Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Finally a label for what I am

My mother has diagnosed my father and I with Asperger's syndrome. She has been substitute teaching in a DSL (disabled speech and language) class with kids with Asperger's. In class, they practice having conversations with other kids. There is a script of questions on the wall with topics of discussions that they can use. "What is your favorite color, Bobby?" "Green." "What is your favorite sport, Billy." My mother went through the list of symptoms and was able to answer yes to the majority of them for my father and I. I have to agree with her. I had heard about Asperger's a couple of years ago and had thought that I might have it.

Here is a definition of Asperger's. I copied and pasted off of a website. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people) lack of social or emotional reciprocity.

Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. A few people with Asperger's syndrome are very successful and until recently were not diagnosed with anything but were seen as brilliant, eccentric, absent minded, socially inept, and a little awkward physically.

My mother said that the Asperger's kids have a hard time with abstracts. They need concrete. One boy freaked out because my mom told him to draw a picture of his own house. She had to break it down into: draw a square, then a triangle on top. I have always freaked out with assignments that seemed abstract to me. A cried a lot over homework all growing up. I need specific details given to me.

Asperger's was not known in the U.S. until 1994. There is no medication for the condition just therapy. I really wish that I had known about this earlier. From now on, I am going to blame everything on my Asperger's.

8 comments:

Dash said...

wow ... they finaly have a diagnostic lable for "normal people"!

This makes me feel worse - if you qualify for diagnosis ... I've must have a whole section of the DSM (diagnostic statistics manual) dedicated to me.

T said...

Cman came home with an assignment at the beginning of the year, "draw a picture of YOUR house." I made this a very stressful thing for both of us! Because I'm a literal person and it said "your" house and was sent HOME, not just as something to do at school.

We counted windows, estimated space. Checked out how the shingles were shaped and layed, what the garage door looked like, the steps, the door, the roof. He kept drawing and we'd check and adjust until it looked basically right!

This was NOT what the teacher meant! She laughed when I told her at conference time why it took so long for him to turn it in. She said that he didn't even have to turn it in, as long as he did it! Then WHY call it homework!?

I have not been as uptight since then and she has not sent home any abstract "draw a picture of your...fridge, car, toilet, or any thing else!"

Jadee said...

OMG, T! Sounds like what I did to N in first grade. He got his folder with all his homework...some was due on Tue...some on Wed...and Thur. I made him sit down and do all that we could THAT NIGHT! Because that is how I always did my work. ALL of it right away. Poor little guy...he was stressing out so badly he had a literal stomachache for the whole week! (hmmm...wonder what disease DO IT NOW fits into)

T said...

So Jadee, are we saying that "It's all MY MOM's FAULT" is a viable syndrome? I'm thinking...there might be something to that!?!

shakedust said...

T, I thought it would be obvious why they would call it HOMEwork. :)

f o r r e s t said...

Correct me if I am wrong but I do not believe drawing a house is considered an abstract assignment. We have all seen houses and know what they look like. It is pretty literal. Would not an abstact assignment be to draw a picture of your feelings - to draw a picture of love?

shakedust said...

I think what would make someone have a problem drawing a house is the complexity of it rather than the abstractness of it. I don't think I have Asperger's, though, so I can't speak to that first hand.

GoldenSunrise said...

To most normal people, drawing a picture of your house would not be an abstract assignment. Maybe I shouldn't have used the word abstract. When you are supposed to use your own creativity on a project, it can stress out someone with Asperger's. People with Asberger's need guidelines. Maybe that's why I like Accounting so much.