Does my child have aspergers checklist4/21/2024 ![]() We believe that the understanding and synthesizing of this information is integral to your child’s forming of his identity. You may want to enlist the help of mental health professionals to facilitate the healthy processing of some very complicated information. The biggest gift you can give to your child is to respect her uniqueness and provide her the space and an opportunity to think and reflect about this information. Other children will be resistant to talking more about it, and will want some space to process this information in their own quiet way. They may want to look up what different words mean and feel like they can’t stop talking or thinking about it. Some will have many questions and want to understand more. These metaphors can also be used to explain to siblings, family members, friends or teachers when they don’t understand why your child is having a difficult time in some of these areas.Ĭhildren’s reactions to these talks reflect a full range of responses. We have found the use of metaphors particularly valuable in highlighting what it can feel like for a child with Asperger’s dealing with these difficulties. For emotional dysregulation, you may talk about a child whose feelings feel way too big for his little body, and for social deficits, you may talk about going to visit a foreign country and feeling like you have a hard time understanding the language or culture. To explain cognitive inflexibility, you may talk about a child’s brain getting “stuck” and unable to move past something. For example, to explain executive functioning difficulties, you may talk about a huge pile of papers, with no folders to organize them. It might be helpful, again depending on the age and maturity of your child, to use metaphors to talk about some of these symptoms. This article presents some guidelines to help parents make the best decision for their child.Įven though each child’s challenges are unique, there are characteristics that are common in children diagnosed with Asperger’s. ![]() We think this is an issue that needs to be dealt with carefully and sensitively to maximize the child’s adjustment to what lies ahead. Furthermore, there is misunderstanding about the diagnosis at a societal level and all too often it is framed in terms of its deficiencies rather than its differences. For example, because children with Asperger’s often have difficulties with the subtle nuances of communication, it may be hard for them to learn when it is appropriate or inappropriate to share the information with others. They may see Asperger’s as a challenge that holds them back from reaching their potential.ĭisclosing the diagnosis can present other issues. ![]() In this regard, it can feel like an albatross. ![]() On the other hand, to some children, the word Asperger’s can feel like a disease or a term describing what is “wrong with them.” We have seen children who were exposed to the word Asperger’s when they were diagnosed but avoid saying it, because of the sense of impairment it represents. For some, Asperger’s may be seen less as a disorder and more as a positive and fundamental part of their self-concept. It can offer opportunities for forging connections with others who share similar challenges.Ĭhildren may use their Asperger’s label as a potential cornerstone for building self‐advocacy skills, and it can help facilitate a sense of control in their lives. Rather than feeling stigmatized, they may experience a sense of empowerment in having a community of like-minded children they may find at school, camp, or in various social skills groups or other treatment settings. Children who have been given an understanding of the label of Asperger’s may feel a sense of belonging after realizing that there are lots of children out there like them. ![]()
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