any way. When it comes to autism and anxiety of socialization, there is some conflicting information out there about the children and what they might really want to accomplish.

For a long time it was thought that children with autism did not want to socialize. Some parents would feel bad about trying to get them to relate to other children their age, as it brought about a lot of frustration for the child. Autistics can lack many of the basic social skills needed to make and keep friends. They aren't good with eye contact, initiating conversations, and relating to peoples emotions. Even some children who do not have this condition can have problems in these areas sometimes.

For a long time it was thought that autistic children did not seek out or did not want to develop these types of social relationships, and would rather be 'alone.' There have been many studies that have proven this theory to be false. They do want to relate, and sometimes they want this very badly, but they just don't know how to go about it. This, as you can imagine, leads to enormous amounts of frustration for the child, and of course, for the parents. The anxiety that comes with this can be overwhelming and might cause setbacks.

People mistakenly think these children prefer to stay away from their peers because they show signs of preferring the company of adults they know, or they seem to show a preference to play by themselves. This isn't necessarily a preference for many of them. They simply cannot handle the anxiety of trying to build and maintain relationships that they do not have the skills to hang on to.

Avoidance and withdrawal are their way of coping with the overwhelming anxiety of the situation. A child thrown into this situation without preamble or warning will suffer great anxiety and frustration. However, knowing how to proceed can be difficult for any parent. Sometimes, there are no easy answers.

Each child has to be evaluated individually. There are some great programs that help children with the basics of socialization before they are presented with actually trying it. Some children have severe problems, and the choice to put them into special educational classes does have drawbacks, but putting a low-functioning child into regular classes has huge drawbacks as well.

Though taking time to evaluate a child before making a decision will help, you can never really eliminate the effects of autism and anxiety on socialization for a child with this condition. You just have to keep up, readjust when needed, and give them all the support you can.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter for more information on http://www.essential-guide-to-autism.com/ autism and anxiety on socialization.In the newsletter you'll find out more about the signs and symptoms of autism.

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Autism Social Skills - Why Do Children With Autism Need Friendships?

Our children with Autism need friendships for a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons are the same as our typical children. Some of those reasons are a bit different for our children.

Of course children with Autism need friends to be able to practice social skills. They need to learn to share and take turns. Friends are many times with people longer than siblings. Siblings share location and parents. Friends share interests and time.

It is a bit more complicated when our child has Autism. They sometimes do not seem to really want friends. Our children like spending time alone. Many of our children like the quiet. There is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes. Even most of the time.

The only problem is that they are missing out on a different type of relationship. Friendship is different than the relationship between us and our children. It is also different than the relationship between siblings. It requires different skills.

Sometimes parents are years down the road before they think about friends. Children with Autism are lonely in a way that is difficult to describe to a parent of a typical child.

This is one area we can do something about. We need to start planning in a strategic way from the early years. Short play dates during the toddler years and planned one on one visits as our child gets older are important. Putting our child in position to find friends is important.

Do the children in the neighborhood go someplace in particular on Friday nights? Is there a Boy Scout troop or a Girl Scout troop? How about baseball? We will have to do the planning ourselves, probably for longer than a lot of children who do not have Autism. It is possible to help our child find a friend or two though.

Would you like more free information? Please register here: http://autismonabudget.blogspot.com/2009/12/free-information.html

Mylinda Elliott is the parent of five children. The third of the five has Autism which was diagnosed early on. The fourth of the five children has Aspergers. She is a self taught expert on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Mylinda Elliott has also worked professionally in the disability world for the past fifteen years. She is considered the "Go To" woman for advice or resources on disabilities.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mylinda_Elliott



Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Selecting an Autism Diet A Review of Popular Approaches

Art therapy may be an ideal way to develop social skills, but an autism diet may also be another form of effective treatment. Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy, and like expressive therapy, when it comes to food control, there is more than one type of diet that can be used to treat autism.

