Changing Schools When Your Child Has Asperger's Syndrome

If you moved recently, or if your child is ready to leave elementary school behind, you are undoubtedly looking for a new school your child might attend. The first day of class is always a challenge for any child, but since your child has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, you know that she or he has additional challenges to contend with. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do ahead of time that will make the transition easier on your child. Mind you, it will not be stress free, but by and large it will enable the child to get a lot out of the new setting without falling victim to the apathy that seems to go hand in hand with stressful situations.

Tips and tricks for parents with Asperger’s Syndrome children who will find themselves in new educational setting are plentiful, but perhaps the most important five can be summed up.

1. Plan the transition ahead of time. There are plenty of times when parents forget to sign up their child with a new school quickly, and the result may be that the child spends a few days at one school and then transfers to another because space was not available. In the same vein, late signups may lead to a switch in classrooms and other situations that could be avoided. Being on the ball for your child counts! 2. Prepare the child in advance for the situation she or he is going to face. Explain why the change is taking place, and point out the advantages this change will bring. Be honest and upfront about the new schedules, the new route the child will take when going to school, and also how routines are likely to change when school starts up again. 3. Visit the school ahead of time. Asperger’s Syndrome causes your child to experience a great fear of the unknown. Since you have the ability to allay many of these fears, it is up to you to ensure you do all that is possible to make sure your child feels confident about the up and coming changes. For example, this might involve you driving the new route with the child a number of times. Start fostering a sense of familiarity about the situation and you will be rewarded with a much more confident child come the first day of school. 4. Make an appointment at the new school and let your child tour the campus, classroom, and also practice the route to the bathrooms and cafeteria. A lot of anxiety comes from not knowing what to do and how to do it. When taking care to tackle these issues one at a time, your child will be a confident first time student at the new school. 5. If at all possible, privately discuss your child’s Asperger’s Syndrome and its symptoms with the teacher scheduled for your child’s next class. It is imperative that he or she understands the implications and also knows how to help the child along. Even though this is not a guarantee for a good school year, it does set up the child for success.

diagnosis of asperger's Syndrome

Asperger syndrome was first described by Hans Asperger, a Viennese pediatrician. His paper in 1944 describe a set of patterns he found in some of his patients. He noted that although these boys had normal intelligence and language developments they also had severely impaired social skills and were unable to communicate effectively with others.

It wasn't until 1994 that the diagnosis of asperger syndrome was added to the DSM-IV and even later be for many professionals believed that this was one of several spectrum disorders. Asperger syndrome is characterized by poor social skills, obsessions and odd speech patterns. Unfortunately this also sets up these individuals for incessant teasing and being the brunt of the class bully.

Individuals with asperger syndrome often have very few facial expressions themselves and can have difficulty reading the body language of others. Parents will reports that these children engaged in obsessive routines, often becoming totally submersed in a hobby or collection. Children and adults often display an unusual sensitivity to different sensations, whether they are touch, smell, taste or sight. For example, individuals may be bothered by a light that no one else notices were may cover their years to block out sounds. Others may find clothing to be restrictive and wear only things made of certain materials or with out elastic at the wrist and ankle.

For the most part, individuals with asperger syndrome are very capable of functioning and holding down a productive job. However, they are somewhat socially immature and are often tagged as being odd or eccentric.

Parents and significant others will also notice some motor delays or clumsiness in the individual's ability to function. Adults will have trouble demonstrating empathy for others and social situations will always be difficult.

Diagnosis of asperger syndrome can be difficult and misdiagnoses are common. This can be further complicated by the fact that many of the same characteristics of individuals with asperger's is also found in other disorders. If these are misinterpreted or over emphasized a diagnosis may be different.

For example, if the individual or child has a high degree of attention deficit disorder that may be the only diagnosis he receives. ADD is a common characteristic of children with asperger syndrome. The same holds true if the individual has a high degree of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Just because an individual has ADD or obsessive-compulsive disorder does not mean they don't also have asperger syndrome. Individuals with asperger's will also exhibit anxiety, motor deficits and oppositional defiant disorder. Another overlooked area during diagnosis is that individuals with asperger syndrome often find comfort in your routines are rituals. This does not mean that they exhibit obsessive-compulsive behavior but rather that rules define the way in which they live their lives every day.

