Aspergers Independent Living, Living With Aspergers Syndrome, High Functioning Aspergers, Aspergers Support, Aspergers in Adults

Symptoms of Aspergers Syndrome

admin — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 05:08:25 +0000

Symptoms

People with Asperger syndrome become over-focused or obsessed on a single object or topic, ignoring all others. They want to know everything about this topic, and often talk about little else.

Children with Asperger syndrome will present many facts about their subject of interest, but there will seem to be no point or conclusion.
They often do not recognize that the other person has lost interest in the topic.
Areas of interest may be quite narrow, such as an obsession with train schedules, phone books, a vacuum cleaner, or collections of objects.

People with Asperger do not withdraw from the world in the way that people with autism withdraw. They will often approach other people. However, their problems with speech and language in a social setting often lead to isolation.

Their body language may be off.
They may speak in a monotone, and may not respond to other people's comments or emotions.
They may not understand sarcasm or humor, or they may take a figure of speech literally.
They do not recognize the need to change the volume of their voice in different settings.
They have problems with eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, or gestures (nonverbal communication).
They may be singled out by other children as "weird" or "strange."

People with Asperger syndrome have trouble forming relationships with children their own age or other adults, because they:

Are unable to respond emotionally in normal social interactions
Are not flexible about routines or rituals
Have difficulty showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people
Do not express pleasure at other people's happiness

Children with Asperger syndrome may show delays in motor development, and unusual physical behaviors, such as:

Delays in being able to ride a bicycle, catch a ball, or climb play equipment
Clumsiness when walking or doing other activities
Repetitive behaviors, in which they sometimes injure themselves
Repetitive finger flapping, twisting, or whole body movements

Many children with Asperger syndrome are very active, and may also be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Anxiety or depression may develop during adolescence and young adulthood. Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder and a tic disorder such as Tourette Syndrome may be seen.

Laws and Policies To Assist Transition Processes For Special Needs Individuals

admin — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 03:59:11 +0000

Your young adult is protected by certain laws and policies that will help during the
transition process and throughout their life. During your child’s school years, the protections
offered by IDEA and the IEP, which documented the accommodations and goals, were
automatically provided. The IDEA protections, however, end when your young adult
turns 21.

Other laws take their place; but, as these are not entitlement laws, it will
now be up to you and your child to seek out their protections.

Laws and Policies:

Three laws overlap to benefit and safeguard you and your child with ASD as you
begin the transition process:

IDEA, Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, and
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

These laws help you and your young adult to access the most appropriate services to prepare for the transition to post-high school life.

3. The Federal “No Child Left Behind (NCLB)” Act of 2001

This law also addresses the educational needs of individuals with ASD; however, in the area of transition planning and support, the impact of NCLB remains to be determined and therefore is not discussed here.

For more information on IDEA, Section 504, or ADA, please see the following
resources:
www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.summ.rights.htm
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/qa-disability.html
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html

How is Aspergers Syndrome Diagnosed

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:33:46 +0000

The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the lack of a standardized diagnostic screen or schedule. In fact, because there are several screening instruments in current use, each with different criteria, the same child could receive different diagnoses, depending on the screening tool the doctor uses.

To further complicate the issue, some doctors believe that AS is not a separate and distinct disorder. Instead, they call it high-functioning autism (HFA), and view it as being on the mild end of the ASD spectrum with symptoms that differ — only in degree — from classic autism. Some clinicians use the two diagnoses, AS or HFA, interchangeably. This makes gathering data about the incidence of AS difficult, since some children will be diagnosed with HFA instead of AS, and vice versa.

Most doctors rely on the presence of a core group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a diagnosis of AS. These are:

abnormal eye contact
aloofness
the failure to turn when called by name
the failure to use gestures to point or show
a lack of interactive play
a lack of interest in peers

Some of these behaviors may be apparent in the first few months of a child’s life, or they may appear later. Problems in at least one of the areas of communication and socialization or repetitive, restricted behavior must be present before the age of 3.

