Aspergers Syndrome

refiners fire

Now whats this "Aspergers" I keep hearing about? Is it the latest "In thing"? The latest rage "psyche illness" replacing "Bi Polar"?

It seems to be an "In" disease at the moment. My sons being going to a Psychologist, sent by the school, because he talked about suicide to two of his class mates. Anyway, the Psychologist suggests that the lad might not be "ADD" (as hes been diagnozed) but should be reevaluated with an eye to a diagnosys of "Aspegers syndrome". The word "Aspergers" has been bandied at myself by a doctor as well, and I have a close associate who is diagnozed Aspergers.

So, anyone know what its all about?

Brummie

It comes under the spectrum of Autism. Its on the high fuctioning level. I work with the lower end of the spectrum mainly though I certainly touch on Aspergers with some of the clients. What is your son doing that makes people wonder if he has AS? A suicide discussion could be related to going through puberty or a million other things, its not a high factor in identifying AS.

A lot of people can reach adulthood before knowing they have AS though so its good for him to go.

Brummie

refiners fire

Well Brumm. I dont know what hes doing thats unusual. He seems normal enough to me, but his mother gets him involved in all this psychology and medication stuff. Im skeptical myself. The only thing I can say about him is that hes incapable of keeping friends, and hes very non focused on general things, but tends to obsess over things that do interest him. No different from myself really.

What are the supposed symptons of Aspergers?

Brummie

The only thing I can say about him is that hes incapable of keeping friends, and hes very non focused on general things, but tends to obsess over things that do interest him. No different from myself really.

These are good signs of Aspergers, but its a thin line to go on at his age, some of it could just be down to age. Is he interested in one thing obsessively at the cost of shutting everything else out? Is he overtly clumsy? What are his verbal skills like?

This might be helpful:

GILLBERG'S CRITERIA FOR ASPERGER'S DISORDER

1.Severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction
(at least two of the following)
(a) inability to interact with peers
(b) lack of desire to interact with peers
(c) lack of appreciation of social cues
(d) socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior

2.All-absorbing narrow interest
(at least one of the following)
(a) exclusion of other activities
(b) repetitive adherence
(c) more rote than meaning

3.Imposition of routines and interests
(at least one of the following)
(a) on self, in aspects of life
(b) on others

4.Speech and language problems
(at least three of the following)
(a) delayed development
(b) superficially perfect expressive language
(c) formal, pedantic language
(d) odd prosody, peculiar voice characteristics
(e) impairment of comprehension including misinterpretations of literal/implied meanings

5.Non-verbal communication problems
(at least one of the following)
(a) limited use of gestures
(b) clumsy/gauche body language
(c) limited facial expression
(d) inappropriate expression
(e) peculiar, stiff gaze

6.Motor clumsiness: poor performance on neurodevelopmental examination

(All six criteria must be met for confirmation of diagnosis.)

Prisca

I've met RF's son and from what I've observed over the time I was around him, he's a fairly normal kid. He was with the neighbourhood kids and I didn't observe anything abnormal - his speech and interactions with others are normal. He's a nice kid

hes very non focused on general things, but tends to obsess over things that do interest him.

He's a chip off the old block

As for the suicide talk - it's good that the school did something about it, it's their responsibility to act on anything that could be serious. I think that his talk of death and suicide could be part of a curiosity about life and death. After all, his mother is seriously ill and there is talk of her possible demise in a year or two. Of course this kid is going to be thinking the issue of life and death if there is a possiblity of losing his mother in death. I'd say it's part of his coming to terms with the possibility of losing her so early in his life.

refiners fire

..."1.Severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction
(at least two of the following)
(a) inability to interact with peers
(b) lack of desire to interact with peers
(c) lack of appreciation of social cues
(d) socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior"....

Well, this first one seems to apply across the board. A through D. Thats him. But all the rest doesnt apply. Except the slowness in learning. He reads and writes poorly.Thiough I notice that, if hes interested he can read a whole lot better than he does generally.

This causes me to wonder what the shrink is thinking. Seems totally inappropriate.

Thanks Brumm

Brummie

It will be interesting to see what the shrink says, let us know. Its pretty good of the school to try and identify your sons problem. Not many are familiar with AS. Perhaps the shrink will identify a very mild case of AS or something.

In the meantime, it sounds more like a touch of depression that your son has, this usually brings a lack of desire to interact or do other things. Hopefully he'll get some good treatment for it, a good hug and reassurance will do him the world of good too.

Brummie

donkey

This dude has asparagus syndrome...

Leolaia

I have Asperger's Syndrome. I can attest that it is a "real thing". I grew up before it became a widely recognized diagnosis and though I had many autistic symptoms, I did not fit the diagnosis of autism. There was no label at the time, as I said, but it fits me to a T, except I also had language delay. I hear that language delay is actually quite common and no longer viewed commonly as a contraindication.

While my problems were far more severe as a child, I have worked out coping strategies and some issues are only occasional annoyances. I guess you could say I mostly now pass for normal and my behavioral variances fall within the wide parameters of interpersonal variation a good deal of the time, though that means I usually expend a lot of energy "keeping up appearances," and sometimes I still come across as eccentric or weird.

I would be interested to hear if any other aspies here who grew up as JWs have any interesting comments on whether they found the "structure" and routines of the organization helpful, stifiling, both, or neither. Any misunderstandings, difficulties with elders or sisters, strengths, weaknesses you might recall which you feel are related to your AS? For instance, how did going door to door and talking with strangers relate to your social difficulties? Did the clapping at meetings set off sensory sensitivities? Etc.

Leolaia

neverthere

2 of my kids have AS. It is a real syndrome, trust me! My youngest and oldest boys manifest it in different ways and their real father had it too though I don't think that he was ever diagnosed.

It falls under the heading PDD, Pervasive Development Disorder, the same group that Autism falls in. It is often called Higher Functioning Autism. The children that have it tend to be extremely intelligent. They say that Newton and Einstien both had Asperger's Syndrome!

There are MANY websites. Just search under Asperger's on the net. There is OASIS and The Asperger's Society of Ontario. The Geneva Centre is Autism but also deals with Aspergers. My message box here doesn't work but if you would like any more info, just ask!

Diana

Aspergers Syndrome

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