Some parents grieve for the loss of the youngster they imagined they had. Moms and dads have their own particular way of dealing with the situation based on a number of factors (e.g., their personality style, life experiences and support systems, among others). Clearly there are a range of stages and coping techniques, such as denial, depression, anger and rationalization. Most families recognize, at least at some level, that there is something significantly wrong with their "special needs" youngster. To at last be given a name for it (i.e., ASD level 1,  or High-Functioning A ..read more

Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:   ==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Launching Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Parents' Comprehensive Handbook ..read more

Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:   ==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Launching Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Parents' Comprehensive Handbook ..read more

Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum:   ==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Launching Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Parents' Comprehensive Handbook ..read more

A meltdown is a condition where the youngster with ASD level 1, or High Functioning Autism, temporarily loses control due to emotional responses to environmental factors. It generally appears that the youngster has lost control over a single and specific issue, however this is very rarely the case.  Usually, the problem is the accumulation of a number of irritations which could span a fairly long period of time, particularly given the strong long-term memory abilities of young people on the autism spectrum. Why The Problems Seem Hidden— ASD kids don't tend to give a lot of ..read more

“My 14 yr. old daughter with ASD (level 1) basically refuses to do her homework. It’s a daily struggle that results in meltdown. Desperate ...please help! Any advice will be greatly appreciated.” As most parents already know, ASD level 1, or High Functioning Autism (HFA), disrupts the youngster’s academic abilities in multiple areas (e.g., a lowered tolerance for new situations or sudden transitions, lack of organizational skills, inconsistent energy levels, high distractibility, excessive interest in only one or two subjects to the exclusion of all others, etc.).  All of these can pre ..read more

"My 6-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. But now we are seeing signs that he may have 'high functioning' autism. What percentage of ADHD children also have autism? Is a dual diagnosis common?" Most kids with ASD level 1 (high functioning autism) don’t receive that diagnosis until after age 6. Usually, they are diagnosed with ADHD as toddlers. Part of the reason is that physicians routinely screen kids for ADHD but not for autism.    Another reason is that an ASD child's social impairment becomes more evident once he starts school. Finally, physicians are reluctant to ..read more

"I need some advice on how to handle behavior problems in my child with ASD, such as how to use the right discipline, dealing with his obsessions, sibling issues, sleep problems, school-related problems, and acting-out behavior in public. Thanks!" Disciplining kids displaying ASD-related behavior will often require an approach which is somewhat unique to that of "typical" kids. Finding the balance between understanding the needs of a youngster with ASD - and discipline which is age appropriate and situationally necessary - is achievable when applying some simple, yet effective strategies. The ..read more

"Do children with ASD Level 1 have speech or language problems, or is this purely an issue in ASD Level 3?" Although kids with ASD level 1, or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), acquire language skills without significant general delay - and their speech typically lacks significant abnormalities - language acquisition and use is often atypical. Abnormalities include: abrupt transitions auditory perception deficits literal interpretations miscomprehension of nuance oddities in loudness, pitch, intonation, prosody, and rhythm  unusually pedantic, formal or idiosyncratic speech use of metap ..read more

“My ASD son (high functioning) continues to be bullied at school, but nobody there seems to take it seriously. His teach said that ‘he seems to start the arguments by annoying some of the other students.’ O.K. Fine. Maybe this is true, but that doesn’t justify bullying. How can I get the school to take this seriously?” Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, disability harassment is against the law in all schools, school districts, and colleges and universities that receive public funds. “Special needs” kids who are bullied or harassed have legal rights to grievance procedures a ..read more