Asperger's syndrome and ADHD

[BananaHammock]

Is there anyone here who has been diagnosed with one or both of these? Does anyone have a loved one with one or both?

My eleven year old son was diagnosed at 4 with high functioning autism/asperger's syndrome. It has been tough but he has been able to function in a "normal" classroom setting with limited modifications. He has always done well academically but has had problems with the social dynamic. Now that puberty has started to set in we have started to have some serious problems. His behavior became very unpredictable (trying to leave school, running away from home, making threats against me, stealing and mood swings) and we had him admitted to KU Med, here in the Kansas City area. It was hard but he had become a real threat to himself and is old enough now that I don't want to try to physically restrain him. He is doing well and is feeling better. The doctors seem to think that he has ADHD on top of everything else. I kick myself for not seeing it. His younger sister has that and, with the right meds, is doing very well now. We can't wait till he gets back home.

[BananaHammock]

My son comes home tomorrow. He is now receiving meds for his ADHD and we will start behavioral therapy.

[Wiry Pyruvity]

is he very rule-bound in his thinking, and doesn't really get other people's humour?

[BananaHammock]

is he very rule-bound in his thinking, and doesn't really get other people's humour?

Yes very rule-bound. He is very black and white. Grey areas cause him to become very frustrated.

He does get some humor but most of the time he is just faking it when people make jokes.

[Suzy Brown]

My neice, my BFF from high school's son, and my current BFF's son all 3 have Aspergers. Another girl I have known my whole life, her son too. Its maddening to see these poor kids, robbed of their potential, and just as sad to see the parents struggling to give their all.
Only 1 out of those 4 was able to get his more under control with Aderol (sp).

[Suzy Brown]

I'm very sorry to hear that your life has been so upset by this UK.

[BananaHammock]

My neice, my BFF from high school's son, and my current BFF's son all 3 have Aspergers. Another girl I have known my whole life, her son too. Its maddening to see these poor kids, robbed of their potential, and just as sad to see the parents struggling to give their all.
Only 1 out of those 4 was able to get his more under control with Aderol (sp).

Me and my wife believe our son will be able to have a very productive and meaningful life. He will never be "normal" but we know he has the ability to live and function in the "normal" world.

[Suzy Brown]

I doubt my neice will ever be able to live alone, or be able to hold a job. She looks normal but can't really have much of a conversation, answer questions, look a person in the eye. She's intelligent tho. She reads chinese and is very good at math.

[BananaHammock]

I doubt my neice will ever be able to live alone, or be able to hold a job. She looks normal but can't really have much of a conversation, answer questions, look a person in the eye. She's intelligent tho. She reads chinese and is very good at math.

My son, for an aspie, is a people person. It is good and bad. It drives him to be part of the group, to seek out relationships but those same relationships can cause him a lot of frustration.

[Suzy Brown]

That's one of the things about Asperger's -- lots of foibles and every kid is different.

[Tatyana]

I have had to do a bit of research into Aspberger's and Autistic Spectrum disorder for my psychology degree.

My neighbour is an educational psychologist, and for a number of years, children with autistic spectrum disorder were her main focus, so she did help me understand more about this condition.

Here is the essay I wrote a year or so ago, hope this helps.

I can also ask her if she is aware of any good support groups.

You should also make sure that he is seen by an educational psychologist, they will make sure he gets the additional tutoring that he needs in school, and that he isn't excluded from mainstream classes.



Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a troubling developmental disorder (Frith, 1989), ranging from the ‘classical’ infantile autistic disorder, through semantic-pragmatic disorder to Aspberger’s Syndrome (Bishop, 1989). The presentation of ASD is widely varied between autistic individuals, and variation of the symptoms within an individual may occur over their lifespan. Etiological origins for autism are rare, there is no widely accepted biological marker or ‘medical’ diagnostic test, and there is no known treatment (Baird et al, 2003). This enigmatic disorder is on an increased occurrence in its diagnosis (Baird et al, 2003). In 2003, the National Autistic Society estimated that one in eighty six children have ASD in comparison to one in 2500 five years ago (Webster, 2003). Recently MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunisation was thought to be responsible for this increased frequency. The outcome of the media exposure of one scientifically and statistically invalid paper with the author having conflicting interests has resulted in a decreased uptake in MMR immunisation. The concurrent increased infection with these previously controlled childhood infections may actually lead to a further increase in ASD. Prenatal intrauterine insults, such as maternal rubella infection, is one of the few known causes of autism. Rubella, as well as maternal anticonvulsant therapy, the genetic disorder PKU (phenylketonuria) and post natal brain infections (encephalitis) have been found to be responsible for six to ten percent of the cases of ASD (Baird et al, 2003).

Autism is defined medically as a behavioural disorder, characterised by observable impairments in social skills such as interpersonal interactions, communication and imagination, repetitive behaviour and mannerisms and frequently a heightened sensitivity to sensory or environmental stimulus (Baird et al, 2003). Common to all individuals with ASD is a lack of empathy for others, or the inability to infer the thoughts and motivations of others. This characteristically human ability, known as the theory of mind (ToM), was first described by Premack and Woodruff in 1979 (Smith and Stevens, 2001), and developed into the Sally-Anne Experiment by Wimmer and Perner in 1983 (Frith, 1989). This and the ‘Pen in the Smarties box’ are thought to be a measure of ToM and used in the diagnosis of autistic children. (Frith, 1989). The subsequent development of similar tests for young people and adults with ASD, such as the ‘Strange Stories Task’ and ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ Test. While these tests have revealed mind-reading difficulties, they have also resulted in ceiling effects that does not reflect the lack of social understanding in ‘higher functioning’ autistic individuals and individuals with autistic spectrum disorder (Heavey et al, 2000).

The intention of this paper is to critically review the research conducted on Awkward Moments Test and its usefulness in the diagnosis of ASD in adults and any possible further information it may provide into the etiology of autism.


The Awkward Moments Test, a new measure of ToM in adults, was being developed and investigated, the modified Strange Stories Task was also performed. The Strange Stories Task has been used clinically and in research for a longer time, and was used to compare, correlate and basically, as an ‘overall’ control for the experiment. In addition to the two ToM tests, psychometric (IQ) tests were performed on each of the participants. Fatigue effects were considered by performing the series of tests in the same order. While the test (n=16) and control (n=16) population was not large, they were age, sex and IQ matched to a very high order, where possible, within the constraints of the disorder. A significant difference in the comprehension and reading comprehension was noted, however the reading and comprehension abilities of individuals with ASD is a well documented feature of the disorder. This confounding variable (and others) was addressed in the statistical analysis employed ANCOVA, or analysis of covariance.

The Awkward moments Test is a series of 8 short video scenarios, mainly derived from British television commercials, each having a control and test question with four possible multiple choice answers. Great care was given in the design of the test. Order effects were considered and the video clips were run from 1 to 8 or 8 to 1 for equal numbers in both the control and test group. Consideration was even taken for the randomisation of the correct answer on the computer screen, it appeared twice in each of the four possible locations over the course of the test.

Ethical consideration in selection of participants was also paramount as IQ testing was performed. The regression extrapolation of IQ from the short WAIS-R test revealed that some of the participants had an IQ far below the average score of 100 (Eysenck, 2000), the minimum being 58 and 76 for the test and control groups respectively. While great detail was given for the design and methodology of the actual Awkward Situation Test, only information on where the control group participants was given, not any specifics as to how they were approached or briefed. This information, included in an appendix, may have been useful for researchers interested in replicating the experiment, as finding an appropriate sample population is often one of the most challenging tasks in research.