The diagnosis of AS is a two-stage process. The first stage begins with developmental screening during a “well-child” check-up with a family doctor or pediatrician. The second stage is a comprehensive team evaluation to either rule in or rule out AS. This team generally includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and additional professionals who have expertise in diagnosing children with AS.

The comprehensive evaluation includes neurologic and genetic assessment, with in-depth cognitive and language testing to establish IQ and evaluate psychomotor function, verbal and non-verbal strengths and weaknesses, style of learning, and independent living skills. An assessment of communication strengths and weaknesses includes evaluating non-verbal forms of communication (gaze and gestures); the use of non-literal language (metaphor, irony, absurdities, and humor); patterns of inflection, stress and volume modulation; pragmatics (turn-taking and sensitivity to verbal cues); and the content, clarity, and coherence of conversation. The physician will look at the testing results and combine them with the child’s developmental history and current symptoms to make a diagnosis.

Aspergers Common Signs and Signals

admin — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:54:46 +0000

The most distinguishing symptom of AS is a child’s obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other. Some children with AS have become experts on vacuum cleaners, makes and models of cars, even objects as odd as deep fat fryers. Children with AS want to know everything about their topic of interest and their conversations with others will be about little else. Their expertise, high level of vocabulary, and formal speech patterns make them seem like little professors.

Children with AS will gather enormous amounts of factual information about their favorite subject and will talk incessantly about it, but the conversation may seem like a random collection of facts or statistics, with no point or conclusion.

Their speech may be marked by a lack of rhythm, an odd inflection, or a monotone pitch. Children with AS often lack the ability to modulate the volume of their voice to match their surroundings. For example, they will have to be reminded to talk softly every time they enter a library or a movie theatre.

Unlike the severe withdrawal from the rest of the world that is characteristic of autism, children with AS are isolated because of their poor social skills and narrow interests. In fact, they may approach other people, but make normal conversation impossible by inappropriate or eccentric behavior, or by wanting only to talk about their singular interest.

Children with AS usually have a history of developmental delays in motor skills such as pedaling a bike, catching a ball, or climbing outdoor play equipment. They are often awkward and poorly coordinated with a walk that can appear either stilted or bouncy.

Many children with AS are highly active in early childhood, and then develop anxiety or depression in young adulthood. Other conditions that often co-exist with AS are ADHD, tic disorders (such as Tourette syndrome), depression, anxiety disorders, and OCD.

What Is Aspergers Syndrome?

admin — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:02:36 +0000

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder that is characterized by: 1

limited interests or an unusual preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of other activities

repetitive routines or rituals
peculiarities in speech and language, such as speaking in an overly formal manner or in a monotone, or taking figures of speech literally
socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior and the inability to interact successfully with peers
problems with non-verbal communication, including the restricted use of gestures, limited or inappropriate facial expressions, or a peculiar, stiff gaze
clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements

AS is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one of a distinct group of neurological conditions characterized by a greater or lesser degree of impairment in language and communication skills, as well as repetitive or restrictive patterns of thought and behavior. Other ASDs include: classic autism, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS).

Parents usually sense there is something unusual about a child with AS by the time of his or her third birthday, and some children may exhibit symptoms as early as infancy. Unlike children with autism, children with AS retain their early language skills. Motor development delays – crawling or walking late, clumsiness – are sometimes the first indicator of the disorder.

The incidence of AS is not well established, but experts in population studies conservatively estimate that two out of every 10,000 children have the disorder. Boys are three to four times more likely than girls to have AS.

Studies of children with AS suggest that their problems with socialization and communication continue into adulthood. Some of these children develop additional psychiatric symptoms and disorders in adolescence and adulthood.

Although diagnosed mainly in children, AS is being increasingly diagnosed in adults who seek medical help for mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). No studies have yet been conducted to determine the incidence of AS in adult populations.

Communicating With Aspergers

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:50:14 +0000

This first set of suggestions is offered as some help in communicating with a child with Aspergers.

1. Reinforcers Drive the Message Home

If you've been seeing a behavioral therapist to learn more effective ways of communicating with your Asperger's syndrome-affected child, you're probably already familiar with the concept of a reinforcer. This technique integrates a new concept or behavior into the child's routine through constant repetition, using an individualized means of illustrating the message.

