| If you have spent even a brief amount of time | | | | say 'Bless You' when someone sneezes may |
| researching Aspergers syndrome you will no doubt | | | | become distressed if their sneeze is not |
| have come to appreciate what constitutes some of | | | | acknowledged accordingly. |
| the 'classic' symptoms of Aspergers disorder. For | | | | Example: A child accustomed to eating their lunch out |
| example, children with Aspergers are said to | | | | of their blue lunch box may refuse to enjoy a class |
| experience impaired social functioning, difficulty forming | | | | bbq. |
| relationships with peers, a lack of spontaneous | | | | Restricted or Obsessive Interest - Asperger Attention |
| engagement and social reciprocity, exhibit speech and | | | | Problems |
| linguistic irregularities, engage in stereotyped or | | | | Children with Aspergers syndrome tend to exhibit |
| repetitive mannerisms, and have fixations on subject | | | | eccentric fascination with or fixation on topics or |
| matter. | | | | objects. |
| That's all very well, but as a parent with the lingering | | | | Example: They will talk incessantly about a topic and |
| concern that our child might have Aspergers | | | | fail to acknowledge any disinterest on the part of their |
| syndrome, how do we move from a textbook | | | | chosen audience. |
| explanation of the physiological and mental | | | | Example: Perfectionist attitude to an exercise, such as |
| manifestations of the disorder to actually being able to | | | | repeatedly drawing, erasing, and redrawing a section |
| identify Aspergers in our child through observation of | | | | of a picture, often accompanied by increasing anxiety |
| their day to day behavior. In other words...what sort of | | | | and frustration levels as to the elusiveness of the |
| things might our kids do that should be setting off | | | | desired outcome. |
| alarm bells? What is the answer to the question how | | | | Example: Refusing to sleep until toys are aligned in a |
| to tell if a child has aspergers? | | | | set pattern, or a regime of bedtime has been complied |
| In keeping with the various areas of development and | | | | with (eg. bath, toilet, teeth, toys set up, story, tuck in |
| interaction which are likely to be effected by | | | | teddy, lights out, cuddle, goodnight). |
| Aspergers disorder, let's examine some real life | | | | Lack of social relation, empathy, perception or etiquette |
| examples of how an Aspergers child might act in | | | | Aspergers children have difficulty comprehending that |
| certain situations: | | | | people other than themselves have motivations, |
| Language Internalization and Expression | | | | thoughts, wants and needs. As a consequence, |
| All parents have probably experienced a situation | | | | children with Aspergers can appear to possess a |
| where their child, particularly young children, make | | | | skewed or egocentric attitude when in actuality they |
| inappropriate comments. | | | | may simply lack the requisite mind set to infer other |
| Example: Standing in line at the supermarket, your child | | | | people's mental states. |
| points at the woman in front and says 'look daddy, her | | | | Example: An Aspergers child may have difficulty |
| dress is just like our curtains!' (It's little comfort that they | | | | inferring ill intent on the part of peers, and be 'duped' |
| are right!)It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between | | | | into participating in inappropriate behavior. |
| what might be described as a child's unabashed | | | | Example: A child with Aspergers may want to play |
| honesty as opposed to a child displaying an inability to | | | | with a basketball at lunch time and will proceed to |
| edit their verbal expression. However, when children | | | | monopolize the activity without regard to the concept |
| grow beyond the age where they ought to begin | | | | of sharing with others who may wish to participate. |
| appreciating the social appropriateness of their | | | | Example: They may have difficulty self editing or |
| behavior, the persistence of this behavior becomes a | | | | internalizing thoughts. An aspergers child may have no |
| concern. A child with Aspergers syndrome will often | | | | qualms about telling a fellow student that they smell |
| directly communicate their feelings. | | | | bad...that the observation may embellish some element |
| Example: A child watching a school play loudly | | | | of truth can be of little consolation to embarrassed |
| exclaims 'I'm bored. Isn't this boring?' | | | | parents. |
| Adherence to a routine or sameness | | | | Example: They may assume people or teachers are |
| Aspergers children can regularly become | | | | speaking to them and them alone. Similarly, in group |
| overwhelmed when their expectations or routines | | | | activities, they may have difficulty understanding that |
| become interrupted. This can become particularly | | | | others may not share their own views, which can |
| prevalent when at school, especially in the less | | | | precipitate frustration, anxiety and challenging behavior |
| regimented environment of play or lunch time, recess | | | | in a child with Aspergers. |
| or assemblies. | | | | These are just some examples of real life behavior |
| Example: A child with Aspergers disorder is told during | | | | which may be indicative of asperger symptoms. There |
| craft 'No running with scissors, no throwing of scissors'. | | | | is to some degree an appreciable overlap between |
| The Aspergers child, encouraged by a peer, engages | | | | what may be described as egocentricity typical of |
| in a sword fight with the scissors, and is genuinely | | | | childhood development, and an extended level of |
| non-plussed as to why he subsequently gets in trouble | | | | disfunctionality at age inappropriate levels which are |
| when according to his perceptions he had not | | | | truly asperger symptoms. Learning to distinguish |
| breached any of the parameters set out for him. | | | | between the two can be the challenge for parents. |
| Example: An Aspergers child who has been taught to | | | | |