Care was also taken to ensure that previous exposure to the commercials used in the analysis did not result in a confounding variable. The results of the analysis supported the experimental hypothesis, that individuals with ASD would not perform as well as the control group on the ToM measures in the experiment. These results were found to be highly significant, it may be stated within 99% certainty (p=0.001) that the differences in the mean number of correct answers between the test and control group was not due to chance. A significant difference was also found with the response time to the questions, both groups took a longer period of time to answer the test questions (ToM questions) rather than the control questions. The authors also claim to have found a correlation between intellectual ability, based on WAIS-R test, and ToM performance. However, in this analysis, and despite the rigorous matching of the participants, two of the test or ‘autistic’ participants, and two of the control or ‘normal’ participants were excluded on the basis of having the lowest or highest IQ scores, respectively. The exclusion criteria was not made clear. The valid statistical method usually employed is that scores or measures that lie three standard deviations from the mean may be excluded from analysis. This criteria was not met, and the authors note that this correlation should be viewed with caution. The Strange Stories Task predictably revealed that the autistic group would not perform as well as the control group on the ToM measures. Pearson’s correlation was also performed to examine the relationship between the two ToM tests. While the control group demonstrated a slightly better correlation, that is the responses were more similar for each of the three measures considered, the two tests did not exhibit any significant correlation.

The small number of individuals may be forgiven when the high level of matching of the control and test groups is considered. The number of individuals that would have to have been tested for selection in the study would have been far greater than the number of individuals included in the study. The Awkward moments test will prove to be useful in its naturalistic approach in the diagnosis of adults with ASD. A larger study population, including more participants with Aspberger’s syndrome, may be useful in a research capacity, and assist with the understanding of the very subtle differences in the mind-reading abilities of people with higher functioning autism and Asperger’s. The experiment also revealed that the test group demonstrated a significant difference in their ability to answer two of the nonsocial control questions. The researchers suggest that further manipulation of the control questions in the Awkward moments test may further reveal some of the cognitive differences in autism.

One of the ethical responsibilities in developing any new diagnostic test is the impact that the diagnosis will have on the individual. Not only may the test be applied inappropriately, and be used as a measure of intelligence or as an educational or training tool, it may also make a diagnosis where no previous diagnosis of autism existed before. The introduction and increased use of ToM tests may have been responsible for the increased incidence of ASD, or it may just be revealing a current epidemiological trend. In either case, is it appropriate or moral to diagnose more cases of ASD or subtle cases of ASD. Applying a label that implies a deficit to individuals who have been able to function fully in society despite their social difficulties raises a number of ethical questions. The old adage, ‘if is it not broken, don’t fix it’ may apply.

At one point in time, autism was thought to be the result of neglectful parenting and was termed frozen mother or ‘refrigerator’ mother syndrome (Frith, 1989). For these families, the discovery of a genetic link for ASK must have provided a welcome relief to the stigma ‘it was something that I did wrong that made my child this way’.
Critical thinking, and subsequent thorough examination of the scientific and statistical rigor of research is an essential skill that needs to be taught to more people. If more people are trained in this type of literacy, the agony of the blame in ‘refrigerator’ mothers and the more recent MMR scare may have been avoided.









References
Baird G, Cass H, Slonims V, Clinical Review: Diagnosis of Autism 2003 British Medical Journal 327: 488-93

Bishop DVM, Autism, Asperger’s syndrome and semantic-pragmatic disorder: Where are the boundaries? 1989 British Journal of Disorders of Communication 24: 107-121

Eysenck M, Psychology A Student’s Handbook 2000, Psychology Press, East Sussex pp 762

Frith, Uta Autism, Explaining the Enigma 1989, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford pp 1, 159

Roth I Chapter 6 The autistic spectrum: from theory to practice 2001 IN Brace N, Westcott H [eds] Applying Psychology, The Bath Press, Bath, pp
243-307

Smith B, Stevens R, Chapter 2 Evolutionary Psychology 2002 IN Miell D, Phoenix A, Thomas K, Mapping Psychology, The Bath Press, Bath pp 126

Webster A, Research into Practice, May 2003 1-7, http://www.communitycare.co.uk

[Youngguns]

I just went through the check list.

Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.
Dislike any changes in routines.
Appear to lack empathy.
Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others’ speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Likewise, his or her speech may be flat and difficult to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent.
Have a formal style of speaking that is advanced for his or her age. For example, the child may use the word "beckon" instead of "call" or the word "return" instead of "come back."
Avoid eye contact or stare at others.
Have unusual facial expressions or postures.
Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or studying astronomy. They may show an unusual interest in certain topics such as snakes, names of stars, or dinosaurs.2 (http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-references#zq1060)
Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.
Have delayed motor development. Your child may be late in learning to use a fork or spoon, ride a bike, or catch a ball. He or she may have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor.
Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures. For more information about these symptoms, see sensory-integration-dysfunction[URL="http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/sensory-integration-dysfunction[/URL].

I think I have it too.

[Youngguns]

Here is an all natural alternative that is non-addicting, almost NO side effects and produces a much better result for your child with ADD or ADHD.


yj72e5q61Fs

[Dr Pangloss]

I have a brother with genius IQ and 2 PHd's but his Aspergers gets in the way of social capabilities. He lives with my MOM and helps her out so I guess that's a plus. He drives, does alot of things but his "peculiar" demeanor puts him at a distinct social disadvantage.


it's so sad that in the end, it comes down to that.

[Tatyana]

I have a brother with genius IQ and 2 PHd's but his Aspergers gets in the way of social capabilities. He lives with my MOM and helps her out so I guess that's a plus. He drives, does alot of things but his "peculiar" demeanor puts him at a distinct social disadvantage.

I work with a man like that, PhD as well.

He was hard to deal with initially as I remain quite calm in all the high stress situations at work.

He thought I wasn't concerned about things as I didn't show it on my face or in my voice.

Then I realised he is so clever he has learned to link facial expressions to emotions, so I started to exaggerate mine.

He is fab, one of my fav people in the lab and we get on fantastically now.

[BananaHammock]

Good info and very true. BTW my son is doing well and back at school.

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/nasp_asperger.pdf

[HeavyDutyGuy]

I just went through the check list.

Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.
Dislike any changes in routines.
Appear to lack empathy.
Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others’ speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Likewise, his or her speech may be flat and difficult to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent.
Have a formal style of speaking that is advanced for his or her age. For example, the child may use the word "beckon" instead of "call" or the word "return" instead of "come back."
Avoid eye contact or stare at others.
Have unusual facial expressions or postures.
Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or studying astronomy. They may show an unusual interest in certain topics such as snakes, names of stars, or dinosaurs.2 (http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-references#zq1060)
Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.
Have delayed motor development. Your child may be late in learning to use a fork or spoon, ride a bike, or catch a ball. He or she may have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor.
Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures. For more information about these symptoms, see sensory-integration-dysfunction[URL="http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/sensory-integration-dysfunction[/url].

I think I have it too.

I had most of the latter ones as a child. Not the the lack of empahy or flat speech, but much of te rest. As an adult, I've been dx'd as bipolar and or borderline with some ADHD possible. Scary.

[Youngguns]

If someone diagnosis me with anything I'll slap them silly and diagnose them with a broken nose.

[BananaHammock]

is he very rule-bound in his thinking, and doesn't really get other people's humour?

This is from a blog done by an adult with asperger's.

Aspergers and Rules

Much has been made in the literature about the rigidity of the Aspie. A good example of this is their "resistance to change". Often the observed behavior isn't a resistance to change, but a binding to a particular rule or rule set.

The aspie is, to a certain extent, controlled by rules. The impact of these invisible rules on their behavior should not be underestimated. It is often a source of conflict and can also be the source of aspie depression.

Where do these Rules come from?
The majority of the aspie's rules come from their own environment. They can be communicated directly or implied. In some cases, the aspie will completely misunderstand directions and create an internal rule that isn't necessarily in their best interests. Changing these rules is difficult, especially when they've been in force for an extended period.

An example
When I was quite young, a grandparent saw a boy give me a "suck" on his chupa-chop (a lolly on a stick). Obviously, to an adult, this is quite disgusting. I was called inside immediately and lectured at length about germs and sharing food. As a direct result of this discussion, food non-sharing rules came into being and over time they grew in strength.