Because of the variety of symptoms which can be presented as well as the subtleties and nuances one of the single most important considerations is the professional who is making the diagnosis. This professional should be familiar with autistic spectrum disorders and should have made a diagnosis of asperger syndrome in the past.

The diagnosis is often made with a psychologist or psychiatrist where the child was observed to see how they responded very a situation. They may also request to speak to the school psychologist or the schoolteacher for an additional check last. It is also important that the child have their IQ measured because a measured IQ that his average or above average is necessary for the diagnosis of asperger's.

The child should also see a neurologist or developmental pediatrician to rule out other medical conditions and received any additional medical testing such as blood, urine, hearing and genetic testing. The child should also be seen by a speech and language pathologist to look for impairments in speech pragmatics and semantics. Despite having adequate receptive (received) or expressive (spoken) language children will also display unusual patterns that interfere in later social situations.

It is important to take seriously the diagnosis of asperger syndrome because it can get in the way of the progression of an individual's career, cause negative effects in friendships and relationships, cause issues and social situations and be responsible for being overwhelmed in a public situation.

Although there is currently no known cure for the disorder children with asperger syndrome can lead full and happy lives. This is more likely achieved with the appropriate education, support and resources and only through early diagnosis and intervention.

Autism and the School System

Autistic children will have special needs when it comes to schooling. Many children with Autism go to public school and do just fine with some special modifications. There are laws pertaining to kids with disabilities. Here are some of the things you will need to know about Autism and school.

The Individuals With Disabilities Act

The Individuals with Disabilities act was passed to make sure all children receive a free and appropriate public education that meets their needs. The act requires children with special needs to have special education service as long as they meet the requirements. Autism meets that requirement.

Free and Appropriate Education

This is an education that meets the special needs of your child. It is one that allows them to make progress learning.

Least Restrictive Learning Environment

This means that your child will be placed in an educational setting that is right for their special needs while allowing them to socialize with kids that do not have a disability. The school will do what it can to meet the needs of your Autistic child while keeping them in regular classrooms.

To figure out what special needs your child will need the school will evaluate your child. This evaluation can be requested by the school or the parent. If you think there is a problem write a letter to the school asking them to evaluate your child. They will send a paper home for you to sign that gives permission for the evaluation to take place. During the evaluation your child will be tested for learning disabilities along with any mental, or behavioral problems. After the evaluation is complete the school will have a meeting with you to discuss their findings, and what can be done to help your child.

IEP

An IEP is used when a child has a need for special education services. The group that evaluated the child will be part of the team that creates the IEP. The parents will also have a say in what is included in the IEP. An IEP will state the needs the child has to get an appropriate education. They will also list the services the child is going to receive in the IEP. The IEP can be evaluated at any time if the services are not working for the child. An example of some services that might be included in an IEP are extra time when completing class work, have tests read aloud to the child, or an aide is provided for the child. Each IEP will be different for each child. The IEP will be evaluated on a yearly basis unless the parents request it sooner. The parents have the right to be at every IEP meeting held.

You are your child's best advocate when dealing with the school system. Some schools will try to give you the run around. They will do whatever they can to keep your child from having any special services in school. You have to be the one to stand up for your child. You are their voice. If you do not feel comfortable dealing with the school alone there are lawyers and advocates that are there to help.

The Symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome In The Adult

Adults who have Asperger's Syndrome have a developmental disorder that affects how their brain processes information. Adults with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) usually have trouble making or keeping friends, have a great deal of difficulty communicating with others at work, school or home, and are unable to understand social rules or to interpret or understand body language.

Symptoms may be mild to severe and involve many different symptoms or just a few symptoms. The more common symptoms that an adult may have who has AS are as follows:

> An IQ that is normal or above normal

> An inability to think in abstract terms

> An inability to empathize with others or to see things from another person's point of view

> Lacks in conversational ability, usually talks out of turn, or initiates and continues one-sided conversations even if the other person isn't listening or is showing signs of being bored that the person with AS is completely unaware of.

