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

If you didn’t see yesterday’s email; just a quick reminder that I am running a 72 Hour “Credit Crunch Sale” which offers all my parenting products at discount (topics are Aspergers, ADHD and Autism).

So if you want to take advantage of this unique discounted offer go to:

www.parentingaspergers.com/creditcrunch.html

Anyway let’s go straight into this week’s question:

Question

I have a partner and many family members with Asperger’s, but the worst affected is 19.  He has very limited social skills, his eating pattern is poor, and so is his sleeping pattern.  But he is addicted to a game on his computer.  How do we as parents encourage him to spend less time on the computer, eat better, and sleep more?

Answer
Playing electronic games provides repetition, consistency, and security in his life.  Also, electronic games are predictable.  He can count on the same actions and results every time he plays the games.  People with Asperger’s Syndrome want to feel safe and secure in their activities.  The electronic games allow him to follow predetermined rules that result in predictable outcomes.
It sounds like your son is concentrating on electronic games at the expense of his health.  He spends time in front of a video screen that could be better spent learning new eating habits and practicing better sleeping patterns.

Check into Asperger’s support groups for your son; there might be one in your local area.  Support groups give advice on daily living skills and healthy lifestyles.  Encourage your son to join one of these groups; he will meet people who are his age and may be experiencing similar difficulties with Asperger’s Syndrome.  In addition to information, a support group can give your son the opportunity to talk about his feelings about Asperger’s and the help necessary for him to cope with adult responsibilities.

Another resource for your son is an Asperger’s specialist who can inform and teach your son social skills.  A specialist, such as a psychiatrist, might prescribe Melatonin, which will help your son sleep better at night.

Your son is in his late teens, and he is fast approaching adulthood.  You can use reasoning and negotiation instead of rules and orders.  However, if the excessive computer use continues, you might need to move it into a room that restricts his access to it.  Also, the computer can be used as a reward if your son tries new foods and establishes a regular pattern of sleep.  Although your son is getting older, there are rules that are still effective in changing his behaviour; you should establish those rules in your household.

In terms of nutrition, many autistic children suffer from food allergies, overgrowth of intestinal yeast, and sensitivity to sugar and dairy products.  Consult a doctor to see if your son needs to adjust his diet.  Changing your son’s diet to wheat-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free products requires patience because people with Asperger’s can be very strong-willed, and implementing change can be difficult for both of you.  See if other family members will adopt a diet similar to your son’s; this will make him feel integrated into the family.  Also, read diet books, look into websites, and read advice from nutritionists.

Your son’s sleep patterns can be changed with consistent hours.  He needs to establish a time that he will go to bed each evening and get up each morning.  If he complains that he cannot get to sleep or wake up at a given time, tell him that there are parts of our bodies called circadian rhythms, and they help our bodies rest.  If your son can get to bed at a specific time several nights in a row, the circadian rhythms in his body will reset and help him go to sleep and wake up at a given time each evening and morning.  Remove all distractions from his bedroom to help him concentrate on rest and sleep.

Until next time …

Dave Angel

PS - Don’t forget the discounted offer at www.parentingaspergers.com/creditcrunch.html

Hi there and welcome to this week’s Aspergers blog. Last weeks discussion on Barack Obama seemed to cause upset and annoyance to some readers; whilst others seemed really happy to discuss the issues. It was a really mixed reaction - but I guess that’s politics for you!

Anyway moving on; I wanted to let you know that next week I’m planning to run a bit of a Pre-Xmas sale of my Aspergers, Autism and ADHD e-books. Because I know that times are getting hard for a lot of people and so I want to offer them at a discount for those who may be struggling. So look out of for that in an email next week. But on to this week’s article which is …

Question

How do I make my child understand the rules of board games like monopoly?  He wants to play it only his way and gets extremely angry if he has to pay a penalty.  He does not understand the sets of rules for different games and only wants to win with his own rules.

Answer

The child with Aspergers may get upset over game rules, sharing, or taking turns. This applies especially when following the rules means that sometimes the child with Aspergers loses the game!  Hence, your son’s insistence on playing with his own rules.  He does not understand that others want to win a game sometimes, too.  And, even if he does come to understand that, he may not care about their feelings enough to play the game appropriately.  While some children act as “the warden” or keeper of the rules, others find it hard to grasp the give and take of peer relationships, including following rules while playing games with others.

To help your son with this problem, target “fairness” strategies.  Step-by-step, teach causes and effects in feelings, behaviour, and consequences, along with how following rules and social/emotional reciprocity leads to positive rewards.  But of course that is much easier said than done!

Many children with autism spectrum disorders are more successful in structured situations.  Playing games on “neutral turf” in the community often provides the means for structuring activities.  For example, a play date at mini-golf has an inherent structure and it will be difficult for your son to change the rules, as other players can say, “Everyone has to follow the rules of the golf course.”  Pair him with a friend who understands his difficulty.  The friend may be able to help him accept the fact that rules are necessary.

