Asperger’s Syndrome Overview

1. Asperger’s Syndrome Overview A Different Point of View

2. Asperger Profile • Average to above-average IQ. • Do not usually manifest a large difference between performance and verbal scores. • Incidence: 1/200 to 250 • Immaturity: often appear “naïve”. • Rote Memory: Superior factual recall • Hyperlexia • Narrow interests- Intense preoccupation. • Theory of Mind: difficulty with perspective-taking • Generalization: difficulty applying information across settings and people, each situation needs to be addressed. • Socialization: Difficulty with pragmatics, proximics, reading social cues, and facial expression. Idioms and sarcasm are often interpreted literally. • Clumsy, possible poor proprioception. • Sensory Integration difficulties. • Hand writing deficits or dysgraphia • Executive Function: Difficulty with planning, organizing, shifting attention, and multi-tasking Problem-Solving deficits: higher level abstraction, difficulty with alternative problem-solving stratiegies

3. A New Term Asperger Syndrome was originally described in the 1940’s by a Viennese pediatrician, Hans Asperger. He noted difficulties with empathy, social skills and narrow interests. Asperger’s was “recognized” in 1994 by the medical community in the DSM-III. • Hans Asperger

4. Gillberg’s Six Criteria • Social Impairment with extreme egocentricity • Limited Interests and Preoccupations • Repetitive Routines or Rituals • Speech and Language Peculiarities • Non-Verbal Communication Deficits • Motor Clumsiness

5. In the Classroom • Consistent, structured, predictable • Use the child’s areas of interest for behavioral and academic benefits. • “power cards” • Visuals strategies • Social Stories • Avoid Sarcasm • Teach idioms • Break down and simplify abstract language and concepts. • Avoid power struggles • Allow the student a “safe place” or a “safe person”. • In group settings, allow alternatives. • Play up academic strengths. • Protect from teasing/bullying.

6. Preschool • May relate well with family, but difficulty at preschool. • Perseverative or repetitive when conversing. • Difficulty with transitions • “in their own little world” • Hyperfocus on certain objects/subjects • Poor behavior regulation • More comfortable with adults than peers • Strong skills in letter and number recognition and rote memorization.

7. Elementary • Difficulties with behavioral regulation. • Perceived as immature • “Little Professor” • Perceived as somewhat unusual. • “obsessive areas of interest” may intrude in the classroom setting. • Weak friend-making • May prefer to play alone, or direct play routines. • Strengths will include rote reading and calculation. • pencil and paper tasks may be difficulty and handwriting skills may be weak. • Adults may be blinded by their strengths, or be perplexed that a child who is so “smart” cannot negotiate simple interactions and transitions. • May be perceived as manipulative.

8. Middle School • Lack of undertanding of non-verbal cues, facial expression, gesture, proximity, and eye contact. • Conversational difficulties. Extremely verbal but only on preferred topic. • Difficulties with idioms and sarcasm. • Difficulty perspective taking. • Failure to understand the “Hidden Curriculum”. • Perceived as “tactless”, rude, or unkind. • Wants “friends”, but social deficits limit opportunities. • Often a target for Bullies • Poor Executive functions

9. High School • May find a peer group related to interests. • Misunderstood by both teachers and peers. • May “pass” socially as “nerds”. • May experience more acceptance than in Middle School • Difficulties with abstract language, figurative/idiomatic language. • Executive functioning skills may continue to be deficit. • Social immaturity still apparent. • Depression more common.

10. Redefining “Normal” • What if we all practiced more tolerance • What if perceptions were not based on first impressions • What if we chose to unlock the hidden curriculum • What if we all widened our “Circle of Friends” • School is not “life”, and life is not “school”. • What if “inclusion” had less to do with education and more to do with friendship. • What if we all had a place at the table.

11. Sample Hidden Curriculum • Walk on the right when going up and down staircases • Don’t talk to others in the restroom, when urinating • If you do something funny, it is usually only funny once. • When you are taking a shower in Gym class do not sustain eye contact. • Rules change from teacher to teacher • Don’t wear socks with sandles

12. Diversity • Some in the aspie community would argue that Asperger’s can be a benefit for society. • Neuro-diversity is the most basic form of Diversity. • If we limited Neuro-diversity would humanity lose empathy? • Should neuro-diversity come with a label, or a user’s manual.