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Asperger's: My life as an Earthbound alien
http://www.cnn.com/ 2008/ HEALTH/ conditions/ 03/ 28/ au...
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
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Rainy Saturday Morning Links
http://realtegan.blogspot.com/2008/03/rainy-saturday-morning...Are you going to participate in Earth Hour? The Happy Villain talks about fictional non-fiction and how libraries must deal with it. Neat housing designs, with the idea that the homeowners can help build the house easily. My Mormon cousin posted this
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The strange world of Asperger's
http://greensboring.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7870By: SouthernFriedInfidel I saw this on CNN.com today. Interesting insights into autism from someone with the condition. Any view expressed in this blog is that of the author of the article only & does not necessarily represent the views of
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The Nerd Handbook
http://theslickshow.blogspot.com/2008/06/nerd-handbook.htmlSo very true (especially for me)...take note: "...your nerd is sensitive to drastic changes in his environment...Your nerd has built himself a cave...Each object in the Cave has a particular place and purpose. Even the clutter is well designed...Your nerd loves toys and puzzles...Your nerd spent a lot of his younger life being an outcast...Your nerd has an amazing appetite for information...your nerd is the king of the context switch...given a world where context is constantly shifting, your nerd can’t focus...Your nerd knows very little about a lot. For many topics, his knowledge is an inch deep and four miles wide. He’s comfortable with this fact because he knows that deep knowledge about any topic is a clever keystroke away...For any given piece of incoming information, your nerd is making a lightning fast assessment: relevant or not relevant? Relevance means that the incoming information fits into the system of things your nerd currently cares about. Expect active involvement from your nerd when you trip the relevance flag. If you trip the irrelevance flag, look for verbal punctuation announcing his judgment of irrelevance...Information that your nerd is exposed to when the irrelevance flag is waving is forgotten almost immediately...Your nerd might come off as not liking people...small talk is a combination of aspects of the world that your nerd hates..." read more | digg story Something else to consider: Asperger's syndrome. I'm guilty of: displaying lack of eye contact, and few facial expressions... showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects... appearing not to understand, empathize with, or be sensitive to others' feelings... being socially aware but display inappropriate reciprocal interaction... having a hard time "reading" other people... finding humor in what others find humorous... speaking in a voice that is monotonous or rigid... having odd posture... having been described as eccentric... "concrete thinking" (versus abstract...being too literal)... http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aspergers-syndrome/DS00551/DSECTION=2 http://www.autism.org/asperger.html http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/autism.essay/index.html
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Autism, Aspergers, and Me
http://boxothoughts.blogspot.com/2008/04/autism-aspergers-an...Autism, Aspergers, and Me Wednesday was recognized as World Autism Awareness Day by the United Nations, encouraging nations and experts around the globe to educate the wider public and engage in dialog with this little known disorder that has increased greatly in the number of those afflicted. The statistics state that about 1 in every 150 children are afflicted by autism, including between 1 and 1.5 million Americans. Even more have been diagnosed with one of a chain of related social impairment disorders that compose what has been deemed as the autism spectrum. One of those disorders is a form of autism known as Aspergers syndrome, a more mild of autism-related disorder, minus many of the belated developments in verbal skills of children and other issues. Aspergers is something I am well acquainted with because I have Aspergers syndrome. It is not something that impairs one physically, nor does it necessary qualify as a learning disability. It is something that is primarily a disability that handicaps( but does not totally paralyze)one's social skills or comprehension of social skills. On CNN today, the network did a plethora of stories and reports on Autism. They even designated a page solely for information and personal stories as well as research and statistics on Autism and other related disorders. One account, that was written by an anonymous CNN producer, who was unaware that she had aspergers syndrome until at the age of 48 she began doing research for a story on it. Several excerpts of her written account struck a cord with me. CNN.com/autism The one thing people seem to know about Aspergers, if they know anything at all,is the 'geek factor'. Bill Gates is rumored to be an aspie [someone who has Aspergers Syndrome]. We tend to have specialized interests, and we talk about them, ad infinitum, whether you are interested or not. Recognizing my tendency to soliloquize, I often choose silence, although perhaps not enough. Due to our extensive vocabularies and uninflected manner of speaking, we are called 'little professors' or arrogant. I don't quite understand small talk and early in my adult life, solecisms were frequent. At meetings, I launch into the expected business without the expected social acknowledgements. 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. Those with Aspergers syndromne often take things literally, failing to be able to read the social signals and subtleties that to the vast majority of people are innate common sense. In fact, people with Aspergers Syndrome frequently find them self in a sort of social haze, like someone who one day awakens to find themselves in a land or world completely foreign to them surrounded by beings whose customs they are totally unaware and unaccustomed to. Here is one anecdote from the same article that illustrates the difficulties in communications and social comprehension that those in Aspergers can sometime find themselves in. 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 a large folding dustpan. When I was asked to get the janitor, I looked all over 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? Aspergers can also lead to a sense of isolation for those who have it. They feel unaccepted, like the entire world is aware of a dirty secret that continues to be disseminated in social settings so often and you are the only one who isn't. Every social interaction has the potential to be a social mind field of sorts. Just one wrong unconscious gesture or statement can lead to ridicule and ostricization. Here's more: In school other students 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. MY TAKE: But despite all these gloomy excepts I have to say progress can be made by people with Aspergers. I myself have made great strides in recent years through effort, some hardship, medication, therapy, determination, and remembering to not take yourself too too seriously. Self deprecating humor can be a powerful tool and can help alleviate some of the more humiliating moments. Also don't hesitate to tell those around you about it, those closest to you. It could make it easier for both you and others. Posted by Alex
