How to manage a teenager with Asperger's

Parents of awkward, socially inept children who seem unable to communicate appropriately, or are obsessive about certain topics, may be relieved when their child is finally diagnosed as having Asperger's syndrome, at last they can understand what is wrong with their child. This of course is only the first step as there are many ranges of Asperger's behavior and although those with this condition share common traits, how they are displayed can vary enormously.

A teenager with Aspergers presents a special challenge for their parents, and indeed the rest of the family. There are support groups and online communities who will offer help and advice, and parents should ensure their medial practitioner refers the family to a specialist counselor. The teenager's high school needs guidance as to how to improve the environment for teens with Asperger's and pay special attention to their social interactions.

That said, an Asperger's teen cannot simply be excused their bad behavior; they have to learn to function in society as much as any other teen, they will, however, need specialist support to achieve this. Asperger's can put a family under strain and occasionally they need respite from this, it can be tough on the other children in the family too, so a chance for the family to spend some time together without their Asperger's teen is one most families would do well to consider.

There are summer programs and residential courses for teens with Asperger's and some of the wilderness camps can offer an experience highly suited to the Asperger's child, developing their skills in a way that a city based high school cannot manage.

The nature of Asperger's means that teens with this syndrome are at high risk of being bullied; their inability to interact socially can make them a target. Asperger's teens have a tendency to be obsessive about odd things, can repeat themselves, over and over when under stress and this can seem comical to other children. They lack social tact so will be blunt, telling people often unpalatable facts that can end with them becoming involved in a fight, they are perfectly capable of fighting back if hit.

In some cases the teen with Asperger's becomes so frustrated they can go into meltdown; this can be a terrifying and exhausting experience for the parent as the teen may become violent, out of control, screaming, shouting, throwing and breaking objects and they can keep this up for an unimaginably long time. Asperger's is a complex condition, and early diagnosis will make an important difference as to how well the sufferer is able to deal with life in the long run. Parents of teens with Asperger's need to be able to discipline them and in fact Asperger's teens need rules more than most, and welcome them. There is support out there, and it is highly advisable that parents of teens with Asperger's get help, and where possible, some respite.