Hi and welcome to this week’s article; both Aspergers and Sensory Integration Dysfunction often go hand in hand.  It is common to hear that a child with Asperger’s Syndrome also has difficulty with balance and other gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and unusual tolerance (or intolerance) to sounds, lights, smells, and touch.  These complaints cause as much of a problem for children with Asperger’s Syndrome as the actual language, communication, and social weaknesses that are a direct result of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

There are therapies that address the symptoms of Asperger’s and sensory issues.  However, there are activities you can do at home with your child that will help develop sensory integration.  There are separate sensory systems that create a person’s sensory profile.   Here is a list of these sensory areas:

* Tactile is the ability to properly interpret touch.

* Proprioception is the ability to properly use the big muscles and joints of the body.

* Vestibular is the ability to balance, body movement, and knowing where your body is in relation to space.

Closely related, but not exactly sensory systems, these skill areas are often incorporated during occupational/sensory therapies.

* Gross motor skills are necessary for walking, kicking, jumping, and coordination.  These skills include all physical skills related to the strength and control of the large muscle groups of the body.

* Fine motor skills are necessary for grasping, writing, tying shoes, and working buttons and zippers.  These skills include all physical skills related to the strength and control of the small muscles of the body.

When working with children with Asperger’s and sensory issues, keep in mind that many physical play activities can be adapted to your home therapy program.  Sensory therapy should look like play and it should be fun.  Here are some activities you can try, along with the sensory systems each activity will benefit.

Proprioceptive:

*Have the child jump on a trampoline.

* Have the child jump into a foam pit or onto a padded mat.

* Encourage pushing or pulling heavy weight, such as a basket of books or toys.

Vestibular:

*Push the child on a swing.

*Have the child walk on a balance beam

Tactile:

* Have a finger painting session.

* Mash and roll out Play-Doh.

* Use mud, pudding, or shaving cream to play in with hands and feet.

* Play catch by tossing a textured, weighted ball.

There are many books and videos that can help you develop a home play therapy plan for your child with Asperger’s and sensory issues.  One such guide is the video entitled, “Learn to Move, Move to Learn, Dinosaurs” by Jenny Clark Brack.   This video is a theme-based lesson geared towards young children. 

Thanks for reading,

Dave Angel

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Articles and Videos posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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Do you have any information on Aspergers and results of Neurofeedback. We recently took our daughter, age 5, to a center for an evaluation, and were amazed at their findings on how the brain works as an Aspergers child. Do you have any reports or information on this form of treatment? We are seriously considering a program like this for our daughter

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http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/479.cfm

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My son has Aspergers but recently he has also been diagnosed PDA Pathological Demand Avoidance syndrome. He is nearly 12yrs old and is in mainstream school with support. We are out of our mind his dad and I with worry as he has changed alot hitting and strangling himself he won’t comply at home or school. We need help but don’t know where to get it, and although he was diagnosed we haven’t been given any strategies to go with the report. He wants to stay at his current school but we feel the school although they are trying they are not able to meet his needs,and we cant cope at home. Do you know of PDA? And if so any ideas of where we can seek help?

Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome (PDA) is a diagnosis that is related to but separate from the autism spectrum. People who have PDA are socially manipulative and have great success in . . .

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Aspergers Video – Aspie Eyes

The delicate sounds of Yanni’s “Whispers in the Dark” opens and continues throughout this photo montage. Upholding the claims that people with Asperger’s Syndrome have an innocent look, this video focuses on the one part of the face that portrays what is inside-the eyes. Each photo in this slideshow is of the eyes of a person with Asperger’s Syndrome. The creator of this video spent six months gathering, editing, and arranging the photos for this slideshow. Running time: 4 minutes, 46 seconds . . .

To watch the full video go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/477.cfm

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Here’s this week’s Aspergers article which looks at the grandparents of children with Aspergers …

Question

Are there many other grandparents like me helping to raise children with Asperger’s? And what qualities do you think we bring to this task?

