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Growing up with Aspergers Syndrome

Growing up with Aspergers Syndrome. By Joshua Muggleton. A Bit About Me. Born in Guildford Playgroup Home schooled for 2 years Transferred to primary school Some social difficulties /odd behaviour Wearing coat in middle of summer No diagnosis Transferred to secondary school

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Growing up with Aspergers Syndrome

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  1. Growing up with Aspergers Syndrome By Joshua Muggleton

  2. A Bit About Me • Born in Guildford • Playgroup • Home schooled for 2 years • Transferred to primary school • Some social difficulties /odd behaviour • Wearing coat in middle of summer • No diagnosis • Transferred to secondary school • More social difficulties • Bullying • Not coping well

  3. A Bit More About Me • Diagnosis! • Age 15 • Mental Breakdown • EOTAS • Signed off school after 8 months • GCSEs taken at Surrey County Council Offices • Satellite virtual schools • Recovery year

  4. Yet A Bit More About Me • Farleigh Further Education College • Little bit of the right support • 1 to 1 key worker • Learning in mainstream environment • A Levels (AAB) • St Andrews University – BSc (Hons) Psychology • Little bit of the right support • Academic parents • Knowledgeable student support services • DSA

  5. How has AS made growing up different?Sensory • Hard to get to sleep as a baby • Dad would drive me around in the car at 2AM listening to his mix tape of music • Could the repetitive predictable beat helped? • Could the motion of the car helped with some vestibular hyposensitivity?

  6. How has AS made growing up different? • As a child • Always aware of the traffic outside • Often caused problems going to sleep • Started listening to the radio when going to bed • Again – could the music have helped? • Could never get used to short/long sleeved shirts – always wore polo shirts

  7. How has AS made growing up different?Sensory • Teenager • Never got used to the school bell • A lot of added stress/panic • Adult • Always sleep with a fan on – drowns out other sound • When stressed – sensory issues seem to magnify

  8. How has AS made growing up different?Social • Aspergers by definition means my social life was different • Playgroup • Did not enjoy it • Windmill • Home-Schooling group • Preferred to be by myself • Didn’t understand why all the other kids enjoyed meeting up and playing • Preferred to play by myself/with mum

  9. How has AS made growing up different?Social • Primary school • Would watch children play • Why was it so fun? Why did they want to talk? • Tried joining in • Was not fun, but I was a child scientist – I needed to experiment! • Secondary School • The “experiment” started biting back • I found I could not comprehend why the social rules had changed • Teachers went from “mummy” figures to “harsh task masters”

  10. How has AS made growing up different?Social • Adult • Now know roughly how the “experiment” will react • Social situations are more constant (less big changes) • More aware of own and others behaviour • Makes it easier to fit into the NT world • People generally more accepting

  11. How has AS made growing up different?Stress • Different things stress different people • Things I find stressful • A new social situation • Meeting new people • Not knowing my timetable well in advance • Having too many tasks on my list of things to do • Having nothing to do for too long • Being unsure on a task • Change • Being late/people being late

  12. How has AS made growing up Different?Stress • Different things stress different people • Things I don’t find stressful • Having big projects • Giving talks or media interviews • Keeping to a schedule / having deadlines • Some types of problem solving • Ents • In general, the same kinds of things stress me out now as they did when I was young

  13. So how has my Aspergers changed over my life? • I don’t think it has changed • I have grown up • My knowledge of myself and others has improved • The situations have changed • I have learned how to “use” Aspergers • My Aspergers will always present me with the same sort of problems • And often, I will be able to use the same sort of solutions

  14. Finally… • What made the difference for me was getting a little bit of the right support • Because I had the support during my A levels… • …I need less support at St Andrews • …I am independent • …I am achieving Sometimes all that’s needed, is a little bit of the right support

  15. Any Questions? Work Experience www.mugsy.org/josh

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