What is Aspergers?
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Asperger's Syndrome is an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It becomes obvious during early childhood and remains constant throughout life.
Harrison has difficulties with many things that we take for granted.
He does not interact well with other children his own age although he gets on exceptionally well with older children or adults.
He is very anxious. Simple things like a fly flying round the room or sleeping on his own have created huge issues for him.
He unable to cope with or accept criticism. Most of the time he is the class policeman as he is very good at seeing others faults but does not believe that he is ever wrong. This also leads to the problem of his lack of understanding of jokes and sarcasm. If you said to him to pull up his socks he would do just that - everything is literal. There is black and there is white.
Academically he does well. He is excellent at Mathematics and Science. He is also an exceptionally good reader but has difficulties with comprehension.
He talks all the time and has great difficulty with the pragmatics of language and taking turn in the conversation. This often also results in Harrison making inappropriate comments as he doesn't realise the implications but in saying this his speaks well and uses very big words in all the right places although he is uninterested in what anyone else has to say and quite frankly doesn't care!
Harrison displayed poor co-ordination in both fine and gross motor skills as a young child. Couldn't throw or catch a ball or use scissors and still to this day has difficulty with writing and riding his bike although these are on the improve. We have spent many hours with a physio and have done lots of exercises and things at home to help improve his co-ordination.
He likes routine and changes in routine send him into a high state of anxiety which often leads to bad behaviour and then the melt down. We have had issue just the last couple of weeks where his usual teacher has been away on leave as a result Harrison's behaviour deteriorated and he ended up on detention two days in a row.
Minor changes can upset Harrison and he has great difficulty coping when there is a change of plan. If we go to the Library and the plan is changed to include a stop for a coffee at a cafe Harrison gets extremely upset as this unpredictablity of what may happen next it is intolerable to him. Variety is not the spice of Harrison's life.
Harrison displays and excellent long term memory for facts and events that are of interest to him. Although his short term memory is very poor and often he cannot tell me what has happened at school that day but can recall it the following day.
He is ritualistic and obsessive to the point that he gets a fascination with one specific topic and delights in telling anyone who will listen everything he knows. People often comment on how clever he is not understanding that it is really due to obsessiveness.
There are many my things that are part of Asperger's Syndrome and I have only touched on a few. I am not a professional on this subject, just a loving parent who wants the best for her son hoping that on this journey I can pass some of my experiences that my help other parents in coping and dealing with Asperger's in their family.
For a professionals perspective on Aspergers and information that is invaluable to any parent I have found Dave Angel's Resources Guides the best. Click on this link and it will take you straight through to information on volume one http://tinyurl.com/pjnbrd .
In saying all these things we have been truly blessed. Harrison is a great kid! We are learning to work around and with the issues that he has and we have a very happy life together. Obviously it is always going to be a work in progress. The challenge for us as his parents to ensure that we do the best for him and give him the best opportunities that we can.
I already know we are winning and reaping the rewards of our efforts when he quietly walks up to me and whispers "I love you!"
Harrison has difficulties with many things that we take for granted.
He does not interact well with other children his own age although he gets on exceptionally well with older children or adults.
He is very anxious. Simple things like a fly flying round the room or sleeping on his own have created huge issues for him.
He unable to cope with or accept criticism. Most of the time he is the class policeman as he is very good at seeing others faults but does not believe that he is ever wrong. This also leads to the problem of his lack of understanding of jokes and sarcasm. If you said to him to pull up his socks he would do just that - everything is literal. There is black and there is white.
Academically he does well. He is excellent at Mathematics and Science. He is also an exceptionally good reader but has difficulties with comprehension.
He talks all the time and has great difficulty with the pragmatics of language and taking turn in the conversation. This often also results in Harrison making inappropriate comments as he doesn't realise the implications but in saying this his speaks well and uses very big words in all the right places although he is uninterested in what anyone else has to say and quite frankly doesn't care!
Harrison displayed poor co-ordination in both fine and gross motor skills as a young child. Couldn't throw or catch a ball or use scissors and still to this day has difficulty with writing and riding his bike although these are on the improve. We have spent many hours with a physio and have done lots of exercises and things at home to help improve his co-ordination.
He likes routine and changes in routine send him into a high state of anxiety which often leads to bad behaviour and then the melt down. We have had issue just the last couple of weeks where his usual teacher has been away on leave as a result Harrison's behaviour deteriorated and he ended up on detention two days in a row.
Minor changes can upset Harrison and he has great difficulty coping when there is a change of plan. If we go to the Library and the plan is changed to include a stop for a coffee at a cafe Harrison gets extremely upset as this unpredictablity of what may happen next it is intolerable to him. Variety is not the spice of Harrison's life.
Harrison displays and excellent long term memory for facts and events that are of interest to him. Although his short term memory is very poor and often he cannot tell me what has happened at school that day but can recall it the following day.
He is ritualistic and obsessive to the point that he gets a fascination with one specific topic and delights in telling anyone who will listen everything he knows. People often comment on how clever he is not understanding that it is really due to obsessiveness.
There are many my things that are part of Asperger's Syndrome and I have only touched on a few. I am not a professional on this subject, just a loving parent who wants the best for her son hoping that on this journey I can pass some of my experiences that my help other parents in coping and dealing with Asperger's in their family.
For a professionals perspective on Aspergers and information that is invaluable to any parent I have found Dave Angel's Resources Guides the best. Click on this link and it will take you straight through to information on volume one http://tinyurl.com/pjnbrd .
In saying all these things we have been truly blessed. Harrison is a great kid! We are learning to work around and with the issues that he has and we have a very happy life together. Obviously it is always going to be a work in progress. The challenge for us as his parents to ensure that we do the best for him and give him the best opportunities that we can.
I already know we are winning and reaping the rewards of our efforts when he quietly walks up to me and whispers "I love you!"
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