This caused quite a number of social problems at school. The other kids would ask me for food if my mother had given me lunch money. I was unable to even share chips. I would point out to the other kids that I never ever asked them for anything but it still caused a lot of problems and I lost quite a few "friends" because of it.

The longer the rule stayed in force and unchallenged, the stronger it got. I quickly got to the point where I couldn't eat food from someone else's plate (I still have great difficulty doing this). Worst of all, it kick-started a period where I couldn't eat my food if it had been "looked at" by a sibling. My mother told my poor sister that she wasn't allowed to look at my food at breakfast.

The worst of these rules disappeared after a couple of years, but I still struggle with the oldest parts of them. I still have difficulty if one of children tries to take something from my plate.

Rules in the Adult Aspie
Adult aspies who are aware of their condition can use their rules to great advantage.

For example; if there is a need to lose weight and the adult aspie creates sensible rules about eating, they will not be able to break them easily. Note: This can be dangerous if the rules aren't well thought out and malnutrition could result.

Other rules could include priorities at work. These are the sorts of rules which are seen by practitioners as "resistance to change". Contrary to opinion, they're not a result of the aspie clinging to the old ways because they want to.

What can Parents do?
Recognize the power of rules and help your aspie children to recognize them too. Understanding these rules is the key to using them wisely.

Try to figure out what rules are in place. This must usually be done by observation as the younger aspie child probably won't realize that they are following rules. Even aspie adults don't have a list of rules handy.

Foster a belief that rules sometimes need to change.

Watch rules carefully to determine if they are "tightening" and challenge them if they appear to be having any negative impact. If possible, try to redefine the boundaries of the existing rule.

[BananaHammock]

From the same blog. With my son almost 12, meltdowns have become a big concern. We are trying to help him to understand what sets him off and how to deal with or avoid them.

What is a Meltdown?
A meltdown is a condition where the Aspie temporarily loses control due to emotional responses to environmental factors.

It generally appears that the aspie has lost control over a single and specific issue however this is very rarely the case. Usually, the problem is the cumulation of a number of irritations which could span a fairly long period of time, particularly given the strong long-term memory facilities of the aspie.

Why the Problems Seem Hidden
Aspies don't tend to give a lot of clues that they are very irritated;


their facial expressions very often will not convey the irritation

their vocal tones will often remain flat even when they are fairly annoyed.

Some things which annoy aspies would not be considered annoying to neurotypicals. This makes NT's less likely to pick up on a potential problem.

Often Aspie grievances are aired as part of their normal conversation and may even be interpreted by NTs as part of their standard whinge.


What happens during a Meltdown
The meltdown appears to most people as a tantrum or dummy spit. There are marked differences between adults and children.

Children tend to flop onto the ground and shout, scream or cry. Quite often, they will display violent behaviour such as hitting or kicking.

In adults, due to social pressures, violent behaviour in public is less common. Shouting outbursts or emotional displays however can occur. More often though, it leads to depression and the aspie simply retreats into themselves and abandons social contact.

Some aspies describe the meltdown as a red or grey band across the eyes. I've certainly experienced this. There is a loss of control and a feeling of being a powerless observer outside the body. This can be dangerous as the aspie may strike out, particularly if the instigator is nearby or if they are taunted during a meltdown.

Depression
Sometimes, depression is the only outward visible sign of a meltdown. At other times, depression results when the aspie leaves their meltdown state and confronts the results of the meltdown. The depression is a result of guilt over abusive, shouting or violent behaviour. I will cover depression in a different post.

Dealing with Meltdowns in Children
There's not a great deal of that you can do when a meltdown occurs in a very young child. Probably the very best thing that you can do at their youngest ages is to train yourself to recognize a meltdown before it happens and take steps to avoid it.

