Autism and Aspergers

This week I am adding a new category to the blog for troubled teens × Troubled Teens
Troubled Teens /trou.bled/ /teens/ n. Noun A troubled teen is defined as a person that is between the age 13-19 that is beset by problems or conflict. Every Teenager faces problems that they must encounter in their life.  Problems arise in every person’s life both big and small yet sometimes we allow even the most insignificant of problems affect our lives.  Sometimes with teenagers they allow trials in their life greatly affect them in negative ways.  Typically when a person (typically teenagers) face problems in their lives, the ability to cope with the problem does not exist.  When teenagers turn to other things to cope with the feelings of the problems that they usually face  things such as drugs and alcohol, pornography, criminal activity, etc. It is important to find help for troubled teens as soon as possible.  There are many different programs that are available to help troubled teens with the problems that they face each with a different approach and nature to the program.
, Autism × Autism
Merriam - Webster's Dictionary defines autism A pervasive developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication, by an extremely limited range of activities and interests, and often by the presence of repetitive, stereotyped behaviors.
Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome × Asperger’s Syndrome
The medical dictionary describes Asperger's syndrome as a developmental disorder related to autism and characterized by higher than average intellectual ability coupled with impaired social skills and restrictive, repetitive patterns of interest and activities. People who suffer from Asperger syndrome generally have few facial expressions, usually limited to anger and misery. Individual's with Asperger syndrome tend to have an excellent memory, are easily and intensely interested in one or two subjects, and appear to be in their "own world" so to speak. Asperger syndrome is a mild form of autism. Unlike severe forms of autism, individuals who have Asperger syndrome are highly functioning and live relatively normal lives. However, if you are a parent of a child who suffers from Asperger syndrome, it is imperative you seek immediate therapeutic assistance. Teens who have Asperger syndrome are more likely to suffer from depression, stress, and are prone to negative behaviors such as, violent outbursts, and chemical or intoxicant dependency.
(AS). I do not have personal experience with either of these disabilities, but I know that 1 in every 350 kids (and 1in 80 boys) is now diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), that its incidence has increased by 300% over the last decade, and that the communities and schools are woefully ill-equipped to meet the needs of these kids and their families.  I am on a few forums and I read about both the struggles and rewards that AS and ASD children add to your life. This is a community that I would like to represent on TroubleTeenBlog. Today in our local newspaper there was an article about Autism and Schools. How the schools do not have a plan in place to deal with this community. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for all the parents. The article A Critical Condition Autism Threatens To Ovewhelm Schools includes: State’s schools lack cohesive plan for autismAlong autism spectrum, personalities contrastChronicle Radio: Students with autism coped with challenges of public school systemThis is a podcast of two men with autism and how they coped with the public school system.Many of the therapeutic boarding schools × Therapeutic boarding schools
Therapeutic boarding schools are A therapeutic boarding school (TBS), alternatively known as boarding schools for troubled teens, is a boarding school based on the therapeutic community model that offers an educational program together with specialized structure and supervision for students with emotional and behavioral problems, substance abuse problems, or learning difficulties. Therapeutic boarding schools for troubled teens, much like a regular boarding school, require students to stay for a duration of 9- 12 months out of the year. While focusing on therapeutic rehabilitation, students also participate with their studies, as they would at a traditional boarding school. As of 2005, the United states reportedly had 140 therapeutic boarding schools. As of today, there are close to 300. Therapeutic boarding schools are widely considered to be the teenage equivalent of residential treatment centers. The main difference between the two is therapeutic boarding schools' emphasis on education as well as therapeutic and behavioral rehabilitation.
and residential treatment programs I toured have units to support × Support
Support / sup·port/ n. Noun Support is defined as the act or instance of supporting; serve as a foundation for something else. Support can be given to many different ways. Through the encouragement to perform and progress and also through being there for someone who needs help. Support is usually shown through family and peers but can come from anywhere from support centers, rehab centers, and treatment centers. Without a support, confidence would be very difficult to find. Support is key to getting through trials and problems. The ability to have someone that is supporting you and encouraging you to move forward and progress is important to growth and change. Especially with youth, that as they are trying to find out who they are that they feel supported in all of their doings. This is important because as support and encouragement is shown the youth feel confident to become the best they can be.
teens with Autism or Asperger’s and their personal issues. Tomorrow I will feature a special author and poet Rebecca Foust who has three teens, one of whom has Asperger’s Syndrome.