Clinic Notes: Asperger's and Bullying

Whenever I get young children in my clinic who have been diagnosed with high functioning autism or Asperger's I think about how they are going to fare in school. Of course, I know that if they are not compliant and verbal and have age appropriate skills they are not going to do well so these are the ABA programs that I run first. ABA programs to develop social skills are not run for a while and if they are then they are run with a lesser intensity. I want these kids to do well socially from the beginning but if I cannot get to the programs I know that social problems such as bullying don't usually start until middle school. I may have to rethink my ABA programming. According to a recent Schafer report Five elementary school student is Oregon are going to be charged with assault after they beat a classmate with autism with sticks.