SPECTRUM CONNECTION

By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

Question: It seems like summer can be full of pitfalls for my son with Asperger’s — the structure has gone away, and he’s no longer in contact with classmates. He is content to play on the computer all day, but seems to get moody more easily. Should we treat summer vacation as a long break from school-year stress, or what?  

Answer: Summer vacation presents a contradiction: Children with autism spectrum disorders thrive on structure, routine, consistency. Summer vacation throws these principles of ASD parenting and behavior management in flux.
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By Jeanne Holverstott, A.S.

Last year, a parent asked me to watch The Dog Whisperer and shared how Cesar Milan’s behavioral strategies for canine lovers could be applied to instilling confidence in children with ASDs. Initially, I wondered how “sit” and “stay” related to creating confidence in my clients, who are prone to debilitating anxiety. As it turns out, nothing. But, the role of dog owner is not so far removed from a confident kid who holds his head high as he walks into school.
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Click here to download a brochure for this summer camp developed to teach empowerment skills to children 10- to 14-years-old.

By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

An initial clinical interview with a parent of a child with an ASD commonly follows this script:

Me: “Can you tell me about your child?”

Parent: “Yes. Well, he’s high-functioning. He…..”

Pause Script.

Question to Reader: Have you heard this before? Said this before? If so, complete the sentence with what you have said or heard.
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By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

Q. I read that when Temple Grandin was a young girl, her mother hired a nanny to play turn-taking games with her to improve social skills. What sort of games do you recommend? Are there any that you don’t recommend?

A. After every holiday meal, my family would gather around the dining room table with a game purposefully selected by my mother for this occasion. I remember Taboo, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit, Outburst. No matter the age of the player, the expectations were the same: follow the rules, win with humility, lose with grace, do your best, and never, ever complain. Games make up the fabric of a childhood and, perhaps, a lifetime, and appropriate game play opens doors to respect, friendship, and fun.
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By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Q: I frequently find myself explaining to new acquaintances what Asperger’s Syndrome is. Sometimes the reaction I get is, “I know an adult who is just like that,” or “that could be my sister.” Recently a woman told me that her adult daughter (a twenty-something) has struggled to bond with people all her life, and has narrow fields of interest. She said she’d only heard of Asperger’s Syndrome recently, and learning about it “explained so many things.”
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By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Rumor has it that the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-V) will eliminate the diagnostic category of Asperger’s Syndrome, 16 years after its inception in the DSM-IV. “Asperger” symptoms will be combined with those of another mild form of autism to create a new category to be named.
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By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

As I sat at my laptop tweeting (@JHolverstott), e-mailing, reading, instant messaging (or IM’ing if you prefer), monitoring Facebook and watching TV a thought struck me. The only one of these activities most of my clients do is watch TV. I have clients who “talk” on XBOXLiv (which costs $50 per year, not to mention the cost of the XBOX and all of its games). I have clients who I can coax into texting “hi” to mom while she is in the kitchen and they are at the dinner table. I even have a few clients who “duel” YuGiOh cards over the phone with friends from our social skills group. So, why don’t I have anyone IM’ing?
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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.
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By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

A parent of a client e-mailed me a copy of the school newsletter and asked me to look at the “Wall of Fame” students on page 6. Placement on the “Wall” was based on the Eight Keys of Excellence: Commitment, Flexibility, Balance, Speak with Good Purpose, Integrity, This is it!, Ownership, and Failure Leads to Success. Needless to say, she wagered that many kids on the autism spectrum (and with special needs writ large) would struggle to demonstrate these skills. Then, she asked, “By default, is my kid designated to a ‘Wall of Shame’?”
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