If I have an autistic/asperger's brother, will I have an autistic child?
My brother is high functioning autistic/asperger's. He was born premature (I have read that being born premature is a risk factor for autism), and is the only autistic person in my family, although my dad thinks he has some traits of it too. Right now I'm only 17 but I really want kids in the future, and I keep worrying that I could have an autistic child. Is that likely?
If I have Asperger's, will my child have it too?
My partner and I have considered having children in the somewhat distant future. We're both neurodivergent, and that's something that we've been taking into serious consideration when talking about biological children. The thing that's most concerning to me is that the kid might be on the autistic spectrum. I'm not talking about it like a neurotypical parent of a kid with an austistic spectrum disorder, I mean, I know what my experiences have been and I wouldn't want my child to have to deal with those hardships. So, what's the likelihood that a child with a non-ASD mother and an Asperger's father (we don't know if anyone in our families have ASD, though there don't appear to be any who are strongly or overtly effected in our immediate and near-immediate families)?
Can my child have aspergers AND a overactive imagination?
Asperger's Syndrome is often considered, by many experts, to be part of the Autism, High Functioning Autism, ADHD spectrum. You could take your child to one specialist and he/she might be diagnosed with Asperger's. Take him/her to another specialist and you might get a diagnosis of ADHD . . . or autism. You get my drift. These disorders are diagnosed by history and symptomology. Because every child is different, children often don't fit clearly into one category or another. Your best bet as a parent is to continue to seek answers, but more than that, seek the best educational, social, and medical settings and supports you can that fit YOUR child, not necessarily the diagnosis. (This is from the mom of a severe ADHD kid.)
Babysitting a child with Asperger's syndrome?
Be supportive of the child & roll with the flow. Always keep them safe & stay 'ten steps ahead'. These children are usually very high functioning so he needs positive stimulation & exact directions. Find out his schedule & what works for mom & dad. Normally what works for them at one point will not the next... so always have a 'back up plan'. Staying calm, loving (but not a push over), & keeping a mild voice is always best. Setting a timer when the child is doing an activity will help you to be able to then move on to the next thing to do during your time with the child. Always know emergency numbers & even keep their home address written in sight because during an emergency one can forget where they are at. Good luck to you & be confident at all times with the child.
Can Asperger's parents create a child who has autism?
This question has a “nature” component. Asperger's is autism, and autism is inherited.But it also has a “nurture” component. Children learn about the world from their parents. And the fact is that many behaviors characteristic to autism can actually be learned by NT children and become part of their emotional makeup.At the risk of offending some folks, and as the adult child of a father who was clearly on the spectrum but never diagnosed (he was already in his 70s before Asperger's became known), I would like to make a plea: Consider the emotional and social impact autism spectrum behaviors will have on your child -- especially when both parents are affected.I have absolutely no doubt that you (a person on the spectrum) would love and cherish your child as much as any parent would. That is absolutely not the issue. And I personally know some people on the spectrum who are awesome parents.But in general, a primary issue in autism spectrum disorders is a lack of introspection -- an inability to see one’s own behaviors as others see them. From the day she is born, a child is utterly vulnerable and impacted by every single behavior she experiences from her parents. If any of these are problematic, even the most loving parent on the spectrum may not realize it.Many of these behaviors involve basic social cues -- being able to quickly realize when another person is afraid, tired, bored, or angry. Others involve body language, eye contact and tone of voice.I simply cannot overstate how important these elements are, to an infant, toddler, child, adolescent and teenager. A child's sense of self is deeply connected to these sorts of interactions with parents. A neutotypical child can grow up displaying autistic traits with just one parent on the spectrum. A child with two parents on the spectrum will miss vital lessons in how to interact with others.People on the spectrum can be oversensitive to noises and lights. They can have narrow interests. They can experience panic and tantrum when overwhelmed. Seeing these things in a parent can bewilder, confuse and frighten a child -- no matter how much she is loved.No parent is perfect. Many people with mental illnesses and addictions have deficits in parenting that are severe. However, even in such cases there are periods of normality. A parent on the spectrum is on the spectrum every moment, all the time.I am not saying you must not have children. But please, please seek counsel on this.
My son's teacher thinks my son may have aspergers syndrome?
My brother has Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, which along with Asperger's and other disorders, falls into the range of Autism Spectrum Disorders. I suggest you go pick up a book on that to see if your son has any of the symptoms the experts outline. People with Asperger's tend to have social and organizational problems. They can be very messy. They can have a hard time making friends, if only because they're aren't actually aware of what's appropriate and when to shut up. They're constantly "putting their foot in their mouth." It's not necessarily that they're shy. They can become that way over time if teased enough. People can have symptoms of it without having it really full-blown, and it tends to be something multiple members of families deal with. I hope this helped in any way.