Do You Have a Cute Kid?

Excellent resources for parents, teachers, siblings and friends.

Do you have a loved one with Asperger's Syndrome

What is Asperger's syndrome?

What is Asperger's Syndrome?
If you have met one child with Asperger's, you have met one child with Asperger's. That's how difficult it is to describe this condition. But I will try.
Asperger Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder. AS has been recognized as a distinct medical condition in Europe for almost 60 years, but has only been included in the U.S. medical diagnostic manual since 1994.Individuals with AS exhibit serious deficiencies in social and communication skills. Their IQ's are typically in the normal to very superior range. They are usually educated in the mainstrream, but most require special education services. Because of their naivete, those with AS are often viewed as "odd" by their peers and are frequently a target for bullying and teasing.They want to fit in socially and have friends, but have a great deal of difficulty making effective social connections. Many of them are at risk for developing mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression, especially in adolescence.
Characteristics of Asperger Syndrome
Each person is different. An individual might have all or only some of the described behaviors to have a diagnosis of AS.
-Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as: eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction.
-Extreme difficulty in developing age-appropriate peer relationships.
-Inflexible adherence to routines and perseveration.
-Fascination with maps, globes, and routes.-Superior rote memory.
-Preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of all others.
-Difficulty judging personal space, motor clumsiness
-Sensitivity to the environment, loud noises, clothing and food textures, and odors.
-Speech and language skills impaired in the areas of semantics, pragmatics, and prosody (volume, intonation, inflection, and rhythm).
-Difficulty understanding others' feelings.
-Formal style of speaking; often called the "Little Professor" Syndrome.
-Extreme difficulty reading and /or interpreting social cues.
-Socially and emotionally inappropriate responses.
-Literal interpretation of language, difficulty comprehending implied meanings.
-Extensive vocabulary. Reading begins at an early age (hyperlexia).
-Stereotyped or repetitive mannerisms.
-Difficulty with "give and take" of conversation.


Friday, December 28, 2007

Stevie's Visit to Santa

My sister took my nephew to see Santa Claus. He is four years old. When Santa asked him if he had been good, Stevie said, "Well, I guess I've been both good and naughty." Asperger's kids are so genuinely honest!!
On Christmas morning, when Stevie saw his presents underneath the Christmas tree, he breathed a huge sigh of relief and said, "Well, I guess I was good after all!"

The Hidden Curriculum

The Hidden Curriculum
One important social skills area that has long been neglected is the hidden curriculum - the do's and dont's are not spelled out for everyday behavior, but somehow everyone knows about them, except children and youth with Asperger's.
The Hidden Curriculum includes skills, actions, modes of dress, and so on, that most people know and take for granted. Every school and every society has a hidden curriculum. This unspoken curriculum is the one that causes challenges and grief for those with Asperger's.
Examples of Hidden Curriculum Items:
1.) Do not tell the principal that if she listened better, more kids would like her.

2.) You should not have to pay students to be your friends.

3.) Do not talk to other kids in the classroom when the teacher is giving a lesson.

4.) When the teacher is scolding another student, it is not an appropriate time to ask the teacher a question.

5.) When you are with classmates you don't know very well and you are the center of attention, do not pass gas, pick your nose, or scratch a private body part.

6.) During a fire drill, go with your class to teh nearest exit. This is not the time to go to the bathroom or to ask to go to the bathroom.

7.)Do not tell classmates about all of the "skeletons in your parents' closet."

8.) Do not draw violent scenes in school.

9.) During a conversation, fact the speaker and position your body in that direction.

10.) Speak to teachers in a pleasant tone of voice because they will respond to you in a more positive manner.

11.) When your teacher gives you a warning about behavior and you continue the behavior, you are probably going to get in trouble. If you stop the behavior immediately after the first warning, you will probably not get into trouble.

12.) If one of your classmates tells you to do something you think might get you in trouble, you should always stop and think before acting. Friends do not ask other friends to do things that will get them in trouble.

13.) Not all teachers have the same rules for their class. Some teachers do not allow any talking unless you raise your hand. Others may allow talking if you are not disruptive or annoying other students. It is important to know the rules different teachers have for their classes.

Taken from:Myles, B.S. & Simpson, Rich. (2001). Understanding the Hidden Curriculum:An Essential Social Skill for Children and Youth with Asperger Syndrome. Intervention.