Hello there I hope you are having a good week so far. It’s literally freezing here in the UK but I guess it’s probably a lot more sub-zero elsewhere in the world; so I musn’t complain! This weeks article is below:

Question

How should I deal with my 12-year-old Asperger’s son now? Should I simply accept him as he is now, or should I actively try to teach him ways to socialize in order to “fit in” better?  By socialize, I mean look in a person’s eyes when talking, how to be a friend, conversations should be two way instead of him delivering a monologue, etc.  Are these things even “teachable?”

Answer

Yes, those things are teachable!  And you should definitely work on them with your son.  This type of teaching should begin even earlier than age 12.  But, at age 12, your son is likely to learn them more easily than he would have at a younger age.

Teenagers with Asperger’s Syndrome often have a difficult time during the teenage years.  They become isolated socially and face rejection and bullying due to the fact that they act differently from others.  They long for friends, but have very weak social skills.  There are some teenagers who do well during these years, if they are indifferent to peer pressure and focused on a special interest of their own, such as music or computers.  Encouraging your son to develop a special interest may help him form friendships with other teens that have the same interest.

One of the biggest issues for most Asperger’s teens is that they don’t care about the usual fads, teen activities, and peer expectations.  Sometimes their interests are more appropriate for younger children.  Boys may be rejected if they are not interested in sports.  Some of these issues can be resolved by helping your son learn about fads, teen life, and sports.  Even if your son isn’t very interested or doesn’t want to participate in them, it will help him understand his peers.  Teach him how to talk about celebrities, teen rituals, and sports using social stories and role playing (see below).  Focus on teaching him how to speak briefly and then wait for the other person to respond before he speaks again.

Encourage your son to initiate contact with peers, leave phone messages, and arrange social activities.  Encourage him to join clubs, especially those that focus on a special interest of his.  Some teens enjoy talking with other Asperger’s teens in internet chat rooms, forums, and on message boards.

It helps “Aspies” if parents are involved in arranging social interactions with peers.  Parents should help organize and supervise appropriate activities.  Michelle Winner’s “Social Thinking Program,” which emphasizes how to join a group, become a part of it, how to converse on common topics, develop social skills (eye contact, for example), and make friends by creating “Friend Files,” may help your son.

Behavioural Therapy with a counsellor also helps Aspies learn how to function.  Any kind of therapy takes effort on the part of the teenager and his parents.  The success of therapy depends on the teenager’s own desire to fit in.

Social stories can be used to teach appropriate behaviour in a variety of settings.  Social stories may be used by parents, therapists, or teachers.  Social Stories are a tool for teaching social skills to those with autism and related disabilities.  Social stories provide accurate information about situations that your son may find difficult or confusing.  A situation is described in detail and focus is placed on a few key points: important social cues, events and reactions the individual might expect to occur, the actions and reactions that might be expected of him, and why.  The goal is to increase the individual’s understanding of, make him more comfortable in, and teach some appropriate responses for that particular situation.

For more on social stories check out Dr. Carol Gray’s Social Stories, recommended by Dr. Tony Attwood, a world renowned expert on Asperger’s Syndrome.  You can read more at Social Stories

Thanks

Dave Angel

PS – Several more articles I have added to the new website, which I am still working hard on to finally get finished for you to start using, include …

“Why is my son’s behavior unacceptable at school sometimes, whilst at home we have very few problems?”

“What is a quick way to explain to people when we are out why our son has outbursts? No one seems to care; people just think he is a rude child, and, that as parents, we are failures!”

“I am just trying to survive and balance time and finances with little outside help or understanding as I raise my boy as a single mom -any advice?”

Hi there it’s Dave Angel – As promised earlier this week here’s a really great insight into the life of a 10 year old boy with Aspergers written by Matthew Readman …

And Matthew; hopefully your mum will show you this on the blog – and I want to say a huge thank you for writing this excellent information that I know will help so many people out there …

So over to you Matthew:

“In grade 4, I was asked to write a book report on Frankenstein.  One of the questions my teacher asked was  “What character can I associate my self with and why?  My answer was as follows:

I feel like the monster.   All he wanted is to be accepted as he was, he didn’t have any social skills and tried to adjust to the world he knew.  All the monster wanted was a friend.  People kept being mean to him because he was different.  The monster gets angry and then just wants to be left alone.  I feel the same way as the monster.  Because of my aspergers people see me as “the monster” because I don’t know sometimes how to act or do things normally.  I try to adjust but when I fail people are mean to me too.  All I want is a friend to like me just the way I am.  The only difference between the monster and me is the monster kills when he’s angry and I just cry.

