Esy: Asperger

[Bill3000]

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a neurological disorder on the autistic spectrum. Autism, especially high-functioning Autism, is now more in the news than it has ever been. Many more people have been diagnosed with autistic disorders recently, up to the point that it seems to be an epidemic. Some say that it is caused by environmental factors, such as vaccination shots which had mercury preservatives. However, it could also be the fact that since we now know more about autism and Asperger’s and it is easier to diagnose people. People who previously could not have been thought to have had an autistic disorder are diagnosed with Asperger’s, a form of high-functioning autism. Regardless of the causes of the increased diagnosis, Asperger’s is probably the most puzzling syndrome on the autistic spectrum. People with Asperger’s (who call themselves “Aspies” as a more an affectionate name) are different from other autistic disorders, because those inflicted with the disorder are often highly intelligent, but have extremely low social skills. This can affect academics as well. There is a myth that Albert Einstein did poorly in school despite being world-known today as a genius. In fact, Albert Einstein is considered to have had Asperger’s Syndrome, which makes him a quintessential example of how this disorder affects the education program. To say that Aspies are misunderstood in today’s society would be an understatement. People label those on the autistic spectrum simply as being “autistic”, instead of trying to understand those afflicted with Asperger’s and other autistic disorders, so they can contribute to society in a meaningful way. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The history of Asperger’s Syndrome started with its discoverer and namesake, Hans Asperger. In 1944, Dr. Asperger published a report of a set of conditions that had been observed in young boys that would eventually become to be known as “Asperger’s Syndrome”. In his doctoral thesis published in 1944, he described four boys that were “strange” in their social, linguistic and cognitive abilities. However, his work did not achieve international success until much later. The first usage of “Asperger’s Syndrome” occurred in 1981 when Lorna Wang used it in a paper she published. Before AS, the term “autistic psychopathy” was used to describe the disorder, despite the fact that it was not widely recognized. It was not until the 1990’s when Asperger’s Syndrome was recognized internationally. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The characteristics and symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome are well-defined, although they might vary in severity from person to person. Some may be very mild and lack some of the symptoms, up to the point where Asperger’s mostly just affects their personality. Others can be very severe in their symptoms and noticeably odd. Asperger’s Syndrome tends to be most noticeable in an Aspie’s childhood, although it may have very noticeable effects in adulthood as well. The symptoms of Asperger’s can affect both the social life and academic life of the person. Unlike the stereotypical autistic, an Aspie has average, to above average IQ, with a large proportion on the higher IQ side. They have poor nonverbal conceptive information. They have difficulty in seeing other people’s perspectives, and dealing with new ideas - they lack empathy. They also lack social skills, which combined with their lack of empathy, inhibit their ability to form friendships. They have one-sided conversations and can be practically walking encyclopedias. They also have an intense absorption in a special interest; more simply, a fascination. Fascinations may come and go, but they dominate the free time and conversations of an Aspie throughout their lives. They also are very literal. For example, some figures of speech, such as “cat got your tongue?” can confuse a child with Asperger’s, while neurotypicals (those who are not on the autistic spectrum) would understand a saying like that immediately. Another part of Asperger’s is that Aspies have poor motor skills; both gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are skills related to things such as running, jumping, catching, and a clumsy gait in walking or running, etc. A person with Asperger’s tends to be poor at sports and is generally clumsy, which further hinders their ability to fit-in in a sports-dominated society. Fine motor skills are related more towards things that require dexterity and fine-tuning, such as writing, so people with Asperger’s tend to have poor handwriting. Those who have Asperger’s can also be more sensitive to the senses - an Aspie might absolutely hate to be touched, or feel incredible stress when there is a lot of noise, such as a rowdy crowd. Aspies tend to have poor organization and time management skills, which can hamper or cripple their ability to thrive academically. This often leads to their being put into special education classes with others who are far less intelligent, further hampering their ability to succeed.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The way Asperger’s Syndrome is officially diagnosed is rather simple. Today, Asperger’s is usually diagnosed in early childhood. However, there are numerous cases of adults who have been recently diagnosed because there was no organized diagnosis in the past. Parents fill out a survey that asks them to fill out boxes ranged from “rarely” to “frequently”, whose questions are those that are related to the symptoms of Asperger’s. If the patient is frequent in a critical amount of the symptoms, he has Asperger’s Syndrome. Other criteria other than having the traits of Asperger’s, is the possibility of any of their relatives having some autistic traits as well. There has been research by scientists to find a biological test for autism, and it may be possible in the future to have a blood test to see if a child is autistic, even though autism is more general than Asperger’s. Recently there have been much more diagnoses than in the past of Asperger’s. Part of the reason why is because we know much more about Asperger’s than we did 30 years ago; people who could have previously never thought to have been autistic might have had Asperger’s. It is hypothesized that Asperger’s is hereditable; indeed, it is common for the parents of the AS child, usually the father, has “autistic tendencies” – some minor symptoms that show an influence, but extremely minor, of Asperger’s and autism. It has also been hypothesized that Asperger’s and autism is caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to mercury, but those are more controversial. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The symptoms of Asperger’s cause many problems in the Aspie’s life. The worst area in which an Aspie has problems functioning is their social life. During childhood, they are often bullied and ridiculed by other kids in school. This is only worsened by the fact that those with Asperger’s do not know how to be subtle, while someone who teases him or her might insult the child quietly (such as talking quietly, or punching in the hallway – things not noticed by teachers or people in authority). Thus, the Aspie is thought to be a troublemaker, because he will blatantly tell the bully to stop, usually by yelling at the bully, causing disruptions in the classroom. This isn’t limited to elementary school, but all of school – the entire subtle bully/noisy Aspie aspect prevents justice from being done to the bully.