Example: Aspies are quite possessive about their food and my youngest will sometimes decide that he does not want his meat to be cut up for him. When this happens, taking his plate from him and cutting his meat could cause a tantrum. The best way to deal with this is to avoid touching it for the first part of the meal until he starts to want your involvement. When this occurs, instead of taking his plate from him, it is more effective to lean over and help him to cut the first piece. Once he has cut the first piece with help, he will often allow the remaining pieces to be cut for him though I would still recommend that his plate not be moved.

Once the child reaches an age where they can understand, probably around seven years give or take a few. You can work on explaining the situation. One way you could do this would be to discreetly videotape a meltdown and allow them to watch it at a later date. You could then discuss the incident, explain why it isn't socially acceptable and give them some alternatives.

When I was little, I remember that the single best motivation for keeping control was once, when my mother called me in after play and talked about the day. In particular, she highlighted an incident where I had fallen over and hurt myself. She said, "did you see how your friend started to go home as soon as you fell over because they were scared that you were going to have a tantrum". She went on to say, "When you got up and laughed, they were so happy that they came racing back. I'm proud of you for not losing your temper".

I carried this with me for years later and would always strive to contain myself. I wouldn't always succeed but at least I was trying.

Meltdowns and Punishment
One of the most important things to realize is that Meltdowns are part of the Aspergers condition. They can't avoid them, merely try to reduce the damage. Punishing an aspie for a meltdown is like punishing someone for swearing when they hit their thumb with a hammer. It won't do any good whatsoever and can only serve to increase the distance between you and your child.

In addition, meltdowns aren't wholly caused by the current scenario but are usually the result of an overwhelming number of other issues. The one which "causes" the meltdown is the "straw that breaks the camels back". Unless you're a mind reader, you won't necessarily know what the other factors are and your aspie child may not be able to fully communicate the problem.

Meltdowns are part and parcel of Aspergers - they are NOT the result of poor parenting.

[BananaHammock]

We've been using this with my son and it, so far, seems to be working.
http://www.explosivechild.com/
Thanks to research in the neurosciences, we know a lot more about kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges than ever before. We now know that challenging behavior – whether it’s screaming, swearing, biting, spitting, hitting, kicking, destroying property, or worse – is set in motion by lagging cognitive skills, especially in the domains of flexibility, frustration tolerance, and problem solving. We now know that challenging behavior isn’t the result of passive, permissive, inconsistent, noncontingent parenting, but is instead best understood as a form of developmental delay.

And we now know that traditional discipline – with its heavy emphasis on consequences – doesn’t teach challenging kids the skills they lack and can actually set the stage for a challenging kid’s worst moments.

Best of all, we now know how to teach those skills and work collaboratively with challenging kids to help them solve the problems that are precipitating their challenging episodes.

Welcome to the work of Dr. Ross Greene, Harvard psychologist, author of the highly acclaimed books The Explosive Child and Lost at School, and originator of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach, an evidence-based, proven approach to understanding and helping challenging kids.

If you’re looking for answers to some very important questions…

“Why is this kid acting this way?”

“How come what works for other kids isn’t working for this one?”

“What can I do instead?”


…you’ve come to the right place!


Dr. Greene’s approach has changed the lives of countless thousands of challenging kids and their caretakers. You have some hard work ahead of you. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[BananaHammock]

This is a good article. Keep in mind this woman is what I would consider as very high functioning for and Aspie.

One CNN manager, who asked to remain anonymous, recently learned -- at 48 -- that she has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. Today she shares an inside view of life with the condition.

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Recently, at 48 years of age, I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. For most of my life, I knew that I was "other," not quite like everyone else. I searched for years for answers and found none, until an assignment at work required me to research autism. During that research, I found in the lives of other people with Asperger's threads of similarity that led to the diagnosis. Although having the diagnosis has been cathartic, it does not change the "otherness." It only confirms it.

When I talk to people about this aspect of myself, they always want to know what it means to be an "Aspie," as opposed to a "Neurotypical" (NT). Oh, dear, where to start . ...

