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Help 2 boys with High-Functioning Autism (HFA), High IQ + Aggression
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<blockquote data-quote="susiestar" data-source="post: 323212" data-attributes="member: 1233"><p>Welcome! You are sure in the right place, and I am happy to meet you. I am sorry you need us though, Know what I mean??</p><p></p><p>My oldest, Wiz, has Aspergers, a very high functioning kind of autism. He is VERY high functioning. He just turned 18 and has turned himself around from where we were when he was 6.</p><p></p><p>Wiz was incredibly sweet and loving. And aggressive. In many ways the aggression was one of the few ways he knew to handle frustration. Imagine being trapped in a body with an excellent mind, and understanding of words and not being able to speak. It would be awful, in my opinion. It is NOT the only reason for the aggression.</p><p></p><p>The rules. Oh yes, we still have rules problems. Kids with autism truly do not understand that there is a difference between adults and kids, between parents and kids, between teachers and students. This is one of the areas our autistic kids are the most handicapped. They have a very hard time learning the social rules - and they will NEVER grasp them just by seeing what their peers do. Insisting they stay in "normal" classrooms so they can learn to act like "normal" kids is a common mistake. Autistic kids need to have the social rules spelled out, over and over. </p><p></p><p>The earlier the interventions, the better. You are a year or two ahead of where we were with Wiz at age 6. I was still fighting to get my husband to see the problems were not "normal". The doctor, my parents, the teachers, they all thought that we just were not disciplining enough, or consistently or whatever. About that time my mom came to stay for a couple of weeks with-o my dad. She truly watched how I disciplined. I didn't have the books we recommend here. Just instincts at that point. </p><p></p><p>She FINALLY saw the issues, and realized I wasn't being "over sensitive".</p><p></p><p>I would first go ahead and apply for disability for the kids. It will help pay for the intense therapy they will need to function in this world. It will be hard to get, if in fact you CAN get it. But it is worthwhile to try.</p><p></p><p>Then go and get a copy of "The Explosive Child" and "What your Explosive Child Is Trying to Tell You". If you look at the right of the screen you will see the titles in the Amazon box. If you click there it will take you to amazon. This helps support us but is in NO way required. You do NOT have to pay to be a member here. But it is a quick way to get the books with-o adding an errand to your day.</p><p></p><p>I would PUSH to get a PRIVATE Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment done ASAP. It is highly likely your children have sensory integration problems of some kind. There are very good ways to help this. One therapy, brushing, is taught by an Occupational Therapist (OT) and then done by parents and teachers several times a day (takes about 90 seconds once you know what you are doing). The problem is that the brain is not able to handle the input from the senses. So the child reacts strongly to them, either seeking or avoiding input from certain senses. My youngest, thank you, is not autistic but has a LOT of sensory problems.</p><p></p><p>The brushing therapy is one of the few therapies that is not medical, if done properly has no side effects usually, and is proven to retrain the brain to form different, more functional neural pathways. It teaches the brain how to handle sensory input properly - and it is PROVEN and safe. You can learn more about sensory integration in "The Out of Sync Child" and "The Out of Sync Child Has Fun" by kranowitz.</p><p></p><p>Many autistic kids are helped by a gluten and casein free diet. Other parents can tell you more about it. My son was not helped, but many kids are.</p><p></p><p>As for medications, not all autistic kids need them. They won't cure or fix the autism. Mostly they can help with symptoms. The strattera is probably not a wise choice. It can even cause suicidal thoughts in children, just like prozac and medications of that class. Strattera is actually an antidepressant that doesn't work too well on depression. It can be very helpful (both Wiz and my brother are on it), but it CAN increase aggression and I would want to not do that.</p><p></p><p>The lamictal is interesting. Why is he on that? It is an anti-seizure medication that is useful for mood stabilization and sometimes depression. Your son's dose is not high enough to be effective in most patients, and I just cannot think what they want it to do.</p><p></p><p>I would think risperdal or seroquel would be more helpful. They are atypical antipsychotics and are VERY useful in curbing aggression. My son told me it helped him not feel so angry all the time and it "let him be happy cause before he couldn't ever stop being mad", in his 9 year old words (was just re-reading some of the things we kept in a notebook ). These medications have side effects and are not to be given lightly. But no medications are. These might let him have a chance to learn to control himself.</p><p></p><p>There are a lot of things that can be done. Early and intense intervention is key to treating autistic people. The more intervention, the earlier it is done, the better the results will be. Being in a separate class is not what it was when we were kids. Go and visit the Special Education classroom he would be in. Check out programs at your school and even others in the district. Your son will be better served in a program that meets his needs and teaches him those unwritten social rules than he will be in a decade of classes with regular kids. Just in my opinion, but the right "fit" is more important than not being "away from the normal kids", at least as far as treating his autism. </p><p></p><p>That is probably enough info for now. Maybe too much. Just remember, you are not alone. We won't judge you. We "get it" cause we have been there done that. Here you can take the info that is helpful and leave the rest. It is OK to disagree, or to think one of us is off our rocker. What is important is finding what helps each of your kids, and our kids. Not in who is more right.