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Aspies are rejected by their peers for several reasons, the most obvious being their lack of social skills. Aspies tend to have one-sided conversations, usually about their own fascinations, which can quickly bore peers and have them not want to talk to him. The Aspie also tends to lack social reciprocity – he lacks empathy, usually can’t solve arguments civilly, and does not get enjoyment out of cooperating with others. The net result is that the Aspie is seen to be roughly two to three years younger in emotional maturity. Those with Asperger’s also tend to be shy and do not have the incentive to make new friends, even though they can be quite lonely, further worsening the problem. Thus, Aspies tend to be loners (or have very few friends) throughout their entire childhood and adolescence. The problems encountered by people with Asperger’s affect academics and home, too. Due to the fact that they lack organizational skills, they tend to be late or forget to do their homework and large projects – lowering their grades and making them appear to be an underachiever, despite usually being very smart. Many parents are ashamed of children with disabilities, and Asperger’s is no different. This leads to rejection not only in society, but in the family of the Aspie as well. Isolation also occurs as a result of this as parents and siblings tend to avoid the sibling with Asperger’s Syndrome. There was a case of two brothers – one with Asperger’s, and one without. The brother without AS did not tell his wife that his brother had AS because he was so embarrassed of his brother’s eccentric behaviors. He tried to make his family choose between the AS brother and himself; he eventually grew to hate the AS brother. Other parents who, when the Aspie is finished with high school and sent off to college, won’t let him come back home. The parents are burned-out from all the problems, and try to get them involved in State agencies to relieve them from any further responsibility. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The cumulative results of all of these problems - peer problems, family problems, and academic problems, have a huge toll on the Aspie. Asperger’s’ patients have increased anxiety and depression. This makes the learning experience in school a nightmare to someone who should be thriving in academics because of his intelligence. They can also have suicidal thoughts, which could become a severe problem. Girls could become so desperate to fit in, that they turn to sex and substance abuse in order to receive attention. It would make them seem less isolated, and seem to earn friends, when all it is doing is just getting “attention from the guys”. Drugs and alcohol could release social inhibitions to become more comfortable in social situations and accepted, but this leads to abuse problems.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp There is no cure for Asperger’s Syndrome, but there are ways to treat it. Treatment is more effective if it starts in early childhood. Medically, an AS patient may receive antidepressants in order to help with anxiety and depression. Counseling and social skills training helps those with AS as well, because it gives them an outlet to express their problems and offer solutions for the patient. There can also be accommodations in schooling. Alternate test locations, in order to have a quiet, smaller location, solve the problem of rowdiness and crowdedness of a classroom. Extended time works because it allows Aspies to complete assignments and tests on time; they usually have severe test anxiety and are the worst of procrastinators because of their poor organization skills. A use of a laptop or a scribe helps the fact that they have poor handwriting. Books on tape solve the problem of auditory or sensory difficulty, as they tend to be sensitive to loud noise. Workshops on time management, social skills, and note taking help some of these serious problems.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp While there are many tragic stories of people with Asperger’s, there are some famous success stories too. The most famous success stories usually happened before Asperger’s was even heard of - Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton are two examples of people thought to have Asperger’s who were very successful and famous. Their success shows that Aspies are best accepted for their intelligence and that they can be more acceptable socially if they pick a profession where intelligence is the most important aspect, such as the sciences. Many people with Asperger’s also get along better with foreign cultures because people from different cultures often just think that the person is just another odd American, and accept him as such. However, typical Aspies may do well in college and receive a degree, but many times cannot succeed at work because they never mastered the art of social interaction, which is an intimate part of the corporate culture. If they are not outright fired, they have difficulties advancing their careers because they are poor managers, which is usually a stepping stone in the line of promotions. In the end, not only do they become underachievers in school, but end up working in jobs that are much below their skill level, because the job doesn’t require many social skills.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp People with Asperger’s Syndrome tragically have a lot of social problems that can greatly affect their successes in life. However, with the support of family, friends, and teachers, people with Asperger’s Syndrome can overtake a previous handicap and thrive in the real world. While there are some aspects in life in which someone with Asperger’s will never thrive, these strengths can offer a remarkable tradeoff for their disability. If they are lucky enough to have a fascination in a field where their intelligence can be respected, their personally quirks and eccentricities can be accepted. Eventually, it may be possible for those with Asperger’s to appear relatively normal within their community. While it may be more desirable for people to be more tolerant of Aspies, having Aspies fit in to our own strange world is the next best thing.BibliographyAdreon, Diane, and Myles, Brenda Smith. Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence (Practical Solutions for School Success). Shawnee Mission, KA: Autism Asperger Publishing Company, 2001.Attwood, Tony. Asperger’s Syndrome (A Guide for Parents and Professionals). Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd, 1998.Frith, Uta. Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1991.Grandin, Temple. Thinking in Pictures (And Other Reports from my Life with Autism). New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1995.Talan, Jamie. “Step toward autism test.” Newsday 6 May 2005: A40. Bill Dusch - Archon of SoloralismQuillan Fatebane, 65th Paladin, Lanys Tvy'l Server (EQ1)Quillan Umbarcotumo, 37th Paladin, Innothule Server (EQ2)Proud to be Apollonianvar txtList = new Array()txtList[txtList.length]="'Whoa! You're in...college now? You got...older! 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[Unknown]

