Hello and welcome to this week’s Aspergers article.

This week the topic is communication …

Question

What is the best way of effectively communicating things to my child with Aspergers?

Answer

Communicating with a child with ASD can be a delightful experience. It can just as often be a frustrating experience. Children with ASD can have a wide range of communication skills, so it’s important to tailor any communication specifically to your child. Many times, you’ll have to try some communication techniques to see if they’re effective.

Be sensitive when speaking with a child with Asperger’s. Understand that your child might not be able to maintain eye contact or that he might not want you sitting close to him or touching him. Understand that you will need to teach him how to communicate effectively.

Using a tool such as Interactive Training Cards, created by Joan Green, can help you teach your child about communication. Interactive Training cards were developed by special educators specifically to help facilitate communication with people with communication delays or difficulties. Each set of communication cards comes with 120 2”x2” laminated cards that relate to the topic of the set. The set also includes four sentence and cards containing common words, such as yes, no, thank you, no thank you, and more. Words are printed on the front and back of each picture.

These Interactive Training Cards come in several sets, each set having a different theme. The Food Set includes foods for each meal, snacks, condiments and kitchen materials and utensils. The Home and Health Set include chores, hygiene activities, body parts and physical ailments. Another set contains Elementary and High School Activities.

Understand that communicating with a child with ASD will be repetitive and time consuming. It can often be frustrating. Be patient. Often children with ASD are slower to process things they hear, so expect the pace of conversation to be different than in a standard conversation. Give your child time and space to respond appropriately and to formulate a response.

When working on communication skills with your child, try to engage him in a topic of interest to him. This will help extend the conversation and give him a change to feel confident while talking to you. He will be excited and will be more willing to engage when the topic piques his interest.

Communicating effectively with children with ASD can be a challenge. But the rewards and benefits are tremendous. Your child will reap the benefits of your efforts, as he is able to understand the world a bit better and to learn more effective communication skills.

Have a great week,

Dave Angel

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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Can you tell me more about Wilderness Therapy for Asperger’s?

Adolescence is a tough age for children with Asperger’s Syndrome. The lacking social skills cause awkwardness. At a time when it is so important to be an accepted member of the group, these children are often rejected, teased, bullied, or totally ignored by their peers. It can be a lonely time for the child, triggering behavioral problems and a very troubled teen. Home life and family relationships may suffer …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/356.cfm

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I am worried that my teenaged son with Aspergers is becoming more reliant on alcohol to cope with his low feelings. Is this common and what can I do to help him?

The teen years can be precarious when under the influence of alcohol. A teen’s peer group often sees alcohol use as a rite of passage. Teens think to be accepted by the crowd, you have to be willing to take some risks. These risks are …

To read this article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/355.cfm

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My son gets so distraught when he gets a bad mark in class — how can I help him with this? He’s 11 and has Asperger’s.

Pushing for perfection is a very common characteristic in children with Asperger’s Syndrome. The need to do things right, every time, is overwhelming. When it doesn’t happen, it can be a disaster. Feelings of despair can lead to extreme anxiety and depression since as we all know, perfection is impossible. It is so difficult to watch your child struggle to meet his expectations. You cannot make him see that he is setting unachievable goals; he really doesn’t understand. This creates such a helpless feeling for a parent …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/354.cfm

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Hi there and welcome to this week’s Aspergers blog post …

A big thank to all of you who joined The Parenting Aspergers Community this week and took advantage of the special offer that I had for “A Parent’s Guide to Social Skills and Independent Living” – it’s great to have you on board.

Another thing to look out for is another email from me in the next 48 hours with a whole host of information on it …

I have had a number of emails from people offering great advice, therapeutic opportunities, the chance to be part of studies and other such matters – all aimed at parents of children with Aspergers.

So I’ll bundle them all up into a (quite long probably!) blog post and let you know about it by email.

Anyway today’s article covers …

Question

What can I do to help my son with Aspergers function better in the outside world (places other than home)?

Answer

We expect the people around us to look and act a certain way.  Acting civilized is desired of all ages, young and old.  Sometimes this is just too much to expect.  People are individuals with their own agendas.  What seems civilized to one family may be over the top in another household.  What seems barely acceptable in one place is normal behavior in another.

Nevertheless, we all want to be accepted and we want our children to be accepted.  We teach and train from the earliest point in time to the best of our ability and our expectations, only to be told we aren’t quite reaching the bar in other’s eyes.  Then add in Asperger’s Syndrome.  How can we succeed?

Make sure that your son recognizes appropriate behavior for public places.  The younger you start, the more time you’ll have to cement the skills in his mind. Manners, personal cleanliness, and appropriate conversation are a few that are not only important at home but can mean acceptance in public.