</p><p></p><p>Sending lots of hugs!!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="susiestar, post: 323212, member: 1233"] Welcome! You are sure in the right place, and I am happy to meet you. I am sorry you need us though, Know what I mean?? My oldest, Wiz, has Aspergers, a very high functioning kind of autism. He is VERY high functioning. He just turned 18 and has turned himself around from where we were when he was 6. Wiz was incredibly sweet and loving. And aggressive. In many ways the aggression was one of the few ways he knew to handle frustration. Imagine being trapped in a body with an excellent mind, and understanding of words and not being able to speak. It would be awful, in my opinion. It is NOT the only reason for the aggression. The rules. Oh yes, we still have rules problems. Kids with autism truly do not understand that there is a difference between adults and kids, between parents and kids, between teachers and students. This is one of the areas our autistic kids are the most handicapped. They have a very hard time learning the social rules - and they will NEVER grasp them just by seeing what their peers do. Insisting they stay in "normal" classrooms so they can learn to act like "normal" kids is a common mistake. Autistic kids need to have the social rules spelled out, over and over. The earlier the interventions, the better. You are a year or two ahead of where we were with Wiz at age 6. I was still fighting to get my husband to see the problems were not "normal". The doctor, my parents, the teachers, they all thought that we just were not disciplining enough, or consistently or whatever. About that time my mom came to stay for a couple of weeks with-o my dad. She truly watched how I disciplined. I didn't have the books we recommend here. Just instincts at that point. She FINALLY saw the issues, and realized I wasn't being "over sensitive". I would first go ahead and apply for disability for the kids. It will help pay for the intense therapy they will need to function in this world. It will be hard to get, if in fact you CAN get it. But it is worthwhile to try. Then go and get a copy of "The Explosive Child" and "What your Explosive Child Is Trying to Tell You". If you look at the right of the screen you will see the titles in the Amazon box. If you click there it will take you to amazon. This helps support us but is in NO way required. You do NOT have to pay to be a member here. But it is a quick way to get the books with-o adding an errand to your day. I would PUSH to get a PRIVATE Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment done ASAP. It is highly likely your children have sensory integration problems of some kind. There are very good ways to help this. One therapy, brushing, is taught by an Occupational Therapist (OT) and then done by parents and teachers several times a day (takes about 90 seconds once you know what you are doing). The problem is that the brain is not able to handle the input from the senses. So the child reacts strongly to them, either seeking or avoiding input from certain senses. My youngest, thank you, is not autistic but has a LOT of sensory problems. The brushing therapy is one of the few therapies that is not medical, if done properly has no side effects usually, and is proven to retrain the brain to form different, more functional neural pathways. It teaches the brain how to handle sensory input properly - and it is PROVEN and safe. You can learn more about sensory integration in "The Out of Sync Child" and "The Out of Sync Child Has Fun" by kranowitz. Many autistic kids are helped by a gluten and casein free diet. Other parents can tell you more about it. My son was not helped, but many kids are. As for medications, not all autistic kids need them. They won't cure or fix the autism. Mostly they can help with symptoms. The strattera is probably not a wise choice. It can even cause suicidal thoughts in children, just like prozac and medications of that class. Strattera is actually an antidepressant that doesn't work too well on depression. It can be very helpful (both Wiz and my brother are on it), but it CAN increase aggression and I would want to not do that. The lamictal is interesting. Why is he on that? It is an anti-seizure medication that is useful for mood stabilization and sometimes depression. Your son's dose is not high enough to be effective in most patients, and I just cannot think what they want it to do. I would think risperdal or seroquel would be more helpful. They are atypical antipsychotics and are VERY useful in curbing aggression. My son told me it helped him not feel so angry all the time and it "let him be happy cause before he couldn't ever stop being mad", in his 9 year old words (was just re-reading some of the things we kept in a notebook ). These medications have side effects and are not to be given lightly. But no medications are. These might let him have a chance to learn to control himself. There are a lot of things that can be done. Early and intense intervention is key to treating autistic people. The more intervention, the earlier it is done, the better the results will be. Being in a separate class is not what it was when we were kids. Go and visit the Special Education classroom he would be in. Check out programs at your school and even others in the district. Your son will be better served in a program that meets his needs and teaches him those unwritten social rules than he will be in a decade of classes with regular kids. Just in my opinion, but the right "fit" is more important than not being "away from the normal kids", at least as far as treating his autism. That is probably enough info for now. Maybe too much. Just remember, you are not alone. We won't judge you. We "get it" cause we have been there done that. Here you can take the info that is helpful and leave the rest. It is OK to disagree, or to think one of us is off our rocker. What is important is finding what helps each of your kids, and our kids. Not in who is more right. Sending lots of hugs!! [/QUOTE]
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