At present, there is no specific cure for Asperger’s syndrome, but with better treatment, the undesirable behaviors may be reduced effectively. This will also help in improving the functioning of the child’s brain in the usual manner.
Treatment for Asperger’s syndrome endeavors to improve the interaction abilities of your child and helps him or her in functioning well with social surroundings. It also teaches your child to be self-sufficient at all times. Every child who is suffering from Asperger’s syndrome show different symptoms in number and their severity also varies. Depending on the occurrence of the symptoms, the treatment plan should be designed so that the individual needs are effectively met. Most of these approaches depend on family resources. However, certain symptoms demand specific treatment options.
Asperger’s Syndrome Treatment may Involve A Combination of the Below Mentioned Methods:
- Special Education: Specialists structure the education plan to meet with the education needs of every child in a unique way.
- Behavior Modification: This involves adopting various strategies for alleviating problematic behaviors and replacing them with the positive ones.
- Physical, Speech, or Occupational Therapy: Such therapies are planned to enhance the functional abilities of a child.
- Social Skills Therapies: Such therapies are managed by a counselor, social worker, psychologist or speech pathologist and help in building the social ability as well as skills in a child. By being a part of such therapies, all the non-verbal and verbal cues lacking in Asperger’s syndrome will be tackled in a healthy way.
- Medicines: Asperger’s syndrome does not have a specific medication for its treatment. Some drugs may be prescribed by the health practitioner for reducing obsessive-compulsive behavior, depression, anxiety and hyperactivity.
Finding and Evaluating The Right Educational Services Provided for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome
Begin by being in touch with the local school district and make a note of all the services that are available in favor of your child. Be informed about the educational rights for children. All the disabled people ranging from the age limit of 3 to 21 are allowed to get a proper education in any schools. This is a federal law that has to be followed by all the public schools. Additionally, there may be some local and state laws for aiding the children who suffer from Asperger’s syndrome.
You will have to meet with the personnel’s at school to know and set all the goals for an IEP- individualized education program. IEPs are planned to fit the needs of every child, depending on the evaluation done for his or her disability level.
School Programs for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome
Make a point to understand what is offered at various schools and find out about all the services that are needed by your child that best fits their disability. The following qualities have to be looked for:
- Small work groups that provide individual attention.
- A communications professional who has awareness in social skills training.
- Chances of interacting in social situations with a structured setting and supervision of all the activities.
- An eagerness of teaching skills that help in real life and encourage a child to nurture their talents as well as special interests.
- An enthusiasm for individualizing the curriculum.
- A counselor, who is sensitive enough for understanding the importance of a child’s well-being and build a relationship with the family as well.
- A prominence on respect for variety and compassion for the students.
Keep a record of all the things that take place in your child’s classroom. Maintain a communication diary for managing communication and circulate it amidst your child’s class teachers.
Treatment Strategies for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome
Treatment concentrates on improving social skills, communication and behavior management. A program may be designed as per the needs of every child for letting him or her adjust in a better way. Make the most out of your child’s strengths by motivating him or her to explore various activities at home as well as in school. Joining groups that are activity-oriented and counseling can prove to be of great help as well.
Children who suffer from Asperger’s syndrome show some other conditions that coexist. This includes depression, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These conditions can often pose challenges to the parents who are dealing with additional needs of their ailing child. All these conditions demand proper medication and treatment along with other therapies.
Home Based Treatment Options for Asperger’s Syndrome
Parents can learn about Asperger’s syndrome for serving their child in the best possible way and create a loving as well as supportive environment at home. Just like every other kid, your child also has certain strengths and weaknesses that have to be nurtured. Even he or she may need patience, support and understanding from your side, so be sure to give most of it.
By self-educating about the Asperger’s syndrome, you can help your child in being independent and succeed in social situations. Learn about the syndrome by visiting designated organizations or your doctor. www.aspergersyndrome.org can be a good source for gaining all the information on Asperger’s syndrome and will eventually reduce your stress in learning new things for coping with the situation.
The following suggestions will help you in understanding all the means that will assist your child in healing from Asperger’s syndrome. While some ideas may be helpful, others may not work in your favor. Creativity, flexibility and willingness to adopt will be appropriate for raising your kid.
General Strategies to Relieve the Symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome:
- The sufferers of Asperger’s Syndrome may benefit from having regular routines of daily homework, meals and bedtime. They also benefit from certain rules that tend to reduce the stress levels and confusion to a greater extent.
- People who suffer from Asperger’s syndrome show significant improvement with verbal teachings and assignments. A concise, direct and straightforward approach will prove to be helpful.
- People who are suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome often have issues in developing a sense of understanding for a stressful situation and will see them in parts rather than complete picture.
- This is why; they benefit from small teaching approaches that eventually lead to larger ones. The ideas that are demonstrated will help them in coping well without any limitations.
- Various visual supports that include written materials and schedules that work as organizational aids can prove to be effective.
- Be aware of all the distractions like certain background noises of ticking clock or humming of fluorescent lighting that can disturb your child’s behavior.
- Children with autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger’s syndrome may have keenness in computers, video games and television. It is advisable to keep all such things away from your child’s bedroom. If your child does not get enough sleep, the symptoms may worsen gradually.
- Children suffering from Asperger’s syndrome often show minimum maturity as they develop less mental age with their age. So, don’t assume them to act as per their age.
- Try to know about the triggers and find ways to avoid them as well. Teach your child to cope with all these things in advance and dealing with various situations.
Strategies for Developing Social Skills for Children Suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome:
- Your child may be unable to understand the social rules and norms that are seen in other children. Explain them clearly about the kind of behaviors that are expected and teach them to follow those behaviors.
- Encourage your child to develop an interaction with various people and give them an explanation why such things are important. Praise them for all the social skills that your kid does impromptu.
- Practice various activities like Q and A sessions as well as games that allow your child to be in someone’s place.
- Help your child in understanding various feelings by watching or discussing various human behaviors by watching movies and television serials. Provide a role model for your kid by speaking to him or her about the feelings and its associated reactions.
- Teach your kid to read and react positively to all the social instances. Provide your kid with phrases of various social situations that help them in handling even basic situations like being introduced.
- Promote social involvement with others, especially if your kid tends to stay aloof.
- Teach your child to differentiate between public and private places along with a positive reaction in both these circumstances.
Positive Effects of School Strategies for Handling Asperger’s Syndrome:
- Use various visual systems like checklists, calendars and notes for organizing the school work.
- Familiarize your child to the setting of his or her school. Before the academics begin, go through the kid’s curriculum and teach your kid to be familiar with all the school settings.
- Keep your child away from bullying or teasing and keep them aware of everything. Talk to your kid’s teacher or counselor at school about Asperger’s syndrome.
- Ask your lad’s teacher to seat him besides kids who understand his needs in a better way. These kids might also tend to be your kid’s buddies during lunch, recess or any other times.
- Ask the class teacher to design activities that enhance the academic skills of your kid like vocabulary, art and reading as well.
- Design various routines for homework for your kid at a particular time and place on a daily basis. This will help your child in learning about managing their time efficiently.
- Motivate your kid by rewarding him or her from time to time for all the achievements that they make or even when he or she performs outstandingly.
- Some children who suffer from Asperger’s Syndrome have poor handwriting. The task of homework can be made easier by allowing your kids to type it on the computer. Use of computers can also help in improving motor skills and render a better organization. At times, occupational therapy may be of great help.
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