My teacher responded, “As people grow, they mature and are more capable of empathy.  They are more capable to see the world through someone else’s eyes.  Matthew, the people will learn that you are an amazing person with a spirit full of fun and love.  I know I feel blessed to know you” Mrs. McKenna Clemens Mills P.S.

I have found people with disabilities are not alone.  My parents have taught me if you search for help and guidance it is out there.   My parents were greatly helped through Extend-a-Family.  Our Case Manager Ken Lemon spent many hours with my parents helping us find funding and camps for me to attend.  Ken and my mother found a camp named Camp Brebeuf were they had a one on one worker for me to help me cope with my social issues.  It turned out to be the best time ever.   I had my own special friend to guide me through situations where I would have never gotten through on my own.  I was never treated as “special” but as an equal to everyone else.  I actually felt for this short time as a normal boy.

I’m writing this article to tell other kids my age that help is out there, sometimes it takes a long time to find, but there are agencies and people who actually care.  If it weren’t for Extend-A- Family I would have never found Camp Brebeuf and Through Camp Brebeuf I would have never been able to try new things or even socialize in a big group.   Yes my Aspergers still haunts me at school or social gatherings, but through the last couple of years with the help of my teachers, agencies and the love of my parents I know one day maybe not for years, but one day I will be able to show the world that I and anyone with a disability is capable of great things.”

Matthew Readman

Age 10

Grade 5

Hi there and welcome to this week’s blog post. This week I’ve added some more articles to the new up-coming website which answer questions as varied as …

“My child with Aspergers is having problems with writing issues and small motor skills what can I do?”

“How do I help my 15 year old son with to cope with real life issues and not just live in a fantasy world?”, and …

“What is the best way for my son to learn how to navigate new social situations?”

Anyway as for this week’s question here it is …

Question

My biggest issue is my daughter’s inability to understand that you just don’t help yourself to other people’s things if yours don’t work or you can’t find yours.

Answer

You don’t say how old your daughter is and that makes a big difference!  If she is under 5, she probably can’t understand this concept yet.  But, if she is older than 5, you can help her learn it.

It would appear that your daughter steals because she doesn’t want to be bothered finding her own things or hers are not working, not because she just wants to collect things (as Aspies sometimes do) or to acquire an item that she doesn’t have.

Here are some techniques that may help:

• Teach her to store her own things always in the same places so that she is less likely to lose them.  If necessary, create a chart of where her things are stored that she can refer to when she is looking for them.

• Teach her a system of searching for something when she can’t find it.  For example, teach her all the places in each room of the house where she should look for an item.  Create a check sheet for her.

• Also, do some role playing with her to help her learn how to tell you when one of her things is broken.  Reassure her that if she will do that, you will help her get the item fixed or replaced.

• It might help to mark each person’s belongings with his or her name.  Then clearly explain to your daughter that she is not to take anything with another person’s name on it, without asking for permission first.  Unfortunately, this won’t be possible if she takes things at school or others’ homes.

• Your daughter with Asperger’s may have a hard time understanding how others feel when she “borrows” their things; that’s normal for an Aspie.  But, you should try to explain their feelings and keep reminding her that it’s wrong to hurt others by taking their things without permission.  Help her learn how to ask for permission to borrow an item.  Do this over and over.

• Explain the consequences of her actions, i.e.; people may not trust her;  she could lose friends; she may stop getting invited to others’ homes; she may feel nervous and guilty after taking something; she may hurt others’ feelings.

What to Do When She “Borrows” Without Permission

• Ask her for an explanation.

• State that she is not allowed to take things from other people. Do not lecture her.  Help her role play a better way to handle the situation.

• Never imply that she is bad.  Do not call her a thief, dishonest, or a liar or any other name that you do not want her to become.

• If she takes something (or borrows without permission), she must make restitution.  She must return the object, apologize, and say she will never do it again. You should accompany her on this errand.

• If she ever takes money, she must pay it back.  Have her do this by helping around the house to earn money.

• Reduce temptations.  If items are not left out in plain sight, there is less likelihood that they will be “borrowed” without permission.  Don’t leave money lying around.

Have a great week …

Dave Angel

PS – I was sent an excellent insight into what it is to be a teenager with Aspergers (written by a teenager) which I will try to post later this week … so watch out for an email on that.