The one thing people seem to know about Asperger's, if they know anything at all, is the geek factor. Bill Gates is rumored to be an Aspie. We tend to have specialized interests, and we will talk about them, ad infinitum, whether you are interested or not. Recognizing my tendency to soliloquize, I often choose silence, although perhaps not often enough. Due to our extensive vocabularies and uninflected manner of speaking, we are called "little professors," or arrogant.

What is Asperger's?
Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder that is part of the autism spectrum. Symptoms include:


Engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject


Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures


Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes


Appearing not to understand, empathize with, or be sensitive to others' feelings


Having a hard time "reading" other people or understanding humor


Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast


Moving clumsily, with poor coordination


Having an odd posture or a rigid gait

I don't quite understand small talk, and early in my adult life, solecisms were frequent. At meetings, I launch into business without the expected social acknowledgments. It's not that I don't care about people, I am just very focused on task. Do you have to rehearse greeting people to reinforce that you should do it? I do.

I am lucky to have a very dear friend who savors my eccentricities. She laughs, lovingly, about one particular evening at a restaurant. Before she could get seated, I asked her what she knew about the golden ratio and began to spew everything I know about it. I re-emphasize how lucky I am to have her as a friend, because this incident occurred long before I was diagnosed.

A misconception is that Aspies do not have a sense of humor. It is true that we can be very literal, so we often miss the humor in everyday banter, but we can and do enjoy even subtle humor. Our literal interpretations, however, can be problematic.

In first grade, whenever someone made a mess in the classroom, the teacher would ask a student to get the janitor. The student would come back with Mr. Jones (not really his name), who carried a broom and large folding dustpan. When I was asked to get the janitor, I looked all over the school and reported back to the teacher that I could not find it. After all, the person was Mr. Jones, so the janitor must be the object, right?

I lack the ability to see emotion in most facial expressions. I compensate for this deficiency by listening to the inflections in people's voices and using logic to determine emotional context. The words people choose, their movements, or even how quickly they exit a meeting can provide clues to emotion.

I also have intensified senses -- touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound -- so I am attuned to lights, noise, textures, and smells. In a "busy" environment, I will eventually go into sensory overload and my mind will go blank. When this happens, I have to "go away" mentally for a brief period to regain focus. When I "return," I have to piece together what occurred while I was "away." The additional mental processing I must do to function every day is fatiguing, and I don't handle "ad hoc" very well. Being asked to respond quickly in the midst of all this other processing is difficult, sometimes impossible.
I am so sensitive to touch that a tickle hurts me. This is the hardest concept for most people to understand. How can a tickle hurt? All I can tell you is that it does, so I avoid being touched except by those who have learned how to touch me.

Hugs are dispensed infrequently, but if I do hug someone, I resemble Frankenstein's monster, arms extended to control contact. When my dad (who I suspect is an Aspie, too) and I hug, we both have "the approach." We sometimes miss and have to re-approach a couple of times until a brief, awkward hug is achieved.

In school, other children noted my differences, and I was bullied (and tickled into fits of despair) for years. Already needing extended periods of time alone, my response was to become even more of a loner. Uh oh. When you are weird, you are a joke. When you are a loner, you frighten people. It's always the quiet ones. ...

I am married (wow!), and my brilliant husband is an absolute sweetheart. I don't know any other man who has the self-confidence to be pushed away (sometimes sharply), both physically and mentally, as often as he has been. He has been gentle and patient (and, yes, frequently emotionally depleted) as we both worked through my need for space, tendency to go so deep into my own world that the real world and everyone in it cease to exist, and sensitivity to touch during the 26 (soon to be 27) years of our marriage.

I live with anxiety, because the world can be overwhelming and people have expectations that I always, sooner or later, fail to meet. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have been told that I am rude, inaccessible or cold, yet I have never purposely tried to harm anyone, nor do I mean to be, well, mean.

I could tell you so much more, but instead let me share one last insight. Don't pity me or try to cure or change me. If you could live in my head for just one day, you might weep at how much beauty I perceive in the world with my exquisite senses. I would not trade one small bit of that beauty, as overwhelming and powerful as it can be, for "normalcy."