You should make lists that are very straight-forward with simple language.  An example of a list subject could be as follows:

This is how I act at a restaurant:

•     I sit quietly and stay in my chair
•     I speak calmly and place my order
•     I eat my food using my manners

Picture charts are similar to lists, but use pictures instead of words.  For example, a picture of a restaurant logo could be used as the title.  The following pictures could be a car, people walking into a door, people sitting as a table, and so on.

Reading social stories is another good option. Choose a story about a boy going to eat in a restaurant.  It is possible to write your own story. Make sure the story includes many examples of proper behavior. Read the story several times before the trip to the restaurant.

Use every possible opportunity to remind your son about his lists, charts, and stories.  This will help him become more aware of how he should present himself.  Children with Asperger’s Syndrome do not always see the importance of good behavior because of their lack of social skills.  The good thing is that they want to do what is right and acceptable and will work hard to follow the rules.

Utilize the Internet to find books and videos that will model proper behavior for him.  This video can be used for older kids through adult:  “Manners for the Real World:  Basic Social Skills” (DVD).

Your son can watch and emulate actual demonstrations of appropriate behavior by using this video.  There are many topic areas covered, from table manners to public conversations and everything in between.  All topics are discussed during the segment and then reviews are captioned on the screen.  He’ll see it, hear it and read it.

As your son grows, you will need to add new rules to his lists.  The body is always changing.   There will be added personal hygiene issues, as well as new social situations in which he’ll begin to participate.  The goal is to show him how to tackle the issues of public behavior himself as he becomes an adult.  Because of your diligence over the years, your son will know what he needs to do to function appropriately in public.

Thanks for reading and have a great week,

Dave Angel

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Articles and videos posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

This is an awesome animated video made by children with Aspergers in York, UK.

It is split into a number of short sections — The brain — Outlines how the brain is wired for children with Aspergers … and how this effects them day to day.

Diagnosis – A 16 yr old explaining his experiences in life and how his diagnosis helped him to understand

Communication — Why online communication can be easier than face to face.

Favorite things and interests — How having limited friends can lead to spending muc more time on interests and skills development.

Sensory Overload — A display of both visual and auditory experiences of Aspergers.

And also understanding other people (mind blindness), what it’s like to have aspergers and one Person’s View of the future.

A well presented video that in a few places may need you to turn up your pc volume a little — but offers good insight into what things are like for young people with ASD. Running Time – 8 Minutes 41 Seconds …

This is a video of a young man with Aspergers from Sweden talking about his frustrations with dating.

He makes an interesting point that as 75% of people with Aspergesr are male — the odds are not so good for him to meet a girl with Aspergers.

And he wants a girlfriend with Aspergers — as he feels they will understand him better.

He also talks about the fact that girls don’t generally approach guys but it’s generally the other way around.

He says that he doesn’t look approachable — and people have said “you look sad” when he is actually OK.

Also he discusses the challenges of interacting with a girl when you have Aspergers.

Whilst this video does not provide major answers to the challenge of relationships; it provides fascinating insight as long as you are not offended by one or two swear words! Running Time 10 Minutes 50 Seconds …

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/351.cfm
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Hi there and welcome to this week’s Aspergers blog article.

Just before I get into it a quick reminder …

There are just 6 days left to claim your free copy of my latest ebook

“A Parent’s Guide to Social and Independent Living Skills” – just go to

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/public/336.cfm

And now this week’s article –

Question

I was wondering if there are any articles for fathers that can’t cope with the fact their children have Asperger’s. I realise that our 2 children are on the spectrum but for 5 years now I cannot get him to deal with it and it is going to break us up.

Answer

It can be difficult for a parent to accept a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome or a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or Autism. Parents, especially of young children, often do not want a diagnosis and they don’t want to acknowledge that certain behaviors are indicators that a child has Asperger’s. Parents often make excuses for their children and learn to work around their behaviors.

Coming to accept a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome can be a long process. Many parents have trouble thinking of their children as different. Some parents are relieved to finally understand why their child acts or reacts the way he does. But for those parents who have trouble coping with the diagnosis, you need to be patient and persistent.

If you realize that your children are exhibiting behaviors on the autism spectrum, it is in their best interest, as well as yours, to get a diagnosis soon. This means you will need to take them and have them evaluated. Speak to your husband before you do this to see if he agrees with taking this step and wants to participate with you.  Encourage him listen to the doctor’s evaluation of your children’s situation. You both may be surprised by what the doctor has to say. It may also be necessary to consider having the children evaluated on your own if your husband does not want to participate.

Once you receive a diagnosis, it would be wise to talk with a therapist or counsellor who is skilled in helping families adapt to new situations such as this. Talking things through with a neutral third party can be very helpful for both you and your husband. Hopefully, this will bring you together so that you can begin to parent your children from the same point of view.

