“My son has Asperger's Syndrome. How is it treated?”
My 7 year old son has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Everything that I have researched has given different details on treatment. Is there a standard treatment for this, or does it really vary from person to person?
24 Answers
Richard Grant Hunter
Neurologist
There is no standard treatment. The basic disease state is stable and can't be modified. However different patients have different symptoms which can be treated. There are a number of training programs for particular behaviors that may help. Best advice is for him to be followed long term by a neurologist or psychiatrist experienced with the disorder. They would intervene where possiible and would adopt new approaches as they came along. This a very stressful disorder for parents and caregivers. There are resources where you can learn coping with the chronic stress. Best wishes.
indeed it can vary but there are some more typical paths of treatment regimens recommended in general...Recommend an evaluation by a Child Psychiatrist for a complete treatment plan including all modalities that will Be most helpful for your son..and sooner treatment(s) are begun the better the outcome.....but being a child psychiatrist myself who treats many with Asperger’s Syndrome now with alll being called diagnostically Pervasive Developmental Disorder per the DSM-V .. there are a lot of treatments from social skills groups, to supplements to medication that can be most helpful....Fortunate young man to have such a caring mom looking out for him and asking questions, take care of you, too, Mom, Dr. Amy
Varies from person to person
Asperger's disorder is now considered as part of Autism spectrum disorder. most of the treatment are based on Cognitive behavioral interventions providing support and structures. medications may be needed for any co-morbid condition such as ADHD, anger management, aggressiveness, and OCD kind of behavior.
Behavioral interventions by professionals and family, medications if indicated for various symptoms and/or types of behaviors.
My apologies, but the syndrome falls outside my areas of expertise. I would recommend asking a specialist in child psychiatry. I do you wish you the best of luck.
The treatment is individually dependent and more on the severity of the
condition. It is a relatively new disease that there is no standard
treatment. However, people present with different symptoms and severity, so
it is better to tailor treatment to the individual, based on the severity.
Dr. Okeke
condition. It is a relatively new disease that there is no standard
treatment. However, people present with different symptoms and severity, so
it is better to tailor treatment to the individual, based on the severity.
Dr. Okeke
dear mom, I am happy to relate that most of us need a custom recipe for what ales us. In regard to treating Aspergers There is no one recipe for all. some people I feel benefit most on targeting anxiety as the underlying issue that affects day to day emotions and functioning. Others need help with ADHD like symptoms. Some need medication to target aggression often related to difficulty tolerating an ever changing environment. environmental support of consistent expectations, reliable rewards and space for down time can also mean very much to such a person. helping someone find areas of strength with support to let go of other things that the person may not care about is also very important. exposure to areas of study and interests can give hope and encouragement that we need people who can live and think beyond the box.
Asperger's or Autistic Disorder can present with varying predominant
symptoms. There is no one treatment, generally the focus in all patients is
to address the symptoms that are causing distress and disability. All
patients should have an additional goal to improve their social skills,
even if they are not a subject of distress.
Be well,
Aron Tendler, MD, C.BSM
Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
General Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine
Advanced Mental Health Care Inc.
symptoms. There is no one treatment, generally the focus in all patients is
to address the symptoms that are causing distress and disability. All
patients should have an additional goal to improve their social skills,
even if they are not a subject of distress.
Be well,
Aron Tendler, MD, C.BSM
Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
General Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine
Advanced Mental Health Care Inc.
Research supports a behavioral and interpersonal approach to therapy for Autism. Look into Applied Behavior Analysis.
It varies from person to person. The treatment depends on the symptoms the patient has. If the patient is depressed, the standard treatment is antidepressants and therapy or therapy alone, depending on the severity of the condition and so on and so forth.
Yes, the treatment varies from person to person and their level of functioning. I recommend having a family meeting with all the providers to discuss your son's strengths and areas of focus and set up a treatment plan that best fits your son's needs.
Hi,
What an interesting question? Generally, autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger's are generally treated using behavioral and social interventions such as teaching appropriate social interaction, decreasing their stress triggers, and providing support. There are organizations such as NAMI and the Asperger/Autism Network (http://www.aane.org/) that may be of benefit to you (e.g. resources, caregiver support, referrals, etc.).