If you son has trouble taking turns, plan some games that are based on just that!  For example, in Parcheesi, all players might be given “a point” when they take a turn when they are supposed to and don’t complain when others have a turn.  Write the points down in clear view of everyone.  At the end of the game, these points are added up.  For each 10 points earned, a small reward is given, such as an M&M, a penny, etc.  Everyone participates and everyone earns the reward – a bigger amount of reward is earned by the players who are most cooperative at taking turns.  Don’t take points away for misbehaviour or your son may not get any reward for the times he did behave appropriately!

In the card game War players choose a card, turn it over and the highest card takes both.  The person with the most cards at the end wins.  This can be a learning experience for your son.  Play with only cards 2 through 10 as the face cards may be confusing.  In this game, your son may win often enough to prevent him from becoming angry.  If not, explain to the players that as well as the highest card taking both, each player who accepts losing a card gracefully will earn a point.  Write the points down in clear view of everyone.  Give a reward for highest points at the end, as well as one to the winner of the most cards.

Chutes and Ladders is a good game for your son to play as it’s difficult to change the rules.  You roll the dice, move, and either climb the ladders or slide down the chutes.  Again offer points for gracious acceptance of sliding down a chute.  The winner at the end and the one with the most points both should receive a small reward.

Parcheesi is another good game that is simple, requires taking turns, and rolling the dice to determine moves.  There are no penalties involved to create frustration.

Many children with Aspergers enjoy computer or hand held, electronic games.  With a little research, you can find games that will interest your son.  Start with the simplest ones; ones at which he can easily be successful.  The penalties and rewards are built in.  He won’t be able to change them or the rules.  If he gets angry while playing, he’ll have to learn how to move beyond anger to win the game.  If he gets physically angry (hits the computer or throws the game, etc.), take it away, but let him try again in a few days.  Over time, he may accept the need for rules when playing.  If he plays for a period of time without anger, give him a lot of praise.  Since the games can be played at various levels and be restarted if he wishes, he has some control.  With these games, he is free to fail without having to deal with another person winning and “lording it over him” which kids often do.  Increase the complexity of the games as he matures.  Avoid violent games, though.

Thanks for reading and have a great day,

Dave Angel

PS – As part of my now regular weekly update on the new Aspergers website ; I just wanted to let you know that the site’s got a really cool feature that I’m working on. It allows you to read all the latest headlines and news topics from around the world related to Aspergers – on one simple web page. I love technology (when it actually works!) that brings new sources of information to people in such a simple and easy to use way. As ever keep watching this space!

Hi everyone - Following on from Obama’s victory in the election I wanted to share this with you whilst it’s so topical …

I just got a great email from a newsletter reader (Joan) which details the reply of Barack Obama’s office to an email about disability:

Dear Joan,

Bob and I are volunteers on Barack Obama’s disability organizing team in Iowa.  There has been a lot of discussion about personal connections to the disability community.  We wanted to make sure you knew that Barack Obama has multiple personal connections to our community, which will help guide his policies and plans to improve the lives of all Americans with disabilities.

We are pasting at the bottom of this email an op-ed written by Mike Strautmanis, a long-time close personal friend of Barack and Michelle as well as the former Chief Counsel in Barack’s Senate office.  Mike has a son who is on the autism spectrum.  We think this op-ed will help crystallize that Barack Obama is the candidate for all Americans with disabilities, not only because he has a detailed four part Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities, but also because he understands the barriers that need to be broken down to level the playing field for people in our community and is personally committed to the government breaking down those barriers.

Thank you.

Bob Bacon

Op-Ed

by Mike Strautmanis

My son Jori has a disability.  He is on the Autism Spectrum.  Jori is a daily gift to our family, but we face challenges.  Fortunately, Jori has a friend named Barack Obama. Literally.  Barack has watched Jori grow up.  He stands by Jori, his mother, and me as we struggle with the barriers society places in the way of people with disabilities.  Every American with a disability, or who has a loved one with a disability, should be fortunate enough to have a friend — or even a President — like Barack Obama.

I want our country to provide support to families like mine — the families who face the practical, financial, and emotional challenges of a loved one with a disability.  Jori has taught Barack about these challenges.  These days, I work on the Obama-Biden campaign after serving on Barack’s Senate staff as his Chief Counsel since he arrived in Washington.  But long before that, Barack and I were friends.  He and Michelle have been a big part of our family’s life and a great help to my wife and me.  To them, Jori is not a statistic; he’s a kid they see around town or at the office. They see how our family, which has more advantages than many, struggles to help Jori to get the care he needs, which is sometimes more than a loving family can provide, and the education he deserves, but few public schools have the resources to deliver.

