Wayne L. Klein, PhD

                                 Asperger's &  Autism Spectrum

    Problems in many of these areas are common in this group of disorders

Avoidance of or reduced Eye Contact

Difficulty reading facial expressions, body posture & tone of voice

Feelings are alien. 
Minimal use of gestures to regulate social interaction

Difficulty cooperating with or playing with others.  Play tends to be mainly parallel play.  Difficulty developing friendships, or showing emotional reciprocity.

Behavior is often very inflexible and rigid.  Any unexpected change causes distress.  There may be extreme persistence and inflexible adherence to unhelpful routines and rituals.  There may be a burning interest in one or more topic - often to the point of obssesion.  There may be a persistent or obsessive interest.  Gems and dinosaurs are common.  Some great scientists may have suffered from Asperger's and benefited from their burning obsession with a scientific problem.

Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements). 

By current definition, the major difference between Asperger's and High Functioning Autism is normal language development in Asperger's. Some researchers consider Asperger's to be a variant of Autism with normal language.

    Browse  AUTISM ASPERGER'S BOOKS  

                                                       Watch Videos

Parent-Child Interaction Training for Autistic Children  video 53 minutes

Experience of Autism  Temple Grandin  video 80 minutes

ABA session  video  2 minutes

Early signs  video 3 minutes

Aspergers in college     video   9 minutes  

Savant on Letterman     video

Electronic Recording    Mina Levein, PhD  video on Symtrend   80 minutes     
Symtrend website

                                     Links

Asperger's Association of New England   has many active classes & activities

Autism Research Centre   Baron-Cohen Britain     Autism Society

Autism Research Institute USA                         Asperger's Syndrome

Autism Program at Yale Child Study Center  has downloadable guidelines for treatment

 Symtrend electronic recording for Asperger's - a Boston based program backed by major research grants          

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                                          Diet

Many parents belief some of the symptoms of Autism are lessened by eliminating certain foods.  Gluten (protein found in wheat, oats, barley, rye) and caesin (milk protein) sensitivity are believed to be especially common in Autism. 

Is there a link between Autism and the gut? Interview with Harvard Mass General Hospital physician

Allergyeats.com   Search for allergy safe restaurants

Gluten.net  Site devoted to gluten sensitivity

Autism-nutrition.com  Espouses controversial very enthusiastic views on the effectiveness of nutritonal and alternative biomedical treatments


                               Tutors specializing in Autistic children