If you can come together and start to work together with the children, getting further advice on how to parent a child with Asperger’s can be helpful. Jeffrey Cohen has written a book entitled, “The Asperger Parent: How to Raise a Child with Asperger Syndrome and Maintain Your Sense of Humor.”

Jeffrey Cohen is the father of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome and he talks about what it’s like to parent his son. This book is full of humor and is easy to read. It can help you develop insights into your own parenting. It provides great information as well as emotional support.

Thanks for reading and have a great week,

Dave Angel

PS Don’t forget to claim your free copy of my latest ebook “A Parent’s Guide to Social and Independent Living Skills” from …

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/public/336.cfm

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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Is it true that a mood phone has been designed to help people with Aspergers understand better in telephone conversations, and how does this work?

In 2006, a college student won a scholarship contest by coming up with the concept for a mood phone.  This mood phone concept uses mood-interpreting algorithms to pick up on the speech inflection . . .

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/341.cfm

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Can you tell me about Puppet Assisted Relationship Learning?

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have great difficulty developing friendships. They lack the ability to recognize social cues, struggle with eye contact and body language, and trouble with demonstrating emotions. These children can be very uncomfortable making small talk or meaningful conversation. This is where the puppets come in …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/340.cfm

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My child with Aspergers has been permanently excluded from school. What do I do now?

Unfortunately, it is very common for children with Asperger’s Syndrome to have great difficulty in the classroom. Strong social skills and well-developed sensory integration are necessary in the school setting; both areas in which your child is weak. The important thing is you do have options. However …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/339.cfm

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Hi there here’s this week’s blog article from a very wet and rainy Hampshire here in the UK!

Question

My son with Aspergers tends to be tactless, very literal and overly honest and idealistic-is there any way that I can help him to be able to get a long a little better socially?

Answer

Socialization is a necessary component of life.  Social communication is how we interact with the people around us.  If a child struggles with socialization and communication, he will have problems getting along with his peers.

Asperger’s Syndrome manifests differently in each individual, although all children with Asperger’s have some form of social and communication deficit. There are ways to help turn your concerns into non-issues.  You can help your son achieve a more balanced social life.  You can start working on this at home where he is most comfortable.

Social stories are stories written about different real-life situations that follow the desired steps to correct problems in social behaviors.  You can find books filled with social stories on the Internet or at your local library.  You could even write you own, tailoring the stories to fit your son’s specific trouble spots.   If you decide to use social stories, you should also pursue other options.  A multiple-therapy approach is your best bet for a good outcome.

If your son has a program in place that includes occupational therapy, ask for a consultation with his therapist to add specific social communication goals.  When you think of occupational therapy, you tend to think of something other than these types of problems.  In reality, these therapists are very good at helping Asperger’s children learn to use correct social skills, as well as most other living skills.  Most therapists will offer parent training sessions, as they are usually happy to know that the parent is interested enough to invest the time in their child.

Finally, check with your local Asperger’s support group or your child’s school system for available social skills groups.  These groups are usually led by a psychologist or a therapist and provide opportunities for the Asperger’s child to practice social skills in a controlled environment.  You can then follow through with extra practice at home.

There are books available that will help you work on social and communication skills completely at home.  One such book is “Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communication Problems” by Jed E. Baker”.

This book is an entire social skills curriculum complete with reproducible handouts and activity sheets.  It covers all of the skills that cause most of the problems for children with Asperger’s and is a complete training package for Asperger’s kids of all ages.  This program is very user-friendly and very detailed.  You are sure to find specific examples of and solutions for the issues you see in your child.

All of these suggestions can be applied at home with a little training.  You can help your son develop better social skills, enhancing his perspective and insuring a bright future.

That’s all for this week thanks for reading,

Dave Angel

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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What kind of party games would you suggest for my son who has Aspergers and is 12? He’s having a few people from school and some family over maybe 10 people.

Birthday parties can be uncomfortable for children with Asperger’s Syndrome. People, noise, sights, and sounds can be overwhelming. However, your son is at a great age for a party. He has seen a few birthdays, so he has a sense for what a party entails. With a bit of preparation you can plan a party that he and his friends will enjoy …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/334.cfm

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Can you tell me about positive examples of Asperger’s seen in movies and on TV?

Not many movie and television roles are acknowledged as being Aspergers or Autism spectrum characters. However, it is becoming more common to see Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome highlighted in television fiction. People are starting to speculate about some of their favorite characters. Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory” is one such character. The television show, “Boston Legal” features a lawyer named Jerry …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/333.cfm

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Is it best for my child with Aspergers to try to make friends with other children with Aspergers or children who don’t have it?