When Barack gives a friendly hello to Jori, he shows his kindness; when he accommodates my schedule to enable me to be a fully engaged parent, he shows that he understands what families like ours go through. He understands that as a leader, he has an obligation to help us to keep all of America’s promises to our loved ones and give us the tools we need as parents to ensure that our children won’t be shortchanged.

As President, Barack will begin by creating a new White House post: Assistant to the President for Disability Policy.  He will press Congress to pass the CLASS Act and the Community Choice Act to help Americans with disabilities to choose to live independently in the community and to help them pay for the direct care workers, assistive technology and other tools that make independent, community-based living possible.  For our children, Barack will continue his fight for full funding of IDEA so that students with disabilities are assured of a free appropriate public education.   Barack agrees that funding IDEA at less than half its authorized level is a disgrace, but he also understands that merely wringing more money out of Congress is not enough.  His Secretary of Education will fully implement and enforce IDEA.  Local school districts’ foot-dragging and resistance to IDEA, denying teachers what they need to serve kids with disabilities in the most inclusive possible setting, will no longer be tolerated.

It’s easy for me to say that my friend Barack will do these things, but this isn’t just friendship talking.  I know he will do the right thing, for two reasons. First, there is his record: As an Illinois state senator Barack Obama sponsored legislation that created an autism spectrum diagnosis program, designed to implement evidence-based best practices.  Barack worked with Illinois families to build the Easter Seals academic programs that prepare students for independent living. Moreover, Barack helped pass Illinois’ mental health parity law as a State Senator.  Barack understands that we need universal screening, education and early intervention strategies for all children, but especially children with disabilities. That’s why he intends to provide $10 billion per year in funding for developmental programs serving children between birth and age five. Barack has long supported the Family and Medical Leave Act; as President, he will expand it and help the states create paid leave systems to ease the tough choices that are faced every day by working families providing support to a disabled member.

But there is a second reason that I have faith that a President Obama will fight for people with disabilities, and one that I find more compelling: I have seen Barack Obama with my son and other people with disabilities.  I have seen how he puts his arm on Jori’s shoulder, how he smiles at Jori and speaks to him as the person that he is.  I see his understanding that Jori and every other American with a disability is a fellow child of God with potential worth developing and dignity worth protecting.  I see this and I know that Barack understands why I would do anything to secure real opportunity for that precious child, why any parent in my place would do the same.  I see that Barack Obama comprehends all of that, and he wants to help us get there.  And I know that if we can help Barack Obama to get to the White House, he will do more than any President ever has done to help those of us who love and care for loved ones with disabilities to achieve everything they can achieve.   I know this man.  So does Jori.  And he gives us hope.

Hi there it’s Tuesday again and time for your weekly Aspergers article. There seems to be a little thing called an election featuring quite heavily “over the pond” at the moment! I’ve just watched Barack Obama cast his vote in some school in Chicago live on Sky News here in the UK (oh the wonders of modern technology!) And I just wondered (slightly tongue in cheek) if the candidates are ever tempted to vote for their opponent – just for a joke?

But seriously I would be curious to know who our US (and non-US) readers are rooting for – and why. In particular whether either candidate has any personal or political links with Aspergers or other Autistic Spectrum Disorders. I’ve seen very little debate on any “special needs” issues in what I’ve read in UK papers; but I suspect that some of you in the USA will have your opinions as to which candidate may be more supportive of parents with children who have special needs. So add your comments and thoughts this week – and let’s make this week’s Parenting Aspergers blog a political animal!

That said let’s move swiftly on to this week’s article:

Question

My son is 10 and having difficulty distinguishing bullying from normal, but unwanted, social advances.  I cannot help him with this (there isn’t really a problem, he just cannot tell the difference between being picked on and being asked to join in when he doesn’t want to).  I have always been able to assist in the past and now he is looking to me to do something but…what?  Any and all help would be appreciated.

Answer

Your 10-year-old son might experience anger and resentment if he thinks that he is being bullied.  Also, having Asperger’s Syndrome can result in him disliking or distaining people who he feels do not share his beliefs and interests.  He may be introverted or just not feel like interacting with people at certain times.  He may not confront these situations or may handle them inappropriately because he perceives the language used by others to be provocative or insulting.  An added component to all of this is that, at the age of 10, your son might not be able to explain how he feels about what he perceives to be the motives of others.

In general, here is how we define bullying:  “Persistent and unwanted aggressive behaviour that is directed toward a chosen individual.  This behaviour makes the individual feel uncomfortable, stressed, or hurt.  When bullying behaviour is repeated, it is called harassment.”  So, the difference between bullying and unwanted social interactions is, for the most part, whether the other person is “aggressive” or not (and that could mean physical or verbal aggression).  Your son probably cannot tell the difference between the two as he has difficulty understanding the emotions and intentions of others.

