Coping Mechanisms for Teens with Asperger
Syndrome

Coping mechanisms for teens with Asperger Syndrome can help teens adjust to environments outside of the comfort and familiarity of their own homes.

Coping Mechanisms for teens with AS

The Challenges of Asperger Syndrome

The challenges of Asperger Syndrome can be many, especially for teenagers. Because socialization plays a major role in young people's lives, the world of a teen with Asperger's, can be a difficult one. Unfortunately, classmates and peers are often ignorant about the characteristics associated with Asperger's. This ignorance can often lead to cruelty, making a child with Asperger's feel ostracized from other teenagers. Social issues are some of the most common problems associated with this condition.

Because the range of symptoms and behaviors are so varied from one child to another, the key to discovering coping mechanisms for teens with Asperger Syndrome depends somewhat on understanding these behaviors. For many teens, the behavior of a teenager with Asperger's can be puzzling and sometimes irritating. Because of this, many fellow classmates simply ignore that teen. This could result in even more negative behavior on the part of the teen with Asperger's because, although he may strongly desire social interaction, he doesn't know how to go about achieving that connection with other kids his age. Socialization problems, communication difficulties, and physical disabilities may make him feel separated from others. Common behavior issues include the following:

• Inability to make eye contact.
• Inability to make everyday conversation.
• Inability to respond appropriately.
• Inability to show humor, takes everything literally.
• Need for specific routine, and may want to impose this need on others.
• May have difficulty with speech.
• May have impaired motor skills.

Coping Mechanisms for Teens with Asperger Syndrome

Coping mechanisms for teens with Asperger Syndrome can help these kids deal with the daily stress and often profound loneliness that they experience. Because teens with Asperger's may not be able to cope alone, it is imperative that all of those involved in the teen's life, including parents, educators, and others, learn how to help him or her cope. How can you do this?

• Educate yourself-The more you know about the syndrome, the more adept you'll be at helping your child learn to cope with the issues she'll face.
• Know the child-Because each child is different, coping mechanisms will vary as well.
• Build a support system-This is extremely important for your teen. Talk to other parents, professionals, etc. about what is going on.
• Get others involved-It may be difficult for your child to make friends, but you can help by encouraging her to get involved in school. Drama, chorus, art, band, and various sports can open up your child's world. Invite other teens to your home, and include their parents in some of the plans. Discuss with these people some of the issues your child faces each day, and don't be afraid to ask for help.
• Help your child discover a passion-Whether this is acting, writing, drawing, etc., help your child find his niche in the world. This is one of the best coping mechanisms he can use!

Physical Coping Mechanisms

Many people turn to a variety of techniques for handling stress, and for teens with Asperger's, this is even more essential. The following coping mechanisms may help your teen as well.

• Muscle relaxation-Relax each set of muscles, beginning from the feet and working up, or beginning from the face and working down. Focus on relaxing each section of your body for ten seconds each. Sometimes it helps to tense the muscle first, then begin the relaxation method. Practice this as often as is necessary.

• Visualization-Ask your teen to picture a peaceful setting, such as the beach, a meadow, a stream, etc. Have him close his eyes and dwell on this picture for several minutes.
• Relaxed breathing-Concentrated breathing will help him relax his muscles. Breathing in and out slowly for several moments will reduce his feelings of anxiousness.

Finally, using all of these methods in conjunction with each other for several minutes each day may reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. It may take your teen several days to get into the habit of using these stress relieving skills, but they can make a pronounced difference in his everyday life.

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