PARENTING AUTISM & ASPERGER’S NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 27       
January 2009        

Hi – This is Dave Angel.  Welcome to the twenty-seventh edition  
of “The Parenting Autism & Asperger’s Newsletter”

Inside this edition you will find:

1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Balancing the Asperger’s Discussion

2. In the News – Ten Year Old Diagnoses Herself with Asperger’s Syndrome

3. Prominent People Linked with ASD – David Bellamy, UK Botanist

Thanks

Dave
————————————————————
1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Balancing the Asperger’s Discussion by Don Tennant
October 22, 2008

Don Tennant recently wrote two columns about Asperger’s Syndrome that many readers did not like.  In the columns, “Asperger’s Oxymoron” and “Elusiveness of Joy,” he said that the inward focus and isolation that are often part of the disorder are detrimental to those with Asperger’s and keep them from getting joy out of life.  His readers did not agree and called him arrogant.  Basically, his readers disagreed with his view, saying that people who suffer from Asperger’s do not have to interact with others in ways that Tennant feels are appropriate in order to find joy and meaning in life.

Tennant tried to balance the discussion by quoting some readers who agree with him.  Those readers stated that people with Asperger’s do suffer social rejection and have great difficulty finding help in dealing with the syndrome, leading to impaired social relationships.
Tennant believes that the discussion is valuable one and he hopes it will continue.
To read the full article, go to: http://blogs.computerworld.com/balancing_the_aspergers_discussion

People mentioned above as having Asperger’s Syndrome may or may not have actually have been diagnosed with it.

————————————————————-
2.  In the News – Ten Year Old Diagnoses Herself with Asperger’s Syndrome
A ten-year-old girl in the UK has diagnosed herself with Asperger’s Syndrome.  She came to the conclusion that she has Asperger’s while reading a book on autism to understand her brother’s condition.  Rosie King, whose brother Lenny is autistic, was reading The Little Rain Man.
Her mother said, “When it came to a section on Asperger’s, Rosie blurted out, ‘I think this might be me’.  We couldn’t believe it.”  Rosie was formally diagnosed with Asperger’s over the course of a year.
To read the full article, go to:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/11/18/girl-of-10-diagnoses-self-with-asperger-s-syndrome-115875-20904054/

People mentioned above as having Asperger’s Syndrome may or may not have actually have been diagnosed with it.

————————————————————

3. Prominent People Linked with ASD – David Bellamy, Botanist

David Bellamy was born January 18, 1933 in London.  He is an English botanist, professor, broadcaster, environmentalist, and author.  He is best known as the enthusiastic host of nature documentaries such as “Botanic Man.”  As a child he enjoyed reading Encyclopaedia Britannica, once asked for Baillier’s Medical Dictionary as a Christmas present, and threw a tantrum beside a Diplodocus when it was closing time at the end of a visit to a natural history museum.

Bellamy and his wife Rosemary have five children.  He has written and hosted more than 400 television programmes on botany, ecology, and the environment.  He has written over 80 scientific papers and books.  He ran against the incumbent Prime Minister, John Major, for the Referendum Party, but lost.  Bellamy believes this campaign caused a decline in his career as a popular television personality, stating in 2002. David said that in his autobiography that he believes that he has a form of autism – but this is undiagnosed.

To see the full text of the article go to:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bellamy

People mentioned above may have Asperger’s Syndrome, but were never formally diagnosed.
————————————————————-

I hope this month’s newsletter finds you enjoying the New Year.

The next edition of the newsletter is due in February, 2009.     

And as ever … please send in any inspirational stories that you know of, any questions that you would like our team of experts to answer, any topics that you wish to be discussed, and news stories that you want to share VIA THE BLOG:

http://parentingaspergers.com/blog/parenting-tips-wanted/

We will publish as many as we can.

Until next month………

Best Wishes

Dave Angel

http://www.parentingaspergers.com.

P.S. The new website is still coming on nicely. Latest updates include a number of tasty gluten free recipes and a section for sharing inspirational and helpful parenting stories.

Hi there – it’s Tuesday and that can only mean one thing; your latest Aspergers article. So with no further pre-amble here it is …

Question

My son is 5 years old with Asperger’s. He really does well with a routine.  My husband, his dad, has had to take the night shift at work. We did not have much notice.  My son is taking this extremely hard.  I always have had time to prepare him for any big changes in our life in the past.  How can I help him deal with this abrupt change?  This has been one of the biggest challenges I have had to face.

