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Please find for your convenience a range of free articles we hope will assist you to better understand your Asperger Child, and the behaviour characteristics he/she displays.

 
What is Asperger's Syndrome? 7 July 08  

Asperger's Syndrome is part of the Autistic Spectrum. It's a lifelong, neurobiological disorder primarily affecting social and communication abilities.

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Aspergers Syndrome and Emotional Regulation 11 June 08   Children with Aspergers Syndrome have difficulty managing their emotions, particularly with recognising and understanding feelings and expressing their emotions appropriately. AS children usually have intense feelings that often overwhelm them – this is caused by their lack of emotional aptitude. Read More
Aspergers Syndrome and Bullying 3 June 08  

Statistics show children with Aspergers Syndrome are more at risk of being bullied, with up to 94% of children with Aspergers Syndrome being victims of bullying. The data shows that they are subjected to victimization on average 1-2 times a week. Having Aspergers Syndrome means these children are part of a vulnerable population and are easy targets.

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Asperger Syndrome Child's Emotional Wellbeing 5 March 08   If you're reading this article, chances are your child/student has just been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (or there's a possibility they will be!) and you're searching the internet for any information that may help you make sense of the diagnosis. Read More
Aspergers Syndrome and Personal Hygiene 10 October 07   A common behaviour characteristic in children with Aspergers Syndrome appears to be a dislike of grooming and personal hygiene habits. Aspergers children of all ages seem to have difficulty establishing sound hygiene routines in the areas of bathing/showering, washing hair, brushing hair, hair cuts, cleaning teeth and changing clothes. Far from being lazy or slovenly, the source of the problem seems to stem from the sensory sensitivities associated with Aspergers Syndrome, particularly with tactile sensitivities. Read More
Aspergers Syndrome Children and Motivation 13 September 07   Aspergers Syndrome children respond best when their motivation level is high; when the answer to the question "What's in it for me?" is something an Asperger child most wants or desires. Children with Aspergers Syndrome never really make the leap from instant gratification to internal motivation or drive, such as self-satisfaction in a job well done, or pride in their ability to face a challenging situation. Aspergers Syndrome children are simply wired differently emotionally, and parents and educators soon come to realise that motivation to attempt or complete tasks is closely linked to perceived personal gain or reward for the child. Read More
Asperger's Syndrome Children at School 23 June 07  

Between the age of 6-18 children spend a third of each day at school, so it's important to ensure they're in the best environment for their needs. This is particularly true for children with Asperger's Syndrome. So what should parents/carers look for when choosing a school for their Asperger's Syndrome child, or consider in their monitoring of the school environment?

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Aspergers Syndrome Perception and Visual Perspective 14 November 06   A common trait for children and adults with Aspergers Syndrome is that they tend to get caught up and lost in the details of tasks or situations and the environments around them. This affects all cognitive ability such as reading ability – words are reduced to letters or sounds in isolation – and maths ability – equations become single numbers or number patterns. They don't see the “larger” or whole picture, so often they're not even aware of other people within a scenario; consequently the other persons emotions and feelings don't register with the Aspergers Syndrome child. Read More
Asperger's Syndrome Children and Sensory Sensitivity 6 September 06   Children with Asperger's Syndrome suffer from sensory sensitivity or are “sensory defensive”. This sensitivity can encompass any or all of the senses: sound, touch, taste, sight, and smell. These sensitivities are real, and cause the sufferer much discomfort, some describing it as ‘painful'. Sensory overload can trigger a meltdown, often being the ‘straw that broke the camel's back'. Some sensitivity's will diminish with exposure and the passage of time. Others will remain as severe for life. Read More
Asperger's Syndrome at Christmas Time 2 May 06   The Christmas season is a time of joy and peace; celebrating with loved ones; when a feeling of hope renews the spirit. At least that's what it's meant to be like…however the reality for those of us blessed with a child with Asperger's Syndrome is often very different! Read More
Aspergers Syndrome and Literal Meanings 7 July 05   In looking at the early language history of children with Aspergers Syndrome, there is no clear pattern: some have normal or even early achievement of milestones while others have delays in speech. Frequently children with Aspergers Syndrome display language characteristics such as repetitive sayings or the use of catch phrases they've heard on Television, at the movies, or on the radio. Read More
Asperger Syndrome – Visual Aids and Communication 1 July 05   Children with Asperger's Syndrome respond well to visual cues, so a visual timetable in the classroom and home is a beneficial communication tool that can be easily modified to meet the needs of children with Asperger's Syndrome of all age groups. Read More
Asperger’s Syndrome and Anxiety 18 May 05   Children with Asperger's Syndrome are known to be more naturally ‘anxious' than their non-ASD peers. The challenges presented by the 5 characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome (social impairment, communication impairment, sensory sensitivity, repetitive behaviours and difficulty with change) potentially make their world a confusing and frightening reality. Add anxiety to the mix and you may have a child who is anxious and worried 100% of the time. Anxiety and stress over sustained periods of time is shown to lead to exhaustion, the development of allergies and illness. Read More
Asperger's Syndrome and Unequal Reaction to Pain 4 May 05  

As Parents, Teachers and Professionals of children with Asperger's Syndrome we are all familiar with the enigma of their unequal reaction to pain and injury. A stubbed toe or paper cut may set off a pain response (crying, screaming, and sobbing) such as is equalled by the loss of a limb; yet a burst ear drum or broken limb may go seemingly unnoticed. As carers of children with Asperger's Syndrome we are often bewildered by this ‘unequal' response to pain stimuli. Anecdotal evidence from clients worldwide is full of reports on this topic. So, what's the answer to this confusing puzzle? The questions surrounding Asperger's children's unequal response to pain can be explained scientifically.

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Asperger's Syndrome and a Gluten-free Diet 4 February 04   A gluten-free, casein free diet is recommended for Asperger's Syndrome children and adults. Often parents feel rather overwhelmed with such a restrictive diet, and only opt to embrace it as a last resort. The results produced by the diet varies markedly - but the keyword here is RESULT. You can expect some result. Read More
Aspergers Syndrome and Transition Difficulties 7 January 04  

Transition is defined as “passage from one form, state, style, or place to another”. A characteristic common to children/adults with Asperger's Syndrome is the difficulty they experience with making transitions. For neurotypicals the transition process happens effortlessly (without us noticing), countless times a day. So it can be challenging for parents/carers/teachers to comprehend the impact that problems with transition create for those with Asperger's Syndrome.

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Asperger Syndrome Children and Tantrums/Meltdown 6 January 04  

Children with Asperger's Syndrome the world over share a common trait – meltdown – otherwise known as a tantrum, a “birko”, a “go-off” or “spack-attack”. The visible symptoms of meltdown are as varied as the Asperger children themselves, but every parent is able to describe their child's meltdown behaviour in intricate detail.

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Asperger's Syndrome Special Interest Topic 16 July 03    Children with Asperger's Syndrome often have an area of interest that is all-consuming e.g. dinosaurs, sharks, horses, astrology, computers etc. and they are passionate about it. These high interest areas can remain constant or change every couple of months or so. Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome usually develop an in-depth knowledge of these high-interest topics, often amassing an astonishing recall of facts and data on their favorite topic. Read More
 
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