When a reward is used as a reinforcer, particularly a reward that the child has a particular attachment to, excellent improvements in communication are often the result. If you've been trying to instill a particular behavior in your child but are meeting with little success, try taking away an activity the child deeply enjoys and using it as a reward to reinforce the desired behavior. This technique often succeeds where others fail in communicating your expectations to the child.

2. Draw Them a Picture

Visual aids work very well with Asperger's syndrome patients. Since Asperger's children think and learn visually, pictures are an ideal educational tool and means of communication. They help strengthen the child's attention span, make concepts more easily understood and give the child something tangible to refer back to in the future.

Be creative in your use of visual aids. The possibilities go far beyond pictures, and include things like color coding, signs, cue cards, hand gestures, lists, charts and graphs. If words are failing to communicate your expectations or desires, try using some of these techniques as a supplementary aid.

3. Use Phrases that Improve Communication

Short, simple phrases are an effective communication technique to use with Asperger's patients. In a relatively short period, you can attach a clear, specific connotation to a particular phrase, and then use that phrase to correct the patient's behavior and get the child to cooperate. Children with Asperger's syndrome frequently meander off topic when telling a story or include irrelevant details. You can interject with a simple phrase like "stay on topic" or "stick to one thing" to guide the child back.

Other phrases that work well on Asperger's patients include "good choice," and "bad choice" or "drop it" for times when the child insists on repeating a problematic word, phrase or behavior. Simple phrases can be used to communicate your expectations on everything from waiting in line and maintaining eye contact while talking to interrupting and misbehaving in public.

Here are some suggestions to adults with Aspergers in dealing with a partner in a relationship.

1. Don’t give in to feelings of hopelessness or futility. Adults with Asperger Syndrome can at times feel overwhelmed by frustration. There are times these adults can feel that no amount of effort on their part can ever change their ability to understand how their partner operates. This is sometimes true – no adult can ever really become an expert on their partner’s perceptions, thoughts, feelings and behaviors. The best strategy may be becoming an expert on yourself. This can serve as a foundation for learning new skills, having compassion for yourself and even learning to laugh at how different you and your partner may approach problems and issues.

2. Ask questions of your partner. Gather as much information as you can about the situation you’re facing together. Faced with having to operate without an intuitive understanding of how your partner feels and thinks, you may rely on your logic and assumptions. This can be dangerous! Remember, your mind works differently than your partner’s. A great strategy can be simply asking questions. For instance, instead of assuming that your partner is ready to end the relationship over a fight, ask for clarification. Good questions can include, “I’m wondering if you feel….” Or “Can you tell me more about that?”. Often adults with Asperger's find talking with their partner in a calm environment, such as a quiet, dimly lit room, can help.

3. Hold tight to the truth that your thoughts and emotions matter. Though they may be expressed differently (or not at all!), your feelings and perceptions are valid, and are worth just as much as your partner’s feelings and thoughts. This can be a difficult perspective to maintain, especially if your partner is articulate and quick. Remember, working out a problem is not a verbal jousting competition, though it can sometimes feel like one.

4. Decide how you would like to pursue and operate in relationships. This takes thought. Do you want to connect with others? Do you experience loneliness? Do you want to increase your ability to talk about your inner world or negotiate problems? Not everyone aspires to these ways of relating. Decide for yourself if you do. If you decide to work to strengthen your connections, you may benefit from learning to monitor your “togetherness tolerance” – Aspies often are helped by frequent breaks, shorter visits, etc. Your level of need in connecting with others may differ vastly from that of your partner. This is fine, and may serve as a great balance for your relationship.

5. Find help. Often a cliché tip, there is no substitute for consulting an expert – a communication coach, a therapist, a well-written manual. Remember that though you may have not received the understanding of relationship nuance through osmosis, like many adults, you CAN learn skills that can close the gap you may feel between your ability to relate and the abilities of others.