> Has difficulty controlling feelings of anxiety, anger and depression

> Does well with routines and following the law or rules and has a difficult time dealing with changes.

> Has difficulty managing appropriate social behavior

> Develops obsessive specialized interest in one subject or hobby

The adult who suffers from AS like the child and teen with AS is unable to understand the emotions of others or to have empathy. They are unable to understand non-verbal communication such as facial expressions so the look of sadness will go unnoticed in the adult with AS. Due to the fact that adults with AS are unable to detect facial expressions or other non-verbal communications they are often seen as uncaring, selfish and rude.

Even though the adult male and female with Asperger's Syndrome are interested in sex they lack the social or empathetic skills that are necessary in order to manage adult relationships. Because there are so many "hidden" rules of dating, an adult with AS may show inappropriate behavior sexually simply because they are unaware of what is appropriate behavior.

Adults with AS can successfully navigate the waters of relationships and become married and even parents, but there will be difficulties doing so. One Dutch study shows that the divorce rate for individuals with Asperger's Syndrome is 80%.

The parent who has AS is unable to understand when the partner needs emotional support or help with the children which creates tension in the relationship as this leaves the other parent to basically become a "single parent".

Adults in the workplace who suffer from AS:

* Should avoid jobs that require short-term memory such as air traffic controller, receptionist, waitress, short order cook and cashier.

Careers that adults with AS who are visual thinkers would do better in are:

* Computer programming, drafting, photography, mechanic, appliance repair, handcraft artisan, WebPages designer, video game designer.

Careers that adults with AS who are good at mathematics or music would be better in are:

* Accounting, computer programming, engineering, taxi driver, filing positions, statistician, physician, mathematician, bank teller, telemarketing.

Treatments for Aspergers Syndrome

There is not one set treatment for Aspergers syndrome. You will not find a medication that will cure a child with Aspergers. Instead you will find several treatments to help with the problems associated with Aspergers syndrome. Here we will examine some of the treatments used with Aspergers syndrome.

Social Skills Training

Children with Aspergers syndrome have a hard time understanding facial expressions, and tone of voice. They tend to take everything said to them very literally. They do not know when a person is joking with them. Children can be taught to recognize changes in peoples voice, and what different facial expressions mean. They also need to be taught how to use better eye contact. This type of training can help the child to make friends. They are taught how to act around other people. Some children with Aspergers want to be around other kids, they just do not know how to act with them. They can be taught how to act when out shopping, or at a restaurant.

Cognitive behavior Therapy

This type of therapy teaches the child with Aspergers syndrome to find ways to cope. They are taught ways to reduce anxiety. They learn how to spot a situation that can cause them trouble. Then they learn techniques to cope when they are in that situation. Aspergers children often have a lot of anxiety. They have a hard time in social settings. They can have anxiety attacks, or complete meltdowns. The Cognitive therapy teaches them ways to stop the meltdowns from occurring. This therapy will teach a child with Aspergers that when they feel an unwanted behavior coming on something they can do to stop it. They are taught how to remove them selves from a situation that makes them uneasy.

Medication

There is no medication that will treat Aspergers. However there is medication to help with some of the symptoms of Aspergers. Many children with Aspergers have anxiety and depression. There are medications that can help relieve these problems. Relieving the anxiety can help the child feel more comfortable in social settings. Medications like these can have side effects. You will need to monitor your child's behavior while they are on the medication. Some children with Aspergers have a hard time sleeping. There are medications to help the child sleep.

Parenting Education

There is training for the parents of Aspergers children. This training consists of ways you can deal with behaviors. Learning things that can help to calm your child down when they are having a meltdown, or anxiety attack. Parents are taught ways of using reward systems to control behavior problems. They are taught how to deal with the behaviors in the home. This helps them to deal with behaviors in other places too.

With these treatments the life of an Aspergers child can be easier. If no treatment is given children with Aspergers can have trouble with depression, and anxiety. They have such a hard time dealing with people socially they might turn to alcohol, or drugs to relax them. Getting a treatment plan that works is a number one priority for your Aspergers child.