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World Autism Awareness Day
http://dyskinesia.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/world-autism-awar...Today is World Autism Awareness Day. …in case you live in a bubble without internet, television, or radio access and haven’t already heard. Of course, I say that, but yet I’m irritated to hell and back that Google didn’t alter its homepage image today in recognition. ??? Because there was never a logo that begged more for a puzzle piece, so how does that work? The concept of this day (and really, week) is great, and more power to everyone involved in raising awareness throughout the world. Incidentally, I hope we’re raising awareness about more than nonverbal autism; I know that CNN has a wonderful article written by an Aspergian someone on their staff. I also hope we’re doing more than bitching about vaccines and raving about gluten-free diets. Yes, those are important issues, but they aren’t the only issues. Have you noticed that anything talking about Autism Awareness seems to end up being the same few things over and over again? If you’re a parent of an autistic child, I assure you, you’ve noticed. Currently the winners are: A list of early warning signs. Jenny McCarthy talking about her son’s amazing recovery with a GFCF diet (among other things - and hallelujah to her, but not all kids have GI symptoms, people, including mine). Snippets of debates over vaccines and other possible causes. Things I don’t see anyone talking about: School with communication and socialization curricula. High-functioning kids who still aren’t going to be able to make it in the world if they aren’t able to get some adaptive therapies - that their parents can’t possibly pay for. The fact that, in most states, the public school system is not even close to adequately equipped to deal with the needs of these children but that yet it is still a bloody war that is left to the parents to fight alone to try to get proper services for their child, often either failing or paying such a high cost emotionally, mentally, and financially by the time they see any measure of success that the mere act of trying to facilitate their child’s education—one small part of the child’s needs—can destroy their lives, relationships, and family. And oddly, am I the only person on the planet who thinks someone should start talking to the ‘normal’ rest of the world about how to deal with people with deficits in communication and social skills? Maybe it’s time that someone ELSE adjust besides just the people who are already in the fight of their lives? Just, ya know, maybe. CNN has dedicated a huge amount of their day’s programming to autism, which is fantastic, truly. It would be even more fantastic if it hadn’t inspired someone to call me repeatedly to tell me that it was on and that I should watch it. I’m pretty sure it would be deemed incredibly rude of me to reply, “In case you hadn’t noticed? I’m Aware. With a capital A. YOU watch it. Call your friends and tell THEM to watch it. Please, scream it from the highest rooftop. But me? I’m covered.” Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go spend some time with my autistic son, whose programming is dedicated to raising my Awareness 24/7/365.
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CNN kicks off Autism Awareness Month
http://autismisbeautiful.com/?p=19By Mommy | April 1, 2008 - 9:55 pm On Wednesday, April 2nd, CNN will spend the entire day reporting on autism. Their website includes various in-depth articles such as… Mom wins fights for autism insurance Dr. Gupta: Living independently with autism (2:29) Asperger’s: My life as an Earthbound alien Autism assistance dog opens girl’s world Jenny McCarthy: The day I heard my son had autism Lots to check out there - tune in tomorrow! [?] Share This Filed under: In the News | No Comments »
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Autism: Are you aware yet?
http://www.svmoms.com/2008/04/autism-are-you.htmlApril 1 marks the first day of Autism Awareness Month, and the media are ablaze with story after story after OpEd after story about autism's mysteries, controversies and neurological underpinnings. CNN has been particularly active, launching a series this month entitled Autism: Unraveling the Mystery. And there's a lot to unravel, with no assurance that you will end up with anything more than a crushing headache and a big pile of yarn in your lap. As someone who writes about autism almost daily, I am struck by the themes that emerge when you look at the news coverage as a whole. CNN, who clearly made an editorial commitment to cover autism in depth this month, is taking an all-encompassing viewpoint, spanning the medical, scientific, cultural, familial and social implications of the disorder, with commentary, links and video in addition to straight news reporting. It's cogent and thorough. It's also a fascinating time capsule into the current state of our cultural attitudes and assumptions about autism. Take a look at the top stories: Autism's mysteries remain as numbers grow Living with Asperger Syndrome iReport: Living with autism-- your stories Poet gives rare glimpse into mystery illness Getting help for a child with autism iReport: Fighting for autism awareness in Africa Asperger's: My life as an Earthbound alien iReport: 'Naughty Auties' use virtual interaction Autism assistance dog opens girl's world Vaccine case draws new attention to autism debate Pediatricians urge early autism screening Jenny McCarthy: The day I heard my son had autism What does this tell us? That autism is still a mystery, albeit one that many live with: some painfully, some happily and productively, with many in the middle. That many people with autism are talented and successful, despite stereotypes to the contrary. That there are new treatments and services for people with autism that can help them communicate and thrive, but that figuring out which is most appropriate to a given person is still very challenging. That the vaccine controversy is not going away any time soon. That early screening is key. And finally, what I am dubbing "Etlinger's Law," in honor of Godwin's Law: "As any discussion of autism grows longer, the probability of someone mentioning Jenny McCarthy approaches one." So here's what I want to know: what will this list look like next year? What will we learn? What will we debunk? I'd love your thoughts. Original post to Silicon Valley Moms Blog. This post also appears on my personal blog, The Family Room, a resource for family and friends of children with special needs.