6. Don’t be too quick to judge yourself harshly. Aspies often provide wonderful advantages to their relationships, such as “groundedness”, logic, a refusal to become violent or aggressive, a heightened desire to do the right or moral thing, an inability to participate in the emotional “games” so many adults struggle with in relationships, in intense sensitivity buried under layers of defense. As always, self-acceptance is the best position to take as you navigate the wonderful – and sometimes terrifying – frontiers of intimacy.

I personally find these lists fascinating to be on the same page and read through them, first from trying to communicate to a child and then what communication is like as an adult with Aspergers. The fact is it is complicated. Being calm and trying to deliver the message in as simple of terms as possible is certainly the common theme but the real deal is every Aspergers person is different. Some are extremely sensitive to sounds and light and others may not be. The only consistency that I have experienced is to try and stay calm and think through what you want the outcome to be. Take it in little chunks and don't over complicate the issue or topics.

I struggle with this with our son who is now 21 years old. I would get long winded and think I was really making a great point and progress and then my wife would ask him what he understood about what I just said and it was so little that 90% of my babbling did nothing. Be patient and think about what the major point or goal is and just work on that for the time being.

Let me know your thoughts and experiences below.

Asperger’s Creative Living Options

admin — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:14:32 +0000

Adult Life Planning – Housing

As with all other aspects of Asperger Syndrome, the more the person with AS understands him or herself and his or her needs in the context of AS, the more successful the housing experience will be. People have found a variety of creative solutions to make housing work for them. It’s important for people with AS to choose housing that will support their sensory, social and environmental needs.

Many adults with AS need a designated space where they can be alone and fully in control, and their choice of housing should fulfill this need. It should be comfortable and quiet – a haven from a busy, demanding world.

Some housing choices include:

* Living independently
* Living with housemates
* Living with parents and family
* Living with partner and/or children

Living Independently for single adults

Many adults with AS are capable of living independently without supports.

Others can live independently with minimal supports for tasks such as paying bills, keeping the house clean, or general organization.

Although adults with Asperger Syndrome can be very bright, it is reasonable to expect that they may need some assistance in order to maintain their independence.

Social service agencies that serve adults with disabilities may be able to provide these services. Usually it is necessary to pay out of pocket, although this may vary from state to state. Some people may prefer to hire someone privately.

Isolation can be an issue for Adults with AS who live on their own. It is a good idea to plan for some structured social occasions in your schedule. This might include get-togethers with colleagues from work, classmates, membership in hobby clubs, or participation in religious or social activities.
Living with a housemate(s)

Living with a housemate or two can pose different challenges. It is extremely important to communicate verbally or with written notes or emails. Making assumptions about division of labor and responsibility within a household will likely result in misunderstandings that could have been avoided with up-front communication. It may be a good idea to schedule a particular time to meet with housemates and discuss issues related to the living situation.

If you are in a communal living situation, remember to make sure you have a place to yourself where you can be alone and in control.
Living with Parents and Family

Often it makes the most financial or practical sense for an adult with AS to continue to live with their parents or other family members. It can be helpful to have this support while pursuing other, more independent goals, such as school or employment. In this case, we suggest that the adult with AS share responsibility for household chores, especially if they are preparing to live independently.

Even in one’s own home, it often helps to carve out your own space where you can have privacy and quiet.
Living with Partners and/or Children

Many adults live with partners and/or children. See Partners page for issues particular to this kind of relationship.
Public and Private Supported Housing Options
Public Housing Programs

Public housing is available in all states and includes both subsidized housing through housing authorities and Section 8 housing, a federal voucher program run by the states which may offer the most flexibility in terms of choosing your own apartment.

For information on affordable housing in Massachusetts visit:

http://www.chapa.org/index.htm

For General Section 8 information visit: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/progdesc/disab811.cfm
For local information contact your local housing authorities.
Private Housing Programs

Supported Housing Options are sometimes available through local social service agencies that work with adults with disabilities.

Some adults with AS may live in housing managed by an agency working with adults with disabilities. Housing may range from group homes (not highly recommended for AS adults) to shared or non-shared apartments.

A wide range of independent living supports are available through these social service agencies, depending on level of need and ability to pay.
Creative Living Options

Many people have found their own unique solution for their housing and living needs including:

* Communities with a shared sense of purpose
* Mutually beneficial partnerships with exchange of room and board for services such as house-sitting, yard work, companion care or pet sitting.