Answer

There are many grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members who are involved in helping to raise children with Asperger’s Syndrome. The degree to which relatives are involved in the care of the children can vary greatly, but grandparents often have a special place in children’s hearts.

Grandparents bring a unique set of skills to the raising of their grandchildren. Many grandparents have the ability to spend a great deal of time with their grandchildren because they are retired or have cut back on their work schedule. This gift of time is typically accompanied by patience. Parents are often harried, rushing from here to there to get things accomplished according to the schedule. Grandparents often don’t have those pressures. This gift of time and patience can be especially important to a child with Asperger’s Syndrome. Grandparents can often ease the chaos of transition periods for a child with Asperger’s. Grandparents are often more patient when explaining something or encouraging a child to try a new experience.

Grandparents often have reached a place in their lives where they care less about what other people’s perceptions of them are. This can be a special gift when raising a child with Asperger’s. Grandparents tend to be more accepting and less embarrassed by public outbursts or tantrums, or even behaviors that might strike others as odd.

Grandparents often have more time to try to develop new and different ways to relate to a child with Asperger’s. They are often less discouraged when a strategy meets with failure and tend to look at the big picture, rather than the small detail.

Grandparents and other relatives who are involved in the raising of children with Asperger’s are the subject of a book entitled “Voiced From the Spectrum: Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, People with Autism, and Professionals Share Their Wisdom,” by Cindy N. Ariel and Robert A. Naseef 

This book is a collection of essays written from different perspectives about living lives dealing with Autism spectrum disorders. It is a powerful book that can give you some insight into how other grandparents and relatives are involved in the lives of children with Asperger’s and autism.

Grandparents can be a gift not only to the children with Asperger’s but also to their parents. They can function as trusted caregivers for their children, as well as being a sounding board for concerns or fears or frustrations the parents may have. Sometimes, simply being there for the parents and offering support can be very important.

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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My son is 10 and daily wets himself, sometimes several times a day and at least once a week he has the other kind of accident. I never yell at him, I provide depends for him to wear and I’ve taught him to put his own laundry in the washer but will this battle ever end? I remind him when he is home to go potty every 2 hours and he’ll still have accidents. The teasing is happening at school and he only has one more year at this particular school, if I could help him with this issue before he goes on to another school, I’m sure he’d be greatly relieved. I have him on a completely sugar free diet, although natural sugars like fruit are still in his diet. Any ideas or success stories would be greatly appreciated.

You son is struggling to recognize the signs his own body is giving him that he needs to urinate. At ten, it can be an embarrassing situation for him, especially when he’s at school. It seems as though you’re handling it well, providing Depends for him and helping him learn to take care of the laundry himself. There are a few other things you can try …

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http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/471.cfm

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My son was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome last year, just after his eleventh birthday. Our greatest challenge has been, and continues to be, his non-compliance. He is extremely bright — his I.Q. and verbal skills are off the charts — but he seems to hold a sense of distrust toward authority. And I do think it is distrust, rather than contempt. Could this be a result of his later diagnosis? Or does this come with the syndrome? And how can we help him understand concept of authority and how to express himself more appropriately than constantly arguing with teachers, parents, friends, etc.?

Many children with Asperger’s Syndrome are highly intelligent and verbally skilled. Sometimes, these children seem to function as mini-adults. But he is not an adult, either emotionally or intelligently. He is a very smart, articulate child …

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My son will be 13 in a couple weeks, he has aspergers but also a congenitial heart defect. Over the last 2 months he has been scheduled for surgery 3 different times and we’ve had to reschedule due to illness and he is not coping with this well. Every time I get him prepared for his surgery and the reschedule he has a major meltdown any suggestions as to how to prepare him for it.

This is a difficult situation for any child to be in, much less a child with Asperger’s Syndrome who might have difficulty with changes in his routine or with unpredictability