So, you son needs to learn an acceptable way to handle bullying, as well as any other interaction that makes him feel uncomfortable and/or is unwanted, regardless of the intentions of the other person involved.  He needs to find an effective way to communicate without provoking additional unwanted behaviours.

One effective method to help your son is to role play, or ask a trusted friend to role play, with him.  Your son can use “I statements.”  These are statements that tell another individual how he feels.  The statements are not designed to escalate aggressive or unwanted behaviour from the other individual.

Here are some possible “I statements” for your son to use:

“I’m not comfortable right now, and I need to be left alone.  I’m leaving now.”

“I think we can talk about this.  Please sit down and talk with me.”

“I’m not sure what you want from me.  Will you talk with me?”

“Oh, I’m due home now.  Gotta go!”

“It’s been nice talking to you, but I’m busy this afternoon.  See ya later.”

When you are doing role play, give him a couple of these sentences, and practice various situations that might occur.  Then ask him if he can think of some situations he’s been in and use the responses for those situations.

The “I statement” intervention assumes that your son is not being hit, pushed, or otherwise attacked physically.  Please consider meeting with your son’s teacher and the school principal to see what can be done to provide closer supervision for your son while he is on school grounds if this type of situation is occurring.  Outside of school, perhaps some of your son’s friends can be with him to help him in various situations.  The last two “I statements” are probably the best ones to use for gracefully leaving a situation in which he doesn’t want to participate.

Thanks for reading and I hope you get the president that you want if you’re in the States.

Until next week …

Dave Angel

PS – To keep you updated I have now written even more Aspergers articles for the brand new site on topics such as keeping your child safe (e.g. stranger danger, road crossing etc.), coping with boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, puberty, and various sex/sexuality questions.

PPS - Don’t forget to use the “Share This Post” button if you think this article will be helpful to other parents that you know.

Hi everyone I’ve just got back from another nursery visit today; as my quest continues to find a nice place for my daughter. This morning’s visit was much better than last week – lovely staff, plenty of great activities, good health and safety procedures, tidy and clean BUT …

No places are available until April – Doh!! (as the “great” Homer Simpson would say).

Never mind onwards and upwards as they say. And talking of onwards I’m currently in discussion with a web designer out in California to help me design the new Aspergers site – which is going to be much, much better and more interactive than the current site! My aim is to build it into much more of a community where we can all share, learn and develop alongside one another. As well as offering much more support and help than is currently possible. So keep tuned in and like I say I am hoping this will all be ready in January.

This week’s blog post covers the following thorny question …

Question

How should a 14-year-old boy with Asperger’s explain to a neurotypical friend what Asperger’s is?

Answer

Here is a good script for a 14-year-old to follow:  (Notes might be helpful and your son should practice this with you before he talks to a friend.)
“Asperger’s is a form of autism.  When I say autism, I mean that there’s a little difference in how my brain is put together.  It’s probably been there since I was born, and it’s affecting me as I grow up.  What I have is called Asperger’s Syndrome.  The symptoms I have were first seen by a guy named Asperger.  It can affect my language, awareness of my senses, my movements, and emotions.  Asperger’s can’t be cured, but there are things like medications out there that can help me deal with it.  It doesn’t make me weird or wrong or inferior; it’s a different way of experiencing the world that most people don’t understand.”

“You might have heard me say a lot of up front things to people, and that’s one of the differences.  Kids with Asperger’s Syndrome say exactly what they mean without being aware of what can happen.  We might not be aware of the consequences of what we say.  Someone might hear me say something, and they might think I meant something else, or someone might get offended at what I say.  I don’t mean to put people off or offend them, but that’s the way the words come out, and I’m not always aware of how people will react.  On the other hand, some people will see me as being totally honest, but not offensive.  It depends on the person who I’m talking to, but I don’t mean to offend anyone.  I need help in saying things carefully so that I don’t hurt people’s feelings.”

“Another situation I have trouble dealing with is body language.  The way people move or sit can say a lot about how they feel.  Sometimes, I make mistakes when I see other people’s body language.  I can’t get a handle on facial expressions and what they mean.  If I’m talking with someone and they’re being subtle with their body language, I won’t notice it, and I don’t get what they’re saying with their body language.  It can make the other person angry or frustrated or confused, but, with time and some help, I can make myself more aware of what someone means by their body language.”

“Hey, there’s one really huge difference that I go through.  I don’t really care about being cool, and some people think I’m going against a lot of other people, but that’s not what I’m trying to do.  It might make people give me a hard time or think I’m out there, but I’m not.  I just have my own special interests.”

