Yesterday, Temple Grandin was interviewd on NPR.

Go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99009110 and hear her.

She is truly an amazing person. I have read her books and cannot give that lady enough credit!

BethMI

Someone asked about adults with AS this is somethings I have learned from the books I have read and professionals I have talked to. It runs in families and it is more common in boys then girls. When I read the deffinition and symptoms of AS to my family they all laughed and said I just typed up a paper about my husband. For years I used to go to parent teacher conferences and say "my son is just like his father, he is quiet leave him alone. He doesn't need to come out of his shell, you know what are in shells? NUTS! Leave the shell alone" They didn't listen now they regret it. Because now he and his one friend are Laurel and Hardy. Yep should of left the shell alone. So now when I go to meeting and talk to these same professionals they say they have they same problems but now he is a NUT. I just say well you are the ones who wanted him out of his shell so deal with it. Far as I am concerned he is a normal teenager with a few quirks.

florence wrote: Temple Grandin is wonderful in person- I went to a talk she gave a few years back and she's inspiring.

Tony Attwood is another one to check into- he has a great website.
http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/

ETA: Another site useful for high schoolers with AS:

http://www.professorsadvice.com/


Lisa

Rachel I think that mumbling is strictly a teenage thing!!! The college is Landmark College in VT-- big $$ but looks worth every penny. Fingers crossed, both finished writing their Personal Statments for the application, a few more things to gather then the app should go in by the end of the month then we wait... (rolling admissions, so maybe not too long a wait) Alex's goals both sound great... mine both want to work for the Lego company, I keep telling them they might need to broaden that out a bit!!

I agree the dx is an umbrella... I just wish we'd looked at their quirks as 'symptoms' earlier, but they always reminded me of my brother, 13 yrs younger than me so I knew him as baby, toddler, etc. NOW I've decided he's on the spectrum too, but happy, if not specifically "successful". He manages... he's an actor by trade, so that's always an off & on thing... He married young and they're still together 14 years later, so THAT's a success many don't acheive! So I know my guys will be "ok" even if they're a "star-shaped peg"!!

Florence

In my expierence all 4 year olds are demanding and inquizative. That is what makes them great. I am glad the little guy lives in a small community it makes things easier. I feel they tend to fet lost in the larger cities. Florence I would love to know about that college that is in tune with AS. My Alex is going to go to a trade school. This is his choice. He wants to be a Nascar mechanic, or an under water welder. I know very different carreers but they will make him money. Also he will be going to a BOCES program next year where he will start to learn a trade. So I feel he is on the right track. The past couple years he has really come around and become more vocal. I just wish he would speak up. I have a slight hearing problem and he mumbles. IT DRIVES ME NUTS This year though he has a girlfriend and he is trying to follow her time schedule. So he has been more on time as far as getting to school is concerned. So far NO DETENTIONS Last year he was in detention just about twice a week for tardiness. Thank goodness she likes to be 15 minutes earlly to school. Now they get there just before the final bell rings.

Our DS, 6, was diagnosed with Asperger's in '08. Nothing about him had changed, the diagnosis was just the umbrella for the symptoms he had all along.

I pushed for a diagnosis because that meant that we could obtain services for him that our health insurance wouldn't pay for---and being our 3rd SN child, there sure isn't any other funding for us.

This book is just great since it deals with younger children: Asperger Syndrome in Young Children by Teresa Bolick, ISBN 13 #978-1592330621 .

It is an excellent description of bottom to top neurological development and functioning. Also great insights for therapies and what will help. There are many great books on the subject, but this is the one for our little guys.

Hope you and your family will find the best ways to help your GS navigate his way.

Sue

I will have a look for that book on Amazon - I have bought one or two already but they are all good to have. I believe that AS is a relatively 'new' syndrome - first recognised in the 80s I believe. I don't remember coming across it when I was at school - mind you, that's 40 odd years ago!! - and I was at an all girl's school. I believe it is more common in males. Obviously there must be adult Aspies undiagnosed from when it wasn't recognised - I presume that sufferers without extra help must have found their own method of coping years ago and that it can run in families. Thanks for all the postings everybody, and Happy 2009!

You know..........I just love you gals!! One of us speaks up with a challenge or concern, and so many jump right in with support. What a fabulous bunch of people we have here! Bless your Hearts, and Happy New Year.
Jan in Spokane........59" of snow in 12 days! More on the way

Florence, we'll have to share the same soap box, so move over a little.

Here in the UK we have a government policy document called "Every Child Matters" (if interested, google it). It's a very useful bit of ammunition when it comes to fighting for children who fall outside the average range of behaviour.

Lorchen

Florence, your boys sounds like real blessings to me!! That silver lining is shining!

I just read a terrific book (as with most, I wish I'd had it sooner)
It's by Temple Grandin, a famous Autistic and excellent author, about Careers for folks with Asperger's- here's a link to it on Amazon but check your local library....
http://tiny.cc/djsCV
a bit early for the little guy, but Rachel if you haven't read it it's a good time for Alex.

As for labels, I've found the upside far outweighs the downside. If anyone starts thinking/speaking negatively, just drop a few names: Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, Mozart... there a bunches of unknown Aspies out there!
But the label often helps, b/c there's little else to show that my boys have a REAL disability... (no wheelchair, white cane. you know, "you look perfectly fine to me"!!) So folks might wonder why my otherwise normal-looking teens can fall into a temper tantrum. (although I'll also say maybe they AREN'T normal-looking teens... no piercings, no tattoos, they actually tuck their shirts in! Looking for positives? I know exactly where my 17-yr-olds are every Saturday night... b/c they're not out carousing or drinking or partying. I know I'm not going to accidentally become a grandma anytime soon! They're not going to drive off the road b/c they don't drive. They may not be the class president but they also won't be a statistic!)
off my soapbox, Happy New Year's to All!!
Florence

My grandson's childminder used to teach at the school he is due to start, and knows the Special Needs lady well - as does his pre-school teacher - so some links there already. He lives in a village with just two schools and I think all this will help him. One thing I know, is that my daughter (as a Youth Worker) is concerned about 'labels' - and how a 'label' can be both a hindrance and a help. Point taken about finding out where his strengths are - seems to be science based - he really is funny sometimes - fascinated by light bulbs/electricity and quite knowledgeable even at 4. He is such good company, always smiling and basically so straight-forward; and although demanding in some respects, so good natured too!

Lorchen, you are a special lady! I've never had to deal with AS, but my youngest and I both have some dyslexia, and it was the special help that Joshua got in school that made all the difference in how he was able to deal with his learning issues. God bless you for what you do for those kids!!!

It's never too early to work out what help is available, and what you are entitled to under the law. Applications always have to be accompanied by all sorts of documents, and it takes time to go through the process of putting anything in place. When your lad starts school, the school will have a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), either fulltime (in big schools) or a teacher doubling up to do SENCO work. You must develop a good relationship with your SENCO. He/she will be responsible for all the administration of setting up special support in school, and keeping a constant eye on the lad.

And - equally important: Remember that Aspergers' kids may be very difficult and unable to do various things, but I have yet to work with one that has not got a talent in some area. It's mega-important to identify those strengths, and support and encourage them. You then have a child that may struggle in some areas of mainstream education, but they will develop self-confidence because of the things that they are good at.

Keep it touch! Lorchen