Answer

To begin on a positive note, it’s good that your son does well with a routine.  This indicates that you have constructive knowledge of your son’s behavior.  You know his range of behavior, how he reacts to various situations, and the type of environment he does well in.

Unfortunately, even the most routine situations do not remain consistent.  Sometimes, the changes are planned, such as a job change or a move to a new home.  Other times, the changes are abrupt, like your husband’s night shift change at work.  Many changes are beyond our control.  When these changes occur, they set into motion reactions in the home, especially reactions by Asperger’s children who dread a change in routine terribly.

Parents of Asperger’s children have described their reactions to change as follows:

Anguish – Worry and anxiety over the possible consequences of an event;

Ballistic – Sudden, often violent, reactions to change;

Despair – Remorseful, resigned behavior to a perceived tragedy;

Meltdown – Catastrophic behavior; as if “the world is coming to an end;”

Obsessive – A concentrated focus on the changing event to the exclusion of all else.

The component that drives this behavior is fear.  Asperger’s children fear spontaneity and change because they have an inability to understand why change occurs and how to cope with change.  To an Aspie child, routine is heaven, change is hell.

One important aspect of this behavior is that unorthodox behavior is not intentional; it results from the person expressing an honest reaction to changes in their environment.  Therefore, you need to understand that your son will not immediately understand and accept your husband’s shift change at work.  Try explaining the situation to your son slowly and repeatedly, and in simple terms.  Tell him that, although your husband’s shift has changed, other situations at home will remain the same.  Explain why the shift change took place.  In addition, tell him that some routines might change, but others won’t.  Encourage him to ask questions in advance of any changes, and answer them in concrete terms so that he has a sense of security before any more changes occur in your home.

Separation Anxiety:  A Major Issue

Based on what you have told us in your question, a large part of your son’s problem is due to separation anxiety.  This is an issue for all children, regardless of age or medical diagnosis, and it is seen in approximately 4% of the child population.

In the context of your son’s situation, separation anxiety is defined as excessive anxiety about becoming separated from you, your husband, and any siblings that might be in the home.  Some of the symptoms seen in separation anxiety are withdrawal, depression, and difficulty concentrating.  Children experiencing separation anxiety often exhibit generalized fear, anxiety over the possibility of death, and recurrent nightmares.  Granted, all children experience separation anxiety at some point; however, it is more serious in Asperger’s children.

The Treatment of Separation Anxiety

In older children, separation anxiety is treated with psychotherapy and/or medication.  As an alternative, doctors recommend relaxation techniques and deep breathing accompanied by homeopathic remedies, which are less harmful to children than prescription medication.  You could look into using medication if your son’s symptoms are extremely bad, but, if possible, try to avoid it.  Counselling will help if needed.

Ask your husband to spend a period of time with your son before he leaves for work and upon his return.  This will help your son adjust to the new routine.  Your husband can reassure him that he will return and at what time. He can praise your son for dealing with a difficult situation.  Perhaps your husband could call once each evening to reassure your son that he will be home soon.  A picture of his father or a personal item of his father’s may also reassure him.

Thanks

Dave Angel

PS – A quick update on the new website. This week I’ve been adding some great videos to the website including several really insightful interviews with young people who have Aspergers explaining how they experience the world. As ever keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of when the site is actually live, complete and ready to go.

Hi there – Just a quick note to say that by a big majority it appears that Gluten Free Recipes and information appear to be something that people want.

Out of 381 parents who responded 364 made positive responses to having Gluten Free information on the new website.

So it’s over to the kitchen for me to find some great recipes!

And here’s one to be going on with …

Gluten-Free Corn Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup gluten-free sour cream
1 cup creamed corn
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Pour into a 9-inch dark metal, square baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until edges have browned. Yield: 9 to 12 squares.

Have fun baking,

Dave Angel

Hi there – Just a quick post today as I am thinking of adding a section to the the new Aspergers website on gluten free cooking; as I am sure you know this type of diet can help children with ASD.

In this section will be recipes and videos on cooking gluten-free foods, and maybe people can also share their own favorite gluten free recipes etc.

But I am really unsure whether this is something that a lot of parents will want or not; and I don’t want to add this information if it’s not really wanted.

So please can you add a quick yes or no comment to the blog to let me know.