Think creatively when thinking about housing!

Does Asperger’s Cause Alcoholism?

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:08:15 +0000

I recently found an article discussing this topic and felt compelled to write about it. The article started out by stating that Asperger's does not cause Alcoholism or to define it a bit broader, especially in this age, addiction.

The "causes" of addiction, as stated in the article where a number of circumstances, including social reasons, depression and even genetics. I agree with all of that but there is one thing I don't agree with.

One of the things I do know about is addiction. I have been sober for 10 years now and work closely with addicts and have been a step parent to an Asperger's child for about the same amount of time. The compulsiveness and desire to be accepted is the part of the equation that must be considered. The situations we have found ourselves in over the years with our Asperger's son was a direct result of his desire to fit in.

The wild thing to the whole thing is it has been a miracle as well. The addiction part of his life never really took control, except for cigarettes, which is another conversation but through the process he has convinced himself that he is an addict and has been going to AA meetings. If you don't know anything about AA you should because regardless of the situation you might be in the common denominator with Asperger's is their desire to be accepted. AA is a group that accepts you, no matter what. Through the meetings and the program he has finally found a group of friends that has accepted him and are not trying to manipulate him.

I guess the point I wanted to make in this brief article is the idea that Asperger's is a high risk addiction population but through this there can be a miracle or two that comes of it.

I would suggest taking your Asperger's individual to an AA meeting and you might want to attend too. It's a great experience to be around a bunch of people that accept you for you.

Diagnostic Criteria For Asperger’s Disorder

admin — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:02:16 +0000

A. 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

B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood

F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia

The Language of Aspergers

admin — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:52:55 +0000

What is The Language of Aspergers

Over the course of time I have been involved with the development of Aspergers children, my step son and some students I work with at my Muay Thai school I have realized a great dynamics in the consideration of the language of Aspergers.

The language of Aspergers can be filled with many words. In fact there might be a a mild form of hyperlexia, which means large vocabulary. There are also some words you might not want to hear at times. I know I have certainly heard my share, good and bad.

What causes this excessive use of the language, could it be an attempt to fit in, to be noticed. Perhaps. I have my theories about the use of profanity and lashing out. It is usually based on fear and being hyper sensitive to a particular situation.

Merry Christmas

One of these more common episodes for our family occurred around Christmas time. We would have a Christmas Eve party and although the house would fill up with people we knew there was an excitement about the night that was overwhelming for our son. As the night wore on we would try to keep the excitement under control but at some point in time it would spill over and the profanity would be delivered or the inappropriate thing would be said.

As he got older the hyper-sensitivity became less drastic but unfortunately he became more withdrawn from the activities all together. Even when we would ask him to participate in the gathering he would refuse and spend his time playing video games.

Do You Really Hear Me?

Many Asperger's voices are sometimes monotonous and emotionless but sometimes when you engage them one on one they will begin to have more expression in their delivery. It's like you need to attempt to make a direct connection, focused and engaging. You will see an acknowledgement from them and a realization that someone is really trying to connect with them and sometimes they react to that. My experience is the more stimulation you can give the more connection you can get. Of course each case is different but I have experienced this with my step son and many of the students I teach in Muay Thai.

The communication process is a challenge but throughout the work it is rewarding to see the changes that take place when a connection is made. There will be difficulties in reading facial expressions and body gestures so it is important to work steadily and repetitively to make sure the message is clear. In my work with kids in the Muay Thai class I work a lot in the mirror. Sometimes that is very distracting to an Aspergers child. To help them work on verbal and body language it is important to keep them looking at you and repeat things.

So the language of Aspergers is multi-dimensional in my opinion. There can be such brilliance and articulation and at the same time complete withdraw. When you think there is no connection you can discover a complete connection in the next moment. The process of working through the difficulties of reading facial and body language can be overcome with some repetitive practices and some verbal acknowledgment that the point of idea was understood.

I have realized some growth in my own ability to communicate and make sure my point was understood through this process so once again, I am not sure who is the teacher and who is the student.