SPECTRUM CONNECTION

By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

One of the most common co-morbid conditions within ASD is an anxiety disorder. Whether anxiety is part of the diagnostic make-up of the spectrum or whether anxiety warrants an “additional” diagnosis (hence becoming a co-morbid condition) is akin to the “chicken or the egg” dilemma. Because anxiety rears its ugly head in every way conceivable for individuals with ASD—often in ways beyond the neurotypical’s ability to comprehend—the ways in which schools target anxiety with special education services is critical to success. As most know, to qualify for any special education service that is documented on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a student must be medically diagnosed and it must be documented how this diagnosis interferes with his or her ability to learn and function within the school setting.
» READ MORE

By Toni Lapp
Behavior analyst Baker Wright vividly recalls the first time he was called in to consult on a child with Asperger’s syndrome. A school had referred a sixth-grader for behavioral services because of his disruptive behaviors – ranging from refusal to follow directions to crying and yelling in class.

» READ MORE

By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

Question: Do you recommend that parents and students on the autism spectrum take special steps to ease into back-to-school activities?

Answer: For most every school-aged child, August generates mostly positive thoughts amidst the dread of homework, going to bed early, and listening to teachers. You may not know it, but a child with ASD is already anxious about school. Many of my clients have been worried since August 1, weeks before most start school; some because they dislike school, others because they enjoy it. Love or hate, school creates anxiety and anxiety is the breeding ground for much more.
» READ MORE

By Toni Lapp

Children with Asperger’s syndrome, on the outside, look like typical children, which can be a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing in that they blend in — at least on the surface — with their neurotypical peers in mainstream schools. The curse is that beneath the surface they are frequently dealing with issues such as depression and ADHD, prompting parents to seek accommodations (hence the term “special needs”).

One of my son’s classmates at Shawnee Mission East, 17-year-old Connor Rice, is an example. Because he’s struggled with anxiety — in addition to having Asperger’s syndrome — his mother, Denise Rice, had obtained an “attendance waiver” to excuse him from excessive absences.
» READ MORE

By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

The setting: A cramped room in a local school building.

The cast: You, teachers, school therapists, the principal, other vaguely familiar faces, and many unknowns.

The mood: Dependent upon whom you ask. For you, the parent: Tense.

The plot: A yearly Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting for your son or daughter.

» READ MORE