Thanks

Dave

PS The text version of this week’s article should also be on the way soon!

Review of CD 1

The first thing to say about the Total Transformation program is that the quality of the recording and presentation is very high. It consists of a series of interviews on each disk involving James Lehman and several of his colleagues. The sound quality is excellent and it’s a slick recording studio effort. James himself has worked for over 3 decades with children who have difficult behaviors and their families in a variety of settings in New England, USA.

On CD1 James looks at what he calls “The Real Causes of Obnoxious and Abusive Behavior”. He goes through an extensive list of 16 categories that explain why children may behave in certain difficult and challenging ways. This is a really helpful starting point for looking at where your child may be at and each category is explored in depth. The categories make good common sense and are easy to follow.

With regard to Aspergers James clearly states that his approach will work for children with neurological impairment, learning disability etc. when there are behavioral issues to be addressed. For example he outlines a case that he worked on with a child with ADHD who was “hiding behind” that diagnosis and avoiding responsibility for his behaviors and actions. Now I know for a fact that for many children with Aspergers this type of scenario goes on to, so clearly the information can transfer.

So the verdict … so far so good. There is some excellent material put together in an easy-to-understand fashion with a work book (that includes actual activities that you can do). My only criticism is that James refers to “the kid” all the time when talking about what to do with your child – which seems a bit impersonal and not my favourite way of referring to a child or young person. But James does say in his accompanying workbook that he uses the term “kid” as a catch-all phrase and apologies for nay offense this may cause – so I guess I shouldn’t be too picky!

To learn more about The Total Transformation Program go to http://tinyurl.com/643fs3

Review of CD 2

This CD concentrates on what James calls “ineffective parenting roles”. On CD 1 he begins the program by looking at the child; on CD 2 he turns his attention to the parents. He classifies 7 types of ineffective parenting which include “the screamer”, “the over negotiator” and “the martyr”. Again James uses very clear terms such as these which you can already begin to guess as to what they are about.

One of the great points that James makes is about parenting styles over time. He says that when he grew up in the 1960’s he was actually being parented by his parents in a style from the 1930’s (i.e. when they grew up) and things clearly change! He makes this point in relation to parents in the 2000’s and that we should be careful not to parent from the 1960’s or 1970’s (i.e. when many of us grew up).  Which makes so much sense as the modern world is so different now for children. Think about the internet, cable TV, new child care legislation, the huge prevalence of cars, differences in schooling etc. and how this compares to the 1970’s. Clearly we all as parents (me included) need to have a modern take on how we parent our kids as that’s the society they live in each day.

Another  concept that I really liked was the idea of parenting your actual child and not your ideal child. We all of visions of our “ideal child” in our head and this can never truly match the reality of how your child actually is. For a child with Aspergers this issue may be even more pronounced and this is an area that many parents do need to do some work on.

To learn more about The Total Transformation Program go to http://tinyurl.com/643fs3

Review of CD 3

In CD 3 James continues on from CD 2 and talks about parenting roles that lead to accountability. He breaks these down in to 3 roles:

1.    Training & Coaching Role – Such as teaching by example, and providing strategic help and solutions.
2.    Problem-solving role – Such as encouraging exploration and experimentation, and participating in mutual decision-making.
3.    Limit-setting role – Such as demanding compliance with rules and viewing behaviors as a performance issue rather than a moral issue.

I really like a number of these roles and think they’re essential for positive parenting. For example James talks of setting clear rules that stop eventual “show downs” further down the road. He says that if a child has had a number of cookies instead of the parent asking “can you not have so many cookies?” be much clearer and state “stop eating the cookies now please”. This way things are 100% clear for the child and they are far less likely to eat more cookies, and this can save a later dispute on the same subject.

James also talks about being consistent with boundaries for example if you agree your son needs to be in at 6pm that’s when he should be in, which is another good basic principle. But James then goes on to say that even if your son calls to say that the sports teacher has asked him to stay behind a further 30 minutes to practice with the team, that your son should still be told to be back at 6pm. I disagree with this and think it’s a little too rigid. Instead I would suggest that you insist to speak to the teacher and if it’s a valid and worthwhile exercise then the time can be pushed back to 6:30pm. But other than this criticism I found CD 3 to be another excellent parenting resource.