“When I go to a movie and the sound is loud, I don’t like it.  I don’t even want to be in a movie theatre if there’re loud noises or a lot of lights flashing, like in the sci-fi movies.  It makes me just want to go home to get away from it.  Sometimes sounds and lights are so intense that they actually hurt me.”

“But there’s one thing I hope you’ll understand.  Having Asperger’s isn’t all bad.  I’m honest, caring, and really smart.  The doctor said that there’re a lot of really successful people, like doctors, authors, and business people with Asperger’s.  If you want to ask me any questions, I’ll answer them as best I can.”

In addition to using the above script, read the book Asperger’s Download: A Guide to Help Teenage Males with Asperger’s Syndrome Trouble-Shoot Life’s Challenges by Josie and Damian Santomauro.

This book is a terrific resource for adolescents and their parents.  It discusses some of the life passages in young adulthood, and it is written in terms that teenagers find understandable.  It has relevance and authenticity based on the author’s personal experiences, and it can help your son get through his teen years with less interpersonal conflict.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your week,
Dave Angel

Hi there Dave Angel here with a quick update on Sunday. I’ve had a few emails asking me to re-post the social skills article from last month that didn’t work properly. So here it is … If you need any more articles re-posting let me know. Thanks and sorry to intrude on your Sunday, Dave.

Question

I would like to know how to advise my son on social skills, such as making friends without being insulting to others.

Answer

One of the behavioural traits seen in children with Asperger’s Syndrome is a lack of empathy. They don’t realize that other people have thoughts and interests that are different from theirs. They’ll interrupt a conversation and start churning out facts about their pet interest - which could be something like medieval history, Star Wars’ trivia, or math - even if it has nothing to do with what the other children are talking about. This and their lack of other social skills, such as looking others in the eyes when conversing, responding appropriately to greetings and questions, and understanding fads and the interests of peers makes making friends very difficult for Asperger’s children.

With some Asperger’s children, social abilities remain intact or aren’t really noticed until around age eight. It is around this time that their classmates begin perceiving them as “different.” The child is singled out for teasing. In addition, the child may be seen as oppositional because children with Asperger’s Syndrome take words and gestures very literally. Communication with Asperger’s children must be “concrete” (brief and easily understood).

Your son can be taught most of the same social skills that children without Asperger’s learn on their own. You can work with your son’s school to produce cards or posters with facial expressions that define feelings. Also, full-length mirrors can be used to make children aware of their facial expressions and overall body language. You and his teachers can role play social situations with him to help him learn appropriate responses and actions.

Speaking of schools, it is unfortunate that there are few schools fully equipped to help children with Asperger’s Syndrome. The number of schools with diagnostically appropriate services will increase when parents, doctors, and social service practitioners lobby educational institutions for assistance in teaching Asperger’s children.

Until the school provides more assistance with your son, there are a number of things that you can do at home. You can surround your son with friends and family so he will have familiar people around on a consistent basis. If your son is intimidated by a large number of people, just have one friend over at a time.

In addition to friends, you can train your son in appropriate social and perceptual skills. He can learn to perceive and interpret nonverbal behaviors, process visual and auditory information, and become aware of social/behavioural conventions. To help you with teaching your son social skills, you might want to purchase the video productions “Model Me Conversation” and “Model Me Friendship.” Click the link below to access them:

Social Skills

In addition to the above videos, there is a book titled:

Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Understanding and Managing Social Challenges for Those with Aspergers/Autism

written by Temple Grandin and Sean Barron. Both Grandin and Barron are diagnosed as having high-functioning autism, and they have written a book that helps people with Asperger’s Syndrome cope with daily social demands.

To help you help your son, go on the internet and look for Asperger’s Syndrome support groups. Look for a group in your area. If there is none available, there are people who stay in touch via the internet. Whether in person or over the internet, they can give you advice and support which will help you help your son.

Take Care

Dave Angel

Hi there I’ve had a busy Tuesday so far looking for a nursery for my 18 month old daughter (Honey). The first one I saw had a kitchen knife lying on the side (at toddler’s height!), some old takeaway food on plates and a filthy carpet … not exactly what I’m hoping for! The next one seemed way too happy to let me in the building without really checking my credentials – another red flag I’m afraid! So the search continues as I am less than impressed with what I’ve seen so far. Like all parents I know I’ll have to compromise some of my very high standards that I expect – but I still want something pretty good none the less. Anyway let me move swiftly on to this week’s Aspergers blog post which looks at ADHD and Aspergers:

Question

Are there any connections between ADHD children and those with Asperger’s Syndrome?  My child is diagnosed with ADHD, but he seems to cross over a bit with weak social skills and emotional behaviour.  How do you determine what is ADHD and what is Asperger’s?

