Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger.org is a very informative website on Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). The term AS has only come out in the last fifteen years.

This website says that many children with AS are often in mainstream educational settings and often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Children are commonly misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Emotional Disturbance (ED). Children with AS are said to be "normal but different" which can lead to not being diagnosed. Children suffering from AS typically have at least normal IQ and have more average language function compared to other Sensory Integration Dysfunctions.

AS is the term “applied to the mildest and highest functioning end of what is known as the spectrum of Pervasive Developmental Disorders.” (Bauer, 2008)

Christopher Gillberg, a Swedish physician developed six criteria for diagnosis that is said to “capture the unique style of these children.” (Bauer, 2008)

• Social impairment with extreme egocentricity (caring only about self)
• Limited interests and preoccupation (playing repetitively with same toy)
• Repetitive routines or rituals
• Speech and language peculiarities (odd voice characteristics)
• Nonverbal communication problems (limit use of gestures)
• Motor clumsiness
  (Bauer, 2008)

The biggest difficulty with children with AS is related to socialization and behavioral adjustment. People tend to overlook these children as just being “strange”. They also have additional trouble being understood by teachers and other students which makes the situation even harder.

This website also has a section on management in schools. It talked about things teachers can to do help the child and help teachers understand their needs better. I won’t go into the details here, but if you are interested in education this is a MUST READ!


What I think:

First I want to start out with the section about management in the school. I absolutely love that the author included a section about this. I always wondered what I would do with someone with a Sensory Integration Dysfunction in my own classroom. One line I must quote is from Asperger himself who says, “These children often show a surprising sensitivity to the personality of the teacher.” (1944) WOW! That is such a great quote. Children pick up on attitudes and behaviors and if you are special needs and you feel like you are making someone else do more work or something special for you it makes you feel horrible. Children always follow the mood that adult in the environment set whether they have AS or not. I think all teachers need to be made aware of this.

It makes me sad that these children have such social and emotional issues. I was shy when I was younger and felt like an outcast a majority of the time and I hated it. I felt like I would never fit in with anyone and something had to be wrong with me. I can not imagine how these children must feel. Especially knowing that you are looked at as being “strange” before you even talk to anyone. I think interaction with peers is critical to any child and I am happy that most of these kids are mainstreamed so they have the option at least to be social.

I think it is very important that the author put in a section about the misdiagnosis or undiagnosis. I think that this goes for all Sensory Integration Dysfunctions. Many doctors just push things off as what ever is convenient for them. ADD is a diagnosis that is used too often. I am the type of person that likes to get to the cause and the specific facts, doctors should do that too. I also think doctors say it's "normal" kid behavior before doing a full investigation. We pay all this money for health care and get such little service.

References

Bauer, S. (2008). Asperger Syndrome. In The Source. Retrieved June 3, 2008, from Cambridge University & Stanford Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Web site: http://www.asperger.org/Publications/Stephen_Bauer_Article.asp