To learn more about The Total Transformation Program go to http://tinyurl.com/643fs3

Review of CD 4

In CD 4 the focus is back on to the child again when James outlines 27 Tools to Change Your Child’s Behavior Now. One great point that he makes on this CD is that parents should stop comparing the inside of their family (i.e. all the arguments, rows and fights that go on) with the outside of other families (i.e. what seems to be a perfectly nice and happy family across the road but probably have many of the same problems as you but you just cannot see them). This is a pressure that so many parents could really do without, and it’s a totally artificial pressure that can be avoided.

Also another strategy that I really like from the extensive list of  27 is what James calls “re-direct interest”. This is the basic and common sense view that changing activity or conversation can help to reduce difficult behaviors almost immediately. This is also described as motion changing emotion. So for example if during a huge argument you were to get yourself and your son to hop 5  times on each foot immediately then this would know doubt change how he feels and acts in this second. I have heard this approach used before by Tony Robbins (the world famous self-help guru from the USA) and really like it myself. And would urge you to give it a go – in many ways the more silly and bizarre action that you and your child do the better it may reduce any difficult behaviors.

To learn more about The Total Transformation Program go to http://tinyurl.com/643fs3

Stay tuned for reviews of the other CD’s in the program …

Thanks

Dave Angel

Hi and welcome to the first Aspergers blog post of 2009; and here it is …
Question

Social Stories: what is the best way to teach social stories, by parents, a therapist, or in a peer group setting?  Are there good resources for the homeschooler?

Answer

Social stories can be effectively used to teach appropriate behaviour in a variety of settings.  Social stories may be used by parents, therapists, or in peer group settings.  Homeschooling parents often use social stories effectively.  Social stories are used to address the following psychological and social symptoms:

• Feelings of isolation from others;
• A lack of imagination in play or expression;
• Consistent shyness, anxiety, and unhappiness;
• Depression during the years of adolescence and early adulthood;
• Obsessions, including irrational fears and anxieties;
• Timidity;
• Difficulty in relationships with others.

The Importance of Social Stories

Social Stories are a teaching device for children.  The stories are used to teach everyday social skills to children who have a diagnosis of autism or a related disability.  The stories contain accurate and useful information for someone encountering situations that they may find difficult or confusing.  The stories approach a topic by describing it in explicit detail and focus on teachable skills needed within the story.  A typical social story will discuss a given situation, how someone is expected to react in that situation, and why the reactions are appropriate.

Deciding on an Appropriate Social Story

Social stories are individualized in that each child is seen as an individual whose problems accompany a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome or high-functioning autism (AS/HFA).

An appropriate social story captures the areas of the child’s life that are challenging.  The child’s behaviour is evaluated by parents and teachers at home, in public, and at school.  Parents, teachers, and therapists look at the child’s tantrums, withdrawal, social, and escape behaviours.  They target these behaviors, and use a social story that addresses the behaviors.

Here is a sample Social Story obtained from: http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/introduction.html

Lining Up
At school, we sometimes line up.
We line up to go to the gym, to go to the library, and to go out to recess.
Sometimes my friends and I get excited when we line up, because we’re going someplace fun, like out to recess.
It is okay to get excited, but it is important to try to walk to the line. Running can cause accidents, and my friends or I could get hurt.
I will try to walk to the line.  (The behavioural goal for the Aspie.)
As you can see, Social Stories are short and to the point.  They are structured to describe social situations, explicitly describing what the child with Asperger’s can expect from the situation, and what society expects of the child.

The Benefits of Social Stories

Social Stories are beneficial in that they focus on “theory of mind” impairments (i.e.; mindblindness), which are inabilities to understand the feelings and behaviours of other people.  In addition, social stories not only provide information about social situations, but help the Aspie learn how to handle them.

Socially relevant information (like Social Stories) with illustrations and text, have been shown to be effective with Aspies.  In conclusion, Social Stories provide the opportunity for the child to practice needed skills and can be used by parents, teachers, and therapists.

You should consider using Dr. Carol Gray’s Social Stories, recommended by Dr. Tony Attwood, a world renowned expert on Asperger’s Syndrome.  You can read about it at … Social Stories

Thanks

Dave Angel

PS – The new website continues to grow daily and I have to say I think it’s a really exciting project that you are really going to enjoy. Yesterday I spent a few hours adding all the back-dated copies of the monthly Autism/Aspergers newsletter to the site. I was surprised that there have already been 25 copies; and there are some real gems of information in there (and to be honest I had forgotten writing half of it!) As ever I’ll keep updating you – but I am Really hoping to have it all done by February.