Answer

The symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Asperger’s Syndrome do mimic one another, and there are some connections between ADHD and Asperger’s.  In fact, there are dual diagnoses of ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome in many cases.  Both of these diagnoses are developmental disorders; they share many of the same behavioural features and both affect children in the areas of behaviour, communication, and social interaction.  As a result, there is often some confusion as to which disorder(s) is present.  Medical, mental health, and educational professionals need to be trained to differentiate between the disorders and diagnose the correct one.

Here is a list of the behaviors seen in Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:

Autism / Asperger’s Syndrome

Difficulty interacting with peers
Fearlessness; feelings of invincibility
Temper tantrums without provocation
Inappropriate laughter
Resistant to intimacy
Physical over-activity or lack of physical activity
Minimal eye contact
Impulsive work effort that results in mistakes
Inconsistent fine motor skills

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Disruptive with others; cannot talk or play quietly
Impatient; does not want to wait
Risk taker; willingly becomes involved in potentially dangerous activities
Exhibits severe temper tantrums
Interrupts others; talks and/or acts inappropriately
Resistant to intimacy during younger years
Constantly active
Inattentive; has difficulty listening or conversing
Avoids attending to details; makes mistakes in work activities.

Both ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome

Problems with gross/fine motor skills
Behaviour driven by impulses
Difficulty with appropriate emotional responses.

As you may already know I’ve written a resource guide for parents of child with ADHD which is still available at www.parentingadhd.com So this knowledge of the diagnostic differences, along with the information provided in The Parenting ADHD Resource Guide, will help you differentiate between symptoms of ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome.

That’s all for the week and have a great day,

Dave Angel

PS – Just to let you know that the new Aspergers website is progressing along well and I’ve been putting together loads more information on topics such as college aged children, the effectiveness of therapies, helping your child to choose the “right” type of friends and how to support your child to cope with varied social situations. Keep watching this space for more details…!

This is Dave Angel.  Welcome to the twenty-fourth edition
of “The Parenting Autism & Aspergers Newsletter”…

Inside this edition you will find:

1. Hot Topic of Discussion - Autism a Hot Topic in Canadian
Federal Election

2. In the News – Second Life Offers Aid for Aspergers
ABC News,  Jan 16, 2008

3. Parenting Tips - Parenting a Child with Asperger Syndrome:
200 Tips and Strategies

4. Prominent People Linked with ASD - Albert Einstein, Scientist

Thanks

Dave

————————————————————

1. Hot Topic of Discussion -

Autism a Hot Topic in Canadian Federal Election

This fall, the Canadian federal election may become a battleground for
autism funding. Many Canadian parents are furious at the lack of services
for autistic children and are demanding that legislators make changes.
A fight between parents of autistic children and Canadian provincial
governments over funding for autim therapy may be addressed in the
federal election.

Medicare for Autism Now, an activist group, has developed a campaign
called “The Two Percent Solution.” The campaign targets the reelection
of federal Minister of Health Tony Clement and other incumbents who won
seats in the last election by less than two per cent. The campaign will
demand that they support Canada Health Act coverage for autism treatment and full funding for intensive one-to-one therapies or face non-election.

Many Canadian families with autistic children struggle financially to
provide their children with therapies that are only partly funded by the
provincial governments. “The responsibility for delivering health services
in Canada rests with the provinces and territories and it is at that level
that the issue must be addressed. The Canada Health Act (CHA) requires
provinces and territories to provide coverage for medically necessary hospital and physician services. The Act does not deal with individual medical conditions. Services provided outside of hospitals, or by health professionals other than physicians, are not insured health services under the CHA. Canada’s Government has already begun to address the issues that individuals with ASD and their families are facing,” states Jean Lewis of Medicare for Autism Now.

A 2004 Ipsos-Reid poll showed that 89% of Canadians support medicare coverage for autism treatment. Some provinces like New Brunswick provide families with up to $20,000 per year in funding for autism treatment until a child is six. After that, funding falls to a maximum payment of $6,000. Autism treatment
funding varies widely in Canada; Alberta and Newfoundland pay $40,000 a year, Saskatchewan $25,000, Manitoba $6,000, New Brunswick pays up to $20,000.

The governments’ rationale for the reduction in funding when children reach school age, is that the schools receive an extra $16,000 per year for each student on the autism spectrum. Parents claim that schools do not do enough to treat the students and the responsibility for further treatment falls heavily on parents.

It will be very interesting to see what happens in the fall election regarding this issue.

To read the full article please go to: http://www.autismspot.com/news/Autism-a-Hot-Topic-Canadian-Federal-Election and http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/09/01/Autism/

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

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2. In the News – Second Life Offers Aid for Aspergers
ABC News, Jan 16, 2008

Young people with Aspergers syndrome, who have difficulty picking up social cues, are getting help from the virtual world “Second Life,” ABC News reports. Researchers have found that Second Life, in which users communicate with others by creating an online avatar (an online persona represented in picture form), is more effective than other therapies for helping “Aspies” learn how to handle social situations, such as asking another avatar out on a date or requesting a raise from a boss avatar.

