Hygiene and Social Skills: Mom seeking help towards a diagnosis

Q&A with LisaRogers

Q&A with Lisa Rogers

Q: Dear Lisa,

We think our daughter has Asperger’s. It’s all only her way and she bursts out laughing at very awkward times. She has no friends and doesn’t’ seem to care about her hygiene or people skills. I’m not sure where to go or what to do. We live in a rural area in Tennessee. Does the school or doctor’s office help? I’m reading online and found aspergers101 and it seems the closest to finding what is wrong.

-Mary Andrews, Greenbrier Tennessee

A: Dear Mary,

While I live in Texas, there are some federal guidelines that mandate certain functions at the state level that should provide some guidance to you and your family. Go to the following link for some initial information:

Puberty Basics for Parents of Girls with AS/ASD: Health, Hygiene, Self-Esteem and Safety

Informational Webinar

Puberty is a difficult and oftentimes scary process in any adolescent’s life. The changes that the body goes through can be frightening and confusing. For young girls with ASD, these changes come with an entirely new set of obstacles and challenges. At Aspergers101, we focus on providing resources that are free to the community. The following webinar by the Asperger/Autism Network contains invaluable information, but at a cost of $20. We hope that this can be of use to some families, as this is a very important topic that often gets overlooked.

https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/225691630814543362

Mon, Sep 19, 2016

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM CDT

This webinar takes parents of girls through the common difficulties faced by girls with AS/ASD as they begin and move through puberty. These girls may be confused or upset by the changes taking places in their bodies. New hygiene routines can be made more difficult by sensory sensitivities. In addition, pre-teen and teen girls with AS/ASD often desire increased independence, but need to learn safety skills. Parents will learn to address these sensitive issues in a calm and informed manner. We will also look at different resources to use when talking to our daughters. Following the presentation there will be time for questions.

About the presenter:
Erika Drezner, LCSW, is a social worker and has been on staff at the Asperger/Autism Network (AANE) since 2009. She has trained as a Parent Consultant through the Federation for Children with Special Needs. Erika has a special interest in girls on the spectrum and has run support groups for parents of girls at AANE. In addition, she has presented workshops on Females with ASD, Anxiety, Friendship, and Adolescence. Erika will be a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital for 2016-17. She has two children with autism spectrum diagnoses and in her free time she enjoys running and reading.

Please register for ‘ Puberty Basics for Parents of Girls with AS/ASD: Health, Hygiene, Self-Esteem and Safety’

Price: $20.00 USD

Mon, Sep 19, 2016

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM CDT

https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/225691630814543362

Recommended by Dr. Marcia Eckerd