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Here are the basic diagnostic criteria for having Asperger’s Syndrome as stated in
Asperger’s Syndrome: a Guide for Parents and Professionals,
2. Narrow interest
(At least one of the following):
A. Exclusion of other activities.
B. Repetitive adherence.
C. More rote than meaning.
3. Repetitive routines
(At least one of the following):
A. On self, in aspects of life.
B. On others.
In the regards of Social Impairments, most people will notice that we ‘fail’ to have
emotion. That is simply not true. We do not ‘fail’ to ‘have’ emotion; we fail to
‘express’ emotion. We have what is now commonly referred to as ‘mind-blindness.’
We fail to see the simple signs and gestures that everyone else takes for granted.
As a result: We tend to over-exaggerate emotions. What you might think is a slight
irritation, we see as overpowering RAGE. We are different, and it is that difference
that causes those that are ignorant to mock us for our pedantic speech, our intense
interest, and all other things that are the result of our ‘difference.’
Living with Asperger’s can be somewhat irksome, as it is difficult to get along with
others. According to Asperger Syndrome: through the Lifespan, ‘In middle school,
where the pressures for conformity are greatest and tolerance for differences the
least, children with AS may be left out, misunderstood or teased and persecuted.
Wanting to make friends and fit in, but unable to, they may withdraw even more, or
their behavior may become increasingly problematic in the form of outbursts or
non-cooperation. Some degree of depression is not uncommon as a complicating
feature. If there are no significant learning disabilities, academic performance can
continue strong, particularly in those areas of particular interest; often, however,
there will be ongoing subtle tendencies to misinterpret information, particularly
abstract or figurative/idiomatic language. Learning difficulties are frequent and
attentional and organizational difficulties may be present.’ I know exactly what that
means, because I think differently and do not understand what others are trying to
say, nonverbally, of course, that I was doomed to be the “weird” one. If you want an
example, then you try being a Pokémaniac in a school where Pokémon was banned,
literally, from all aspects of your life.
We are also infamous for our Narrow, Intense Interests. For instance, I am called a
Pokémaniac, a fanatic of Pokémon. If you were to ask me a question about a certain
“Pocket Monster,” odds are I will be able to answer it and then some. As a result, I
was the “Pokémon Professor” in my neighborhood. I am not over-obsessed, I just
happen to be a fan of all things Sci-fi. Then again, there is a fine line between hobby
and mental illness (statement from an Expertees T-shirt I found.) That, my friends,
is a sign of wordplay, a common form of humor for someone with Asperger’s.
However, few people find what we see as funny, and as a result find some things
we don’t see as funny as hilarious.
Speech and Language peculiarities are also another form of our ‘syndrome.’ We
tend to use an over-formalization in almost everything. If asked the time, I will say,
“Two forty-five and fifty seconds,” even though “Two forty-six” would have done
just as well. At times, I have extreme difficulty trying to keep myself from saying
things like Sifu (teacher,) or Sama (Master [same context as teacher.]) That is
because I study various parts of different languages, origins, and meanings of
words. Most people, as a result, will not understand what either I am saying or what
I am trying to say.
Although it could fit in the Social Impairments section, I will add this to the ‘Other
Characteristics.’ It is extremely difficult for us to express emotion at all. However, it
is possible for us to ‘unlock’ the door, at the cost slightly akin to opening the
floodgate of the Hoover Dam. When our emotions are ‘unlocked,’ we express our
emotions at about three to ten times greater than any other person will. As a result
of this impending ‘flash flood,’ I (and probably many others like me,) try to ‘relock
the door that is our self control’ and refrain from showing emotion. Unfortunately,
that door is never truly relocked; it is merely closed to a crack. If enough pressure
from emotional stress is placed on the door, all of our emotions come flooding out.
Due to most of these releases being Anger, many experts call this release of
emotions Rage Attacks, Meltdowns, or Neurological Storms (From Asperger’s
Syndrome and Difficult Moments.)
The specific arguments alleging that certain famous people might be on the autistic
spectrum vary from person to person. Some claim that Albert Einstein (one of the
more frequently cited figures of the past as possibly autistic) was extremely
antisocial as a child, had violent temper tantrums, tended to repeat phrases or
sentences over and over under his breath, and had extreme difficulty functioning
without the aid and supervision of a "parent" figure (usually his wife), all
characteristics typical of autistic people. Isaac Newton stuttered and was epileptic.
Many of these suspected historical Asperger cases might have been quite mild, but
some skeptics believe these people may have had a few autistic traits but not
enough for an autism spectrum diagnosis. Finally, many critics of historical
diagnosis claim it is simply not possible to diagnose the dead, so nothing can be
said definitively regarding the Asperger status of historical figures.’ It is possible
that Einstien and Newton did have Asperger’s Syndrome, but it is just as possible
that people like myself feel that we need to come up with an ‘excuse’ for our
difference when none is really needed.
Many famous people in the media businesses have and/or claim to have Asperger’s
Syndrome, Among them are my heroes Dan Aykroyd, the creator of Ghostbusters
and Satoshi Taijiri, the creator of Pokémon.