Researchers believe that these exercises in the virtual world feel more real than when Aspies role-play with a therapist, and, for that reason, are more effective and enjoyable. It remains to be seen if Aspies, who can be inflexible, will be able to use the skills they learn online in the real world. Many Aspies love using computers, which is definitely a positive in this situation. But, a negative may be that they will feel more comfortable in the virtual world and be unwilling to use their skills in the real one.

To read the article go to: http://www.newser.com/tag/18241/1/aspergers-syndrome.html

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

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3. Parenting Tips -  We are running short on parents tips so
if you have anything you’d like to share please add them on
the blog at:

http://parentingaspergers.com/blog/parenting-tips-wanted/

I have an excellent quick homework tip from Karen in
Sydney, Australia this week:

In reference to homework - my son has been diagnosed with
Aspergers this year and is in kindergarten. Homework was a
real nightmare in the afternoons, so we now set aside some
time after a healthy breakfast. I also copy the homework
assignment so that my younger son can join in as well and
make it a family time. It seems to work because my son is
fresher in the morning. I might try adding some classical
music as well to see how it goes!

Remember you can post your tips at:

http://parentingaspergers.com/blog/parenting-tips-wanted/

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4. Prominent People Linked with ASD - Albert Einstein,
Scientist

Albert Einstein, who was born in 1879 and died in 1955, was an American theoretical physicist often rumored to have had either autism or Aspergers Syndrome.  He was born in Germany of Jewish background and won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1921.  He made many contributions to science including the theory of relativity and held strong political opinions, but never joined a political party, even after moving to the US as an adult. Einstein had very delayed speech development as a child, narrowly-focused interests from childhood on, and ignored school subjects that did not interest him.  He would repeat sentences endlessly as a child. He was not popular with other children and disliked by teachers. However, Einstein apparently had a good sense of humor. Einstein’s first wife Mileva, a mathematician, also had a brilliant mind and together they had three children, one illegitimate daughter, one son who became an engineering professor, and another who was institutionalized as a schizophrenic. Einstein worked on the Manhattan Project which eventually developed the atom bomb, used at the end of WWII. Einstein’s brain was preserved after his death and has been carefully studied by scientists. They found that some parts of his brain were more developed than normal and others less so. They also found more glial cells (important for nerve signal transmission) in parts of his brain.
To see the full text of the articles go to: http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/aspergersyndrome/a/041003.htm,
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bleinstein.htm and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein’s_brain

Einstein may have had Aspergers Syndrome, but was never formally diagnosed.
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I hope the information in this month’s newsletter was valuable
to you.

The next edition of the newsletter is due in November.

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

Hi it’s Dave Angel again with your Tuesday Aspergers article. First up I think I owe more humble apologies as the “Blog Gremlins” (as one reader who emailed me amusingly put it!) struck again last week.

I went to a web guy in the USA who reiterated that the problem was a “browser issue” that meant some people were not able to view the article using Internet Explorer and similar browsers. But I also double checked with another web designer that I know out in Pakistan …

I’m glad that I did … as he tells a different story! Without going into boring micro-detail the problem seems to be when I cut and paste my articles that I have written from Microsoft Word on to the blog it messes something up.

So from now on I will use Microsoft Note Pad and this SHOULD solve the problem (but please continue to be patient as this whole thing is something of an experiment!) And to be doubly safe please read the blog using a Mozilla-based browser (e.g. Firefox, Safari or Netscape) and not Internet Explorer.

But the super good news is that when we move over to the new website early next year this and other such “teething” problems should disappear for good. I cannot wait to get on with just providing useful Aspergers information on a well designed and super-easy to use website. Instead of spending hours battling technical problems that I really don’t understand!

Anyway enough of the technical chat and on to this week’s article:

Question

I would like some tips on how to teach a younger sibling (age 3, not in school yet due to rural location) not to pick up unwanted behaviours from his brother.

Answer

You might be concerned that your 3-year-old will pick up unwanted behaviours because he might have Asperger’s Syndrome, also.  Asperger’s does, indeed, have a genetic component.

New research in the area of Asperger’s has shown that toddler siblings of autistic children are more likely to exhibit the same atypical behaviours as their brothers and sisters with autism, even when they don’t eventually develop the disorder.  Andy Shih, PhD, of the Baby Sibling Research Consortium, states that this increases the importance of careful monitoring of high-risk siblings of children with autism {or Asperger’s} for any signs of a disorder.  If one should occur, you are well-situated for early intervention.  If atypical behaviours occur, but there is no Asperger’s, you will feel relief at knowing that your second child does not have it.