(This post is missing and can not be restored)

[vasroixe]

I find this an interesting read. Although I can identify with some Asperger's traits, I do not have as difficult time as some people pulling apart social situations. Maybe there are ranges that the disease's effect has.

[Bill3000]

Aspergers is part of the autistic spectrum, so you are quite correct. However, it is rather inaccurate to call Aspergers a disease; it is better to call it a disorder. The difference is that a disease implies something is fundamentally wrong. A psychological disorder is simply a variation, and can be a disadvantage when applied to certain common human situations. However, there can be and usually is advantages that could consider to be an "offset" of some sort. Personally, I would not trade my Aspergers for the world. I love my personality, and Aspergers heavily effects one's personality. Bill Dusch - Archon of SoloralismCitizen of ShirerothBaron of AntyaProud to be Apollonianvar txtList = new Array()txtList[txtList.length]="'Whoa! You're in...college now? You got...older! I guess that's what happens when time passes, but still...' - Scott Siskind";txtList[txtList.length]="'The Hindenburg Uncertainty Principle, by contrast states that before you get on a blimp, you can never be certain whether it's going to catch on fire or not' - Scott Siskind";txtList[txtList.length]="'We.....are.....not....FANTASY!>?!POE' - Scott Siskind, on hearing Bill Dusch say that Shireroth's theme is percieved to be Fiction-Fantasy based";txtList[txtList.length]="'me to. well almost, we have to worship the living god, Bill3000.' - Hubert";txtList[txtList.length]="'Y'know what? I am never going to get out of micronations. I think I need to be assassinated or something.' - Jason Steffke";txtList[txtList.length]="'Bill, you are STILL young and stupid.' - Jason Steffke, Control of Destiny 1";txtList[txtList.length]="'I think we've gotta promote you. You now have slightly more diplomatic skills than a random rock.' - Sirithil nos Feanor, to Bill Dusch";txtList[txtList.length]="'Wow. I'm this close to admitting you're no longer young and stupid.' - Scott Siskind, to Bill";txtList[txtList.length]="'ow! I've been thrwappen! Now I have a sudden urge to enter politics...' - Gryphon the Pure, after being hit by a shard of Pure Mischief";txtList[txtList.length]="'I could probably date Hypatia's Mom. Now THAT'S scary.' - Ryan Caruso"; j=parseInt(Math.random()*txtList.length);j=(isNaN(j))?0:j;document.write(txtList[j]);

[UEC]

While my depression is a disorder.. I would trade anything to be free from it... I gives me very little.. and while I may have come out a different person.. at this point.. I would love to be free of the pain.... E. Metzler (UEC)Duke of Brookshire"Never use a BOO/\/\ist as a diplomat" -- GSClicky Clicky..., Tiss for your own good ya know.

[vasroixe]

Kaiser, are you taking any kind of medication? I am not, however I have found the herb St. John's wort to be helpful in lifting my mood. (I probably have mild depression thatis caused by my Asperger's-like symptoms.) Shirerothian PatriotPrince of Byzantia

[UEC]

... Kaiser... I WAS Kaiser.. often.. in the past.. and was the first.. (and plan to be the last when that time comes...).. but I'm not currently..I take meds.. have to.. I have more than a lil depression.. I often have Major Depressive Episodes... at this point after some research.. I've concluded.. I have Bipolar I disorder... Check the DSM... it's in there under mood disorders... *thumps a big book on his desk*.. yay DSM.. E. Metzler (UEC)Duke of Brookshire"Never use a BOO/\/\ist as a diplomat" -- GSClicky Clicky..., Tiss for your own good ya know.