Asperger's Syndrome

by Mulan 36 Replies latest jw friends

  • Mulan
    Mulan

    Has anyone heard of Asperger's Syndrome?

    I was doing research the other day, for someone, and came across this disorder. In reading it, I am positive both my youngest son and his wife have it. Neither of them have all the symptoms, but it sure explains a lot about them.

    He was always very different, very smart, but vulnerable, easily bullied, and too literal. He never got double meanings, or sarcasm, excelled in rote memory, he remembers everything in minute detail, and was always in his own little world. (those are minor things, but jumped out at me) It is a very mild form of autism, and experts feel there is a genetic link for it.

    My daughter in law has been a mystery to us, because she has a difficult personality to warm up to. Now we know why they were attracted to each other. She has one of the symptoms that really is annoying: "some are hyper verbal, and talk incessantly, often on a topic of interest only to themselves, without knowing the boredom of the listener, and they don't realize others are put off by this." This young woman talks ALL the time, and knows everything. I am glad they found each other though. It might have been difficult to find a partner who understood the indiosyncracies.

    I showed them the information, and they were both very relieved to read it. It does explain them very well. My daughter in law's mother saw it immediately too.

    Just wondering if anyone else knows about this syndrome. Until last week, I had never heard of it.

  • pettygrudger
    pettygrudger

    Mulan - its the higher functioning end of the autism spectrum - are there any particulars you or your daughter need to know - just e-mail me.

    Aspergers tend to be "idiot savants" and that they are extremely focused on one particular interest which totally consumes them. They tend to have little social skills, and little "emotional comprehension of others feelings.

    If you or your daughter in law have any questions, e-mail me. I'll provide some links to some wonderful sights for your d-i-l when I get home.

    My son is autistic, and through his autism I have had alot of involvement in the school educational laws for our kids. If your d-i-law needs help understanding her rights with this diagnosis - please have her email me - that's one thing I'm good at (I am a parent advisory committee member & also do volunteer work for Cause & Arc)

    P.S. If it makes you feel any better, the little guys not in bad company. Albert Einstein & Thomas Jefferson are 2 Famous Asperger cases.

  • Mulan
    Mulan

    Thanks, I might do that. They are 23 and 24, so not kids. I guess we handled him right, because he is doing great...........very responsible and debt free too.

  • pettygrudger
    pettygrudger

    Sorry - I just re-read and realized you were discussing a young adult!!! If your son is diagnosed with Aspergers, he is eligible for any needed "educational services/therapies" until the age of 26 - if there are any issues he would like to address.

    I'll forward some links that you or they may be interested in.

  • HappyHeathen
    HappyHeathen

    Mulan,

    "Wired" magazine (computer oriented) had an article about Asperger's about 1 year ago. Asperger people are very high functioning autistics. Sad thing is that two people with Aspergers may very well produce a truly autistic child who functions on the lower end of the spectrum.

    The article goes on to say that cases of autism have exploded in the Silicon valley, where so many software engineers are employed. The social agencies can barely handle on the cases that have emerged in the last ten years.

    As for Asperger syndrome, maybe that is nature's way of providing variety in the human race. People with these characteristics are almost solely responsible for the PC and its abundance of benefits for the rest of us merely because they are so focused and obsessive, not wasting a lot of energy on social outlets. How many other advancements would we be without with everyone fit within the "normal" range? Just because they don't fit in with the vast majority, does that mean that they necessarily have a deformity?

    Faith

  • HappyHeathen
    HappyHeathen

    Oh, Mulan, I forgot to mention. The article said that few people with Asperger syndrome have ALL the characteristics. Most only have some.

  • waiting
    waiting

    wow. This is so interesting - thanks for the information. I don't know anybody like that - but thank god they're so focused on achieving things.

    Took me a good long while to learn how to post here.

    waiting - semi normal & boring

  • Dia
    Dia

    Please also see, "Helping the Child Who Doesn't Fit In" by Nowicki.

    Their focus is on helping children who are lacking in the area of both sending and receiving non-verbal messages.

    Asperger kids, especially of the grown-up age of these, would be smart enough to learn a lot from this book.

    Best Wishes

  • pettygrudger
    pettygrudger

    As I haven't worked with adults yet - here's a link to help your son & daughter-in-law - lot of different links to different information depending on what they want to know.

    http://autism.about.com/library/weekly/aa062701a.htm

  • shera
    shera

    Hello,I have an austic son as well,I almost jumped before reading pettygruder's post..I was going to write just just about everything you did..

    Myself when I was younger, had many austic traits,wasn't talking until I was over 3,withdrawn and extremely shy.Teachers thought I was deaf and even had myI.Q tested and it was above average.At that time they couldn't figure out what was wrong.I even had acute vision but I grew out of most of those traits by time I was around 8,but I was painfully shy until I was into my early 20's.Even my sons grandfather had traits of autism when he was growing up.....

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