If you have a child with Asperger’s, the odds are 50 to 100 times greater that your second child will be diagnosed with Asperger’s.  At the age of three, it might be difficult to tell if the child has Asperger’s.  Ask yourself the following:
•    Does your younger son have age-appropriate communication skills?
•    Does he follow his brother’s exact behaviours?

•    Is he overreacting to sensory stimuli (actions, lights, sounds)?  Does he cover his eyes or ears to avoid sensory stimuli?
If you answered “No” to these questions, your son is probably just imitating his older brother, and that is very common with siblings.  He might see his older brother as a role model, or he sees his brother getting a lot of attention for these behaviours, and he is imitating him to get some of the attention.

If you answered “Yes” to the above questions, consider having a professional, such as an Intervention Specialist or special education teacher, observe your three-year- old when he interacts with his brother, and when he is alone.  You might be thinking of waiting to see if your son outgrows these behaviours; however, if he does have Asperger’s Syndrome, you should begin early intervention.  Make sure that the professional you consult is experienced in assessing autism spectrum disorders, and that his experience specifically includes Asperger’s Syndrome.

In addition to obtaining the services of a behavioural professional, read the book Siblings of Children with Autism: A Guide for Families By Sandra L. Harris.  This book discusses explaining autism to your children, helping them express their thoughts and feelings, and helping them to play cooperatively.  Ms. Harris includes ways to look at and cope with the many challenges faced by families who are raising an autistic child.  Also this book addresses ways to sustain a marriage while coping with atypical child behaviours.  The book is brief, easy to read, and comprehend.  Also, it provides “case studies,” first-hand accounts of the difficulties faced by parents and siblings.

Your awareness of the sibling relationship, along with the help of a professional, and the book mentioned above will give you information and assistance to help with your three-year-old, if he, too, is diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.  Stay in touch with the professional involved and re-read the book so that you can provide a comprehensive level of care for both your children.

Have a great Tuesday,
Dave Angel

Hello and welcome to this week’s Aspergers article. I’ve been burning the midnight oil a little of late and getting some information together for the new big project, specifically for parents of girls with Aspergers. The stat’s have Aspergers pegged largely as a male issue but I know from the survey I carried out a while ago there are a number of you with Aspie girls to look after. This is an area that I have probably neglected in the past so I’m working hard to make up for lost time! Here’s this week’s question:

Question

I would like to know the long-term side effects of Seroquel and Concerta medications.

Answer

Just as a precursor to this question (as it covers medication) I need to point out that I am not a doctor or medically trained individual and any information in this article is for information purposes only. You must seek appropriate medical advice from an approved health care practitioner for medical diagnosis and treatment. OK boring legal jargon out of the way let’s get on with the article …

Seroquel is an antipsychotic medication that changes the chemical activity within the brain. It treats the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (manic depression), which are psychotic disorders.

Be aware that the following is a comprehensive list of possible reactions to Seroquel. It is rare that most or all of these symptoms will occur.

As with most other medications, there are side effects when taking Seroquel. This medication might cause high blood sugar, diabetes, and suicidal thoughts. Also, Seroquel might cause impairment of thoughts or reactions to external events, and it is not recommended to take Seroquel if you are going to operate a motor vehicle. Another side effect of Seroquel includes adverse reactions if alcohol is consumed.

Please be careful if you are also taking medicine for colds/allergies, sleeping pills, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants. You can become sleepy if Seroquel interacts with these medications.

You will need to contact an emergency medical facility if the following reactions occur: difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worse symptoms such as: mood or behaviour changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself.

Concerta is widely known to be a medication that treats Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While Concerta offers a number of advantages over pre-existing ADHD medications, it has side effects that you should know about.

Concerta is taken once a day because it is a timed-release medication. It comes in capsule form, and it has an outer coating of medication that quickly dissolves when swallowed. The medicinal effect of Concerta lasts twelve hours, and the following need to be considered when taking this medication:

It should be taken in the morning hours. If a dose is skipped, wait until the following day; otherwise, your sleep/wake cycle will be affected.

A dose of Concerta cannot be adjusted. Any change in milligrams must be done with a new prescription. Also, a Concerta capsule cannot be mixed with food; this will prevent the proper release of the medication.

Concerta is not recommended for people with digestive problems.

A comprehensive list of Concerta side effects includes: abdominal pain aggravation, aggression, anxiety, depression, hostility, insomnia and prolonged sleepiness, loss of appetite, increased coughing, nervousness, sadness, drug dependence, dizziness, headache, tics, sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infection, vomiting, allergic reactions, increased blood pressure, and psychosis.

Concerta is not recommended for children under the age of six or pregnant women.

Also, Concerta may be habit forming.

Enjoy your day.

Dave Angel.