Many health practitioners believe that an autism diet may be beneficial treatment. The reason is because most autistics have distorted immune response which causes their body to respond abnormally to certain types of food, viruses and toxins. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for many autistics to suffer from gastrointestinal inflammation and other intestinal disorders. It is thought that these intestinal problems might decrease the body's ability to absorb specific essential nutrients. Thus, by following a diet and other alternative treatment methods, certain abilities and overall health may be improved in an autistic individual.

The following are 4 autism diets you may want to consider -

Gluten and Casein Free Diet

Gluten and Casein are both proteins found in many foods which some autistics have a hard time digesting. Gluten occurs in wheat, oat and rye products, while casein is found in human milk, cow milk and many other dairy products. Both of these proteins are also in the ingredients of many medications.

Research has discovered that abnormally high level of specific peptides related to gluten and casein have been found in the urine of autistic children. This could mean that these proteins are not being effectively broken down into amino acids, and this over-absorption of peptide can actually affect brain function. Thus, by removing gluten and casein from the autism diet, this will prevent further gastrointestinal and neurological damage from occurring.

Yeast- Free Diet

Some research is based on the belief that some autistics have high levels of candida albicans (a type of yeast that occurs naturally in the body) in their intestinal tract. A candida overgrowth in the intestines can cause "leaky gut" syndrome, a condition that causes tiny holes in the intestinal tract. The yeast grows fast and releases toxins in the bloodstream which has the potential to affect brain functioning.

In fact, aside from causing stomach distress, it is thought by some that a candida overgrowth can cause a number of behavioural difficulties such as fatigue, confusion and hyperactivity.

Candida can be controlled naturally through an anti-candida (yeast) diet or with essential oils. In short, an anti-yeast diet involves cutting out all natural and artificial sugars, caffeine, most diary products, preservatives and, of course, yeast products (I.E. bread).

Specific Carbohydrate Diet

This is a science based autism diet, and it involves the cessation of ingesting specific carbohydrates (sugars and starches) that have been found to cause problems within the digestive tract. In addition, carbohydrates are small enough that they can slip by the surface of the small intestine into the blood stream, and can cause abnormal brain function.

This diet limits the amount of carbohydrates ingested and slowly adds them back once the intestinal tract has had time to heal.

Body Ecology Diet (BED)

This particular diet used to treat autism was originally created to treat systemic fungal infections typically caused by Candida overgrowth. It has been used to treat the inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as well as a number of autoimmune diseases and AIDS. Like the other autism diets, the BED works to heal the gastrointestinal system and prevent future infections.

The BED diet involves eliminating gluten and casein from the diet as well as drastically limiting bad fats, carbohydrates and sugars.

It is best to talk to your child's health care provider to find out which autism diet would be the best course of treatment. It is also important to have your doctor monitor your child's condition while on a diet treatment. This way you can ask any questions or concerns you may have about the autism diets, and to ensure your child is receiving the sufficient nutrients his/her body requires.

Grab your free copy of Rachel Evans' brand new Autism Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you and your family find out about autism strategies and for information on autism diet please visit The Essential Guide To Autism.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Evans



Saturday, July 16, 2011

Autism Spectrum Disorders - What Does the Term "Autism Spectrum Disorder" (ASD) Mean?

Medical professionals often use the term Autism Spectrum Disorders (or ASD for short) to explain the large variety of symptoms, signs and characteristics associated with a diagnosis of Autism.

As we all know, more and more children are getting diagnosed with Autism everyday. According to the Center for Disease Control, Autism now occurs in one out of every 150 individuals. Some researchers account for the increase in Autism due to us better understanding the entire Autism spectrum.

The Autism spectrum, however, is sometimes difficult for parents to understand. Some parents say things like: "My child has Autism, but he does not do that!" or they will ask "My child will interact with other kids, does he still have Autism?" The answer is simply that Autism is a spectrum, but what exactly does this mean?