Satoshi Taijiri was constantly picked on as a child for his ability to catch and collect
insects as a child. He was called ‘Dr. Bug’ by his ‘friends’ and went on to become
obsessed with video games while in Electronics School (his father wanted him to
become an electrician, a job Satoshi didn’t want.) Rumor has it that he went to one
arcade so often, that the owners gave him a ‘Space Invaders’ game to take home.
He started up ‘Game Freak,’ a gaming magazine that gave out many tips and tricks
in video games. When he saw the Game Boy, he remembered how he loved to find
out new ways of catching insects and turned turned that memory into Pokémon, a
game in which the main character went around catching and raising different
monsters/animals.
To refer to ourselves as a group, many of us with Asperger syndrome use the term
neurodivergent, which comes from the fact that professionals consider Asperger
syndrome a neurological disorder. To refer to people who are non-autistic, many
use the term neurotypical (NT). In addition, people who seek a cure for autism are
sometimes pejoratively called "curebies."
If you were looking for a precise definition of Asperger’s Syndrome, you would find
something like this: a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician,
Hans Asperger, which affects humans with normal intelligence and language
development but exhibit autistic-like behaviors. Now, if you are just another
average Joe like myself reading this paper, you would not quite understand that
definition. Some professionals describe Asperger’s Syndrome simply as “a dash of
autism”. By reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark
Haddon, it is easier to understand this disease when you get to know the main
character, Christopher Boone. In the book, Chris always seems to display a sense
of paranoia and would freak out at times. He could develop relationships and care
for animals but struggled to cope with people. He hates the colors yellow and
brown and is obsessed with prime numbers. His days were tagged great, good or
bad days on the ride to school, based on the colors of cars he passed along the way.
With Asperger’s Syndrome, you are unable to determine what kind of moods or
feelings someone is experiencing just by looking at their facial expressions. This is
why Chris has to do all those exercises with drawing faces and trying to identify
different expressions. Asperger’s does not affect a human’s IQ, and most people
with the syndrome display excellence in a certain area or have exceptional talent or
skill at one specific task; for Chris that area of excellence was math. Also
throughout the book, Chris takes everything literally and “always tells the truth”.
This is due to the syndrome and his inability to comprehend or assume things.
There are certain medications that can help with or lessen the effectiveness of the
syndrome, but it cannot be completely cured.
Why are services failing to meet the needs of people with Asperger's Syndrome and High
functioning Autistic spectrum disorder? Well, it is paramount that people continue to validate
existing services by conducting sound research and demonstrating techniques and strategies that
are effective. It is important to promote continued trials of new and innovative approaches and to
share information with others who work with people who are suffering from Asperger's
This research makes a welcome and much needed contribution to people's knowledge and
understanding of services provision and value of the services for children and teenagers with
high functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome. Whilst there have been many studies
exploring services for children with a range of disabilities, there have been very few specifically
focusing upon ASD, especially those with high functioning autism and Aspergers. Indeed, the
research is aptly timed, drawing upon the recognition of the valuing people of the need for and
value of services for children and young adults affected by the disorders including those without
a recognized learning disability. Assessing current levels of provision and service gaps, the
report thus provides an important information resource for policy makers and practitioners. The
research accessible format, in terms of both the language and clear layout, ensures that the study
will also be of interest and value to a wide audience, including the families of children and
The research proposal implies the use of service provision in meeting the needs of those people
with Asperger's syndrome and ASD. Parents frequently emphasized the importance of having a
range of flexible services in order to meet the needs of individual children and their families.
Within this, priorities for services included routines and consistency, the importance of planning
placements and ongoing communication with families, high staffing levels and appropriate
environments as this was very much the ideal; in reality the majority of families using services
had little choice. Indeed, service providers were very aware that they are currently providing
only what they can afford rather than what is actually needed. The most frequently requested
types of services were sitting services, play schemes, family based short breaks and befriending
schemes. The study clearly demonstrates not only a general need for more services but that
provision is inequitable and largely focused upon those with the most obvious, practical needs.
The proposal should recommend not only more and better-funded services but also a greater
understanding of ASD, with knowledgeable and well-trained staff to meet the whole spectrum of
needs.
The purpose of the study is to basically determine, enhance and strengthen certain support
services like special education services designed for people with Asperger's syndrome and high
functioning autism that would provide success to service provisions that relates to the focus
situation and imply better assumptions for possible collaboration and partnerships among
parents, teachers, school administrators, care providers and the society in general to always
update and provide plans of action for a better service that is a true success in helping out those
children and young adults who are suffering from the high functioning autism and Asperger's
syndrome.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research proposal centers upon some crucial research questions as each of which is
Are the services provision experienced as beneficial? Are there certain policies for provision for
What are those services used and required by children and young people with ASD?
What are the factors inhibiting the provision of the services and its possible recommendations?
Does the LEA/TEACCH give guidance to schools and other professionals on enabling pupil
Are families given support during and immediately following identification of an ASD?
Is information given to families about where to go for further sources of information about
education for children with ASDs, covering the range of educational provision that is available
locally and nationally, including early intervention and educational approaches and the
Is practical advice and training available to parents in ways of working and interacting with
their children?
What elements of provision are considered important for children with the different kinds of
incidence needs?
What are the major gaps in services, support and provision at every level? What are the key areas