Asperger's Syndrome

• Natural Treatment for Asperger's Syndrome
• Information
• Help from a Practicing ClinicalPsychologist

Is there a cure for Asperger's Syndrome?

Asperger's Syndrome can currently not be cured and the condition is lifelong. However, with correct treatment and therapy, many people with Asperger's can go on to lead normal lives and may even excel in certain areas of occupational functioning.

Can Asperger's Syndrome be treated?

YES, most definitely! However, because Asperger's is a relatively new diagnosis in the field of developmental psychology and psychiatry, many treatment approaches are still in the developmental stages and lots of work still needs to be done in this area.

One thing has definitely been established - the sooner treatment begins, the better! This applies especially to remedial, educational and therapeutic intervention.

While there is no specific treatment or 'cure' for Asperger's Syndrome, there are many interventions which can significantly improve the functioning and quality of life of people and children with Asperger's.

Social Skills Training

This should be one of the most important components of a treatment program. Children with Asperger's Syndrome can be helped to learn social skills by an experienced psychologist. Body language and nonverbal communication can be taught in much the same way as one would teach a foreign language.

Children with Asperger's can learn to interpret nonverbal expressions of emotion and social interaction. This can assist them with social interaction and peer relationships and prevent the isolation and depression that often occurs as they enter adolescence.

Teenagers can sometimes benefit from group therapy and can be taught how to use the teenage 'slang' and language forms of their peer groups.

Educational Intervention

Because children with Asperger's Syndrome may differ widely in terms of IQ and ability levels, schools should learn to individualize educational programs for these children.

Some of them may cope well in a mainstream class with additional support, while others may need to receive specialized education. In all cases, teachers should be aware of the special needs of Asperger's children, who often need a great deal more support than first appears necessary.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapeutic approaches which focus on supportive therapy, the teaching of social skills and concrete behavioral techniques are more effective than approaches which concentrate on emotion in depth therapy, which may be too uncomfortable and stressful for the person with Asperger's.

Children can benefit from play therapy and 'story' therapy aimed at raising awareness of nonverbal communication, social development and teaching of empathy.

Diet

Although there is no conclusive evidence, there are strong suggestions that changes in diet may significantly reduce the symptoms of some children with Asperger's Disorder.

Many parents report that their children become much more manageable when certain classes of food are eliminated from the diet. These include dairy products, sugar, gluten, wheat and some artificial colorants and preservatives like MSG and tartrazine.

It is worthwhile to consult a trained nutritionalist to assist with dietary intervention and parents should not simply eliminate important foods from their children's diets without expert advice.

Psychopharmacological Interventions or Drug Therapy

Many children and adults with Asperger's Disorder do not need any form of medication, while others need to be treated symptomatically. While there are no specific 'Asperger's' drugs, psychiatric drugs can be used to treat some of the problems which may manifest or be associated with Asperger's, such as ADD/HD, depression, mood swings, temper tantrums, irritability, aggression, obsessions and compulsive behaviors and anxiety.

Many of the drugs used to treat the other Pervasive Developmental Disorders like Autism are also used to treat some of the associated symptoms of Asperger's. These include Ritalin, Adderall, Paxil, Strattera, Prozac, Risperal and others.

Like many psychiatric drugs, these often come with unwanted side effects and the risk of addiction and their benefits should always be weighed against the potential harm they could cause, particularly in the case of children. Remember that you should always consult your doctor before altering or discontinuing any prescription medication.

It is also important to realize that there are effective herbal and homeopathic alternatives to many of the prescription drugs. As with any medication, it is always best to consult your doctor before changing or discontinuing any prescribed medicines.

Natural alternatives

Herbal and homeopathic remedies can be viable alternatives to the synthetic drugs and may be just as effective, with far fewer risks and side effects.

Depending on the symptoms that need treatment, Native Remedies recommends the following remedies to assist in an overall treatment plan.

Herbal remedy for depression, mood swings, repetitive behaviors, irritability, and
aggression

These may all be symptoms of serotonin imbalance and may show improvement with the use of our 100% herbal MindSoothe Jr. formula (available in capsules for adults and drops for children).

The ingredients of MindSoothe Jr. have been clinically proven to assist in balancing serotonin levels and act as SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) in much the same way as the synthetic SSRI's do.

Herbal remedy for anxiety (calm and soothe)

Tranquilizing drugs may be very effective in calming autistic children and adults, who can easily become highly distressed and volatile over seemingly small changes in their environment. However, many tranquilizing drugs are also addictive and individuals may build up tolerance, resulting in the need for increasingly higher doses.

PureCalm is an herbal formula which has been specially formulated to calm and soothe children and adults without the risk of side effects and potential addiction.

Available in easy to administer drop form, the dosage may be adjusted to suit children or adults. PureCalm may be taken on its own when needed for quick symptomatic relief, and is also safe to use with most prescription and herbal medicines.

Herbal remedies for ADHD, hyperactivity and
concentration

Like the benzodiazepines and tranquilizing drugs, the psycho-stimulants come with documented side effects and potential for dependency. Yet many parents find it very difficult to deal with Asperger's children who also have symptoms of ADHD, hyperactivity and concentration problems.

For the treatment of hyperactivity, restlessness and lack of concentration, Native Remedies has developed two highly effective remedies:

Focus ADHD Formula is a 100% herbal remedy which has been specially formulated to treat the symptoms of ADHD in children and adults alike. Focus comes in a tincture an is easily administered as drops in some juice or water.

BrightSpark is a safe and effective homeopathic formula that can be effectively used on its own or in combination with Focus ADHD Formula for children with defiance and anger problems.

Herbal remedy for tantrums

Many Asperger's children have violent tantrums, sometimes seemingly without cause. Tantrums may often be a result of the child's frustration at being unable to communicate or understand, and may also be a response to changes in routine or environment.

Tantrum Tamer, a specially formulated homeopathic remedy, uses proven homeopathic ingredients which can greatly reduce or eliminate distressing and hard to handle tantrums.

Tantrum Tamer dissolves easily in the mouth and is pleasant tasting and readily accepted by children.

Treatments may be used independently or in combination.