As with all treatments for any condition (medical or psychiatric), treatments can and will vary as people don't respond in the same way to a treatment. I wish you well and if you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Tanya
What an interesting question? Generally, autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger's are generally treated using behavioral and social interventions such as teaching appropriate social interaction, decreasing their stress triggers, and providing support. There are organizations such as NAMI and the Asperger/Autism Network (http://www.aane.org/) that may be of benefit to you (e.g. resources, caregiver support, referrals, etc.).
As with all treatments for any condition (medical or psychiatric), treatments can and will vary as people don't respond in the same way to a treatment. I wish you well and if you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Tanya
We treat the signs and symptoms of Asperger syndrome. There is a role of stimulants to treat attention and concentration problems, hyperactivity and impulsivity and mood stabilizers to treat mood component, which also include antipsychotics like risperidone.
It really cannot be "treated," however, it can be managed. It is not curable.
Unfortunately the diagnosis of Aspergers is a "catch-all" which encompasses many variations of the actual disease process. Thus, there is no standardized treatment protocol.
Nilay Shah, MD
Nilay Shah, MD
The treatment varies with personal needs. It will be better to treat your child with a child psychiatrist and follow their recommendations on adding other service lines.
My experience part depends on the person, but patience is the key and not to push them to be more social and emotional towards certain things and manners. Just love them and ,let them know you love them, Care for them and watch them grow. At a teenager, they can get jobs and become more social and enjoy life just like everyone else, just a bit different, that's all.
Treatment depends on the theoretical orientation of the provider. Floor time/DIR, has been found to be very helpful in treating Asperger. It will be best to begin by reading about the different approaches, & educating yourself about Asperger. Every child is different, and special in a unique way.
Good luck,
Dr. Hirshfeld
Good luck,
Dr. Hirshfeld
Thank you for your question.
Asperger's varies from mild to severe and its symptoms vary as well. Mostly its symptoms are treated with medication, but therapy, social training is long term treatment. Thank you.
Asperger's varies from mild to severe and its symptoms vary as well. Mostly its symptoms are treated with medication, but therapy, social training is long term treatment. Thank you.
Social skills therapy can be very helpful and only if needed, some children and adults may benefit from medication depending on severity of symptoms.
Aspergers is a "spectrum disorder", treatment may be dependent on where he fits on the spectrum.
Dear parent,
Please keep in mind this reply is for information only and does not constitute treatment.
Good treatment for issues related to a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome should be customized to your child's and family's needs and current concerns. Asperger's Syndrome is one of the labels usually used to describe children and adults with autism, who also have relatively good language abilities and about average IQ.
Children with autism have treatment needs that vary a lot. Treatment for your son really should be customized to his presentation. Some approaches that are very common to use with children on the spectrum include structured social skills training through individual or group therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), supportive talk therapy to address possible kid-specific concerns like anxiety, depression, or bullying; and often parent training. Working to determine what sorts of supports your child needs in the school setting is often a major focus of both treatment at school and with outside professionals, if needed.
While I've listed the most common approaches, a good treatment plan and/or Individual Education Plan (IEP at school) will consider what your son does well, where he struggles, what you his parents need to help him, and community supports available. The general techniques are usually from some common sources, but should absolutely be customized to his needs and your needs.
Sincerely,
Todd Koser, Psy.D.
NJ & PA Licensed Psychologist
Please keep in mind this reply is for information only and does not constitute treatment.
Good treatment for issues related to a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome should be customized to your child's and family's needs and current concerns. Asperger's Syndrome is one of the labels usually used to describe children and adults with autism, who also have relatively good language abilities and about average IQ.
Children with autism have treatment needs that vary a lot. Treatment for your son really should be customized to his presentation. Some approaches that are very common to use with children on the spectrum include structured social skills training through individual or group therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), supportive talk therapy to address possible kid-specific concerns like anxiety, depression, or bullying; and often parent training. Working to determine what sorts of supports your child needs in the school setting is often a major focus of both treatment at school and with outside professionals, if needed.
While I've listed the most common approaches, a good treatment plan and/or Individual Education Plan (IEP at school) will consider what your son does well, where he struggles, what you his parents need to help him, and community supports available. The general techniques are usually from some common sources, but should absolutely be customized to his needs and your needs.
Sincerely,
Todd Koser, Psy.D.
NJ & PA Licensed Psychologist
Greetings! Asperger's Syndrome is now called high functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Yes, it is true that treatment varies from person to person. You should seek out resources and vouchers for autistic children.
