Puberty and your child with Asperger's syndrome.

Puberty brings with it challenges for all children, however, children with autism spectrum disorders face increased challenges through puberty. The behavior issues of impulsivity can increase in both frequency and intensity. Children who have experienced bullying and experience bullying in the middle school years may become increasingly aggressive. Adolescence can become a very difficult time for a child with Aspergers Syndrome as peers may no longer be willing to tolerate someone who seems different. Moodiness, depression and anxiety can also develop in adolescence due to hormonal imbalances, and the increased separation of the child with an autism spectrum disorder and their peers. 

This is a time of their life when social demands become more complex and it becomes increasingly important to be able to understand social cues. Children with ASD can be more vulnerable to manipulation by others and peer pressure. They are likely to experience more rejection among their peers. With individuals who have autism/Asperger's syndrome, interaction with peers usually creates more anxiety than 
interaction with younger or older people.


For more information on these and other challenges your child with Asperger's syndrome will face, and how to help them get through it check out Dave Angel's Parenting Asperger's Resource Guide.

Asperger's Syndrome in Children Learning Community

I have worked out a deal with Dave Angel, the President of the Parenting Asperger's Community.  You can get total access to the whole site for 2 weeks for only $1.  Click the link below if you want to take advantage of this special offer.  I would highly recommend you take it for a test drive.  I don't know how long this offer will be available.  Remember you can cancel anytime.
http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/public/1225.cfm

Violent Behavior in Children with Aspergers

Aggression and Violent Behavior - by Dave Angel


Aggressive behavior in the child with Asperger’s 
Syndrome occurs for a reason, just as it would with any
other child. 


Inappropriate behavior, whether mild or severe, occurs in
order to; avoid something, get something, because of pain,
or to fulfill a sensory need. 


The first step in reducing or eliminating this behavior is to
determine the need that it fulfills.

The second step is to teach them a replacement behavior,
i.e. communicate what they want or don’t want.  
It may even involve using some of their obsessive or 
self-stimulating behaviors as a replacement.
This is because it would be far less intrusive to others than 
aggressive behaviors, but still serve the same purpose.  


This process takes time and initially, depending on the 
behavior, you may not have time. 


If the behavior is severe, then you need to remove the
child from whatever situation they are in at the time.


Simply insisting that they stop the behavior and
participate in whatever is occurring will not benefit
the child or you, unless you remove them from the 
situation first.  


Maintaining their routine will go along way towards
reducing the need for inappropriate or aggressive
behavior in the first place.  

You can check out Dave Angels many methods to helping those with 

Aspergers, by checking out his book. The Parenting Aspergers Guide.  It is well researched and full of great ideas for improving the life of your child.