Between the age of 6-18 children spend a third of each day at school, so it’s important to ensure they’re in the best environment for their needs This is particularly true for children with Asperger’s Syndrome

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome the world over share a common trait – meltdown – otherwise known as a tantrum, a “birko”, a “go-off” or “spack-attack” The visible symptoms of meltdown are as varied as the Asperger children themselves, but every parent is able to describe their child’s meltdown behaviour in intricate detail

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome are known to be more naturally ‘anxious’ than their non-ASD peers The challenges presented by the 5 characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome (social impairment, communication impairment, sensory sensitivity, repetitive behaviours and difficulty with change) potentially make their world a confusing and frightening reality

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome respond well to visual cues, so a visual timetable in the classroom and home is a beneficial communication tool that can be easily modified to meet the needs of children with Asperger’s Syndrome of all age groups The kind that has removable, Velcro pieces is most versatile

A common behaviour characteristic in children with Aspergers Syndrome appears to be a dislike of grooming and personal hygiene habits Aspergers children of all ages seem to have difficulty establishing sound hygiene routines in the areas of bathing/showering, washing hair, brushing hair, hair cuts, cleaning teeth and changing clothes

A common trait for children and adults with Aspergers Syndrome is that they tend to get caught up and lost in the details of tasks or situations and the environments around them This affects all cognitive ability such as reading ability – words are reduced to letters or sounds in isolation – and maths ability – equations become single numbers or number patterns

Children with Aspergers Syndrome have difficulty managing their emotions, particularly with recognizing and understanding feelings and expressing their emotions appropriately AS children usually have intense feelings that often overwhelm them – this is caused by their lack of emotional aptitude

In looking at the early language history of children with Aspergers Syndrome, there is no clear pattern: some have normal or even early achievement of milestones while others have delays in speech Frequently children with Aspergers Syndrome display language characteristics such as repetitive sayings or the use of catch phrases they’ve heard on Television, at the movies, or on the radio

Aspergers Syndrome children respond best when their motivation level is high; when the answer to the question "What's in it for me" is something an Asperger child most wants or desires

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from sensory sensitivity or are “sensory defensive” This sensitivity can encompass any or all of the senses: sound, touch, taste, sight, and smell