Friendships are very important for healthy children. Children with Asperger’s have difficulties in the area of social development, so you should be especially diligent in encouraging your child to make friends with other children. Your child with Asperger’s will benefit from befriending both neurotypical children and children with Asperger’s Syndrome …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/332.cfm

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PARENTING AUTISM & ASPERGER’S NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 27      
October 2009        

Welcome to the twenty-seventh edition  
of “The Parenting Autism & Asperger’s Newsletter”
Inside this edition you will find:

1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Bullying and Asperger’s Syndrome

2. In the News – IPODs May Help Teens Learn Social Skills

3. Prominent People Linked with ASD – Tim Page, Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic

Thanks

Dave
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1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Bullying and Asperger’s Syndrome
Because of events that have transpired in the past regarding school bullying, there have been numerous recommendations to change school policies in order to protect students against bullying. Students who engage in violent behaviors such as bullying or disability harassment will be suspended or expelled. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504 states that disability harassment in public school districts and colleges is a violation of the law. Students with disabilities who experience such harassments and bullying have the right to complain at the Office of Civil Rights and receive due process.

Although laws have been in place to protect students with disabilities against harassment and bullying, the National Education Association states that incidence of bullying occurs “every seven minutes of every school day”. Additionally, students and teachers most of the time fail to intervene in school bullying. This reveals that anti-bullying school policies do not offer much help to the victims of bullying.

Many victims of school bullying tend to be children who are in special education. An expert even puts a 100% rate of bullying on children with Asperger’s Syndrome. This is because a child with Asperger’s Syndrome is likely to be seen as a loner type with poor social skills. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome who appears to be under stress, are physically weak and who starts to miss school are likely to be victims of school bullying.

To read the full article, go to:  http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com/bullying.html 

People mentioned as having Asperger’s Syndrome may or may not have actually have been diagnosed with it.

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2.  In the News – IPODs May Help Teens Learn Social Skills

People with Asperger’s Syndrome tend to struggle when it comes to their social skills. Sue Pederson, a psychologist, and researchers from the Fraser Child and Family Center claimed to have figured out a way to improve the social skills of teens with Asperger’s Syndrome. According to Pederson, IPODs (a device that plays music, videos and movies) can help these teens develop their social skills.

The IPODs can hold audios, videos and picture slideshows about information that could teach people with Asperger’s Syndrome how to behave in a variety of situations. Aside from using the IPOD, researchers have looked into using other devices such as the smart phones and palm pilots. According to Jim Ball from the Autism Society of America, these devices can be helpful especially to people with Asperger’s as they feel more comfortable when dealing with technology rather than with people.  

To read the full article, go to: http://www.omaha.com/article/20090926/LIVING/709269966 

People mentioned as having Asperger’s Syndrome may or may not have actually have been diagnosed with it.

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3. Prominent People Linked with ASD – Tim Page, Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic

Tim Page was born October 11, 1954 in San Diego California. Page spent most of his childhood in Storrs Connecticut where his father was a professor at the University of Connecticut. Before Page became a Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic, he was a student of piano and composition and was interested in film making. In 1975, he moved to New York and attended the Mannes College for one year before transferring to Columbia University. In 1981, Page started his afternoon broadcast program that interviews prominent musicians and composers. A year later, he joined the New York Times as a music writer. In 1987, he became the chief music critic for Newsday and in 1995 he became the chief classical music critic for the Washington Post. He was awarded with the Pulitzer Prize in 1997.

Tim Page revealed in 2007 that he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome when he and his 10 year old son went to a therapist. His son was diagnosed with Asperger’s as well. Currently, Tim Page is a professor of journalism and music in the University of Southern California. 

To see the full text of the article go to:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Page_(music_critic) )

The person mentioned above may or may not have Asperger’s Syndrome.
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I hope this month’s newsletter has intrigued you and provided information new to you.

The next edition of the newsletter is due in November, 2009.      
And as ever … please send in any inspirational stories that you know of, any questions that you would like our team of experts to answer, any topics that you wish to be discussed, and news stories that you want to share VIA THE BLOG.

We will publish as many as we can.

Until next month………

Best Wishes

Dave Angel

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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What tips can you give me to help my son with Aspergers to cope with his first day at college?

More children with Asperger’s Syndrome are going off to college now than ever before. While college is a big step in every teen’s life, you can help make the transition go smoothly with a little advanced preparation. Until he leaves, you are still in command. You can help him …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/331.cfm

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We are planning a family holiday this year with our child who has Aspergers – any tips?

There is just nothing better than a family holiday! Asperger’s Syndrome should not stand in the way of a fun family adventure. With a little advanced planning and extra consideration, you can arrange a trip that will be a great memory for years to come …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/330.cfm

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What tips can you give me to help my son with Aspergers to cope with his first day at college?

More children with Asperger’s Syndrome are going off to college now than ever before. While college is a big step in every teen’s life, you can help make the transition go smoothly with a little advanced preparation. Until he leaves, you are still in command. You can help him …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/329.cfm

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