A spectrum means that there are children with Autism symptoms on one side, the other side, and everywhere in between. For example, let's take a look at communication and the Autism spectrum. You might have one child on one end of the spectrum that is non-verbal and will only use gestures to tell his or her needs. Then, you might have a child on the other end of the spectrum that can tell you every small detail and then some about his favorite dinosaurs. Both of these children have Autism, but they are on opposite ends of the Autism spectrum for their communication skills.

All of the fundamental deficits of Autism are a spectrum: communication, social skills, and behavior. Each child with Autism has skills that vary on each of the spectrums. Also, all of the types of autistic disorders make up this "Autism spectrum". The different types of autistic disorders include: Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

For more information on Autism Spectrum Disorders including signs, symptoms and treatment options, you should download our Free Special Report on Autism. This popular, jam-packed resource guide is available for download right now at http://www.AutismSymptomsChecklist.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Brooke



Thursday, June 23, 2011

Problems With Autistic Children in School

Chances are an autistic child who is in mainstream education will not require special education, which means they are unlikely to have obvious learning disabilities. But that said they will still have special needs.

The first thing as a teacher you should do is to speak to other members of staff and the SENCO in your school. Make sure that everyone understands what autism is and that they are aware of how this will affect the child's behaviour.

Sometimes it is helpful to explain to the other children within the class about autism. This will help to prepare them for the autistic child starting school. It will be helpful to explain that the new class member may act differently or strangely - for example they may shout out unexpectedly or laugh at inappropriate things.

You ought to explain that although the autistic child may act inappropriately that this is not intentional and they too have feelings like everybody else. This is an important thing to stress as it will be very easy for the autistic child to become, the focus of taunts, bullying and teasing if the other children in the class and school do not understand the autistic child's behavior and mannerisms.

Probably one task you should undertake before the autistic child begins in your class is to take a note of all the classroom accommodations.

Autism classroom accommodations to consider:
Makea note of the autistic child's special need's for example going to the bathroom, with autism going to the bathroom can be an issue, find out how the child copes with this and if necessary add signs at the bathroom, (small picture cards with text) to avoid embarrassment and allow the autistic child to identify the bathroom.

Ask the parents for a meeting and try to identify the autistic child's strengths and weaknesses. You can build on the strengths and encourage these.

Sometimes it may be necessary to appoint a helper (LSA) or classroom assistant, to help the autistic child within the classroom.
The autistic child's helper's role should be to encourage the child to be more independent, work on task's and to mix with other children.

It will probably especially at first to keep an eye on the child at break times and during recess, when they might spend a lot of time on their own.

Autistic children tend to like prefer their own company, however older children and teens may feel left out or lonely. Sometimes it can be helpful to structure breaktimes to avoid any problems.

Try and avoid metaphorical speech, for example "wait a minute", autistic children tend to very literal and will not understand. Avoid sarcastic language, or exaggeration, and nick names, both when you are speaking to the child and to the class as a whole. Always be aware of what you are saying and how it might be misunderstood by the child.

You may need to repeat yourself during lessons and keep checking the autistic child is still listening, their attention span can be short especially when something is not of interest to them.

When you are talking to a group, make sure you have the child's attention. Especially young children they may not understand that they are included in the group, so you may need to include them by talking to them directly ie by saying their name or talk first, then to the whole class.

As with listening to a foreign language or something you really have no interest in, we all tend to shut off to it. An child with autism is no different, as soon as a couple of sentences go over their head they will shut down their auditory system and stop listening reverting back into their own world.

Try using visual aids when teaching a subject that requires abstract thinking. You could maybe use photographs or pictures to help keep the autistic child's attention.

Even at secondary school, it is still possible to use visual aids for example illustrations or diagrams could be added to worksheets.

Visual timetables are used with a great success, the autistic child can quickly recognise what is happening as has a visual cue for the various different times of the day, like break times, recess, pe lessons, hometime etc.

You may want to include time for the bathroom as this is a confusing time for most children with autism.

You may also want to think about the use of autism social stories as a tool for helping the autistic child keep on task and understand what is expected of them throughout the day and what they should expect from other's.

Autism social stories are used with great effect in classrooms and can be like a favorite friend to an autistic child, and teacher a like! Used in conjunction with a visual timetable and set behavior plan, autism social stories will become invaluable.

A good source for social stories is your OT or alternatively you can obtain autism social stories on line at http://www.autismsocialstories.com/school for school related social skills stories, for all other social stories visit their well stocked social stories site.

For detailed information on autism social stories visit us at:

http://www.autismsocialstories.com

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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Why Do Some Aspergers Children Become Very Angry?

Aspergers children fall in the group of the Autism Spectrum disorder. Aspergers is often known as 'high functioning' Autism as the signs and symptoms are not as acute as Autism signs and symptoms and so an Aspergers kid can function a lot more than a full Autistic child.

Aspergers children will often have some behavior issues like anger, violence and depression. These behaviors can surface because of the frustration that comes along with being unable to cope with social situations and these behaviors can be incredibly hard to handle for a parent.

The Features Of Aspergers

Aspergers doesn't really begin to show it's signs and symptoms until around the age of three and quite a few children are often not diagnosed until aged five or six and sometimes older. Aspergers tends to be more common in males than it is in females. Not all Aspergers children will show the same signs or symptoms as they can differ a big deal from person to person and in mild cases can be quite hard to diagnose.

Aspergers children generally are highly intellectual and will often have fairly high grades at school, but it is the emotional and social skills that these children are lacking.

The main features of Aspergers are:

* Bright and often excel in subjects like Maths and Science
* Absorb and learn things with no trouble and quickly
* Don't cope extremely well when criticized and in fact will sometimes take criticism very personally
* Lack initiative to initiate a conversation or join a group but will instead wait to be asked to join in with a group or wait for someone to initiate a conversation with them
* Because of their reserved and withdrawn nature they can sometimes be the victims of bullying
* Are sometimes clumsy
* Can sometimes be seen as unusual or eccentric
* Can be extremely sensitive and over emotional
* Find it hard to understand jokes or sarcasm and can often take a joke as a personal attack
* Like to stick to specific rituals and routines.

Why is Anger Frequent In Aspergers children?

Aspergers children find it enormously difficult to interact with other children and are often extremely not comfortable in social situations. It's not that they don't want to be social, it's just that they are lacking social skills and find it hard to be social. Because of the need to be accepted and because they would like to be social but can't, then they can turn out to be quite angry and frustrated. They don't really understand why they aren't being accepted and why they can't interact the way that other kids do and sometimes they will just feel like other kids just simply don't like them. The more this transpires the more withdrawn a child might become and this may result in that child becoming quite a sad little person.

The earlier that your child is diagnosed with Aspergers the faster you can commence helping them to learn social and communication abilities. They are capable of learning these skills but just need that bit of extra help to do it. It is also important to assist them to build up a healthy self esteem so that they don't grow up to feel that they are inferior in some way due to their lack of social skills. By helping them become skilled at social skills and promoting self confidence will help to lower anger development.

The need for Aspergers children to have set routines and rituals is one more reason they can become annoyed if those routines are changed. Sometimes it can be hard to stick to a routine 100% but it is important to attempt to give them with their routines as much as possible to avoid an anger outburst.

Aspergers children may get rather angry and even violent over a changed schedule even though this is something that a lot of people wouldn't really fret too much about. An Aspergers child can be taught how to stay in control during times like these with some Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

These children can be extremely annoyed little people and it is also frustrating for a parent to deal with these issues. These children appear completely normal and it can be easy to forget that they do in fact have a condition and when you are in public people do not realize that they have a disorder and may sometimes just assume that they are a 'naughty' child. Dealing with these issues on a day to day basis can take it's toll on any parent. An early prognosis of Aspergers is valuable so that you can make a start to teach your child the skills that they need and how to deal with the problems that make them angry. If your child gets the right care then they can live a quite happy and fulfilling life.

Aspergers children can be difficult to live with but if they receive the right treatment they can be happy and fulfilled children. Visit Aspergers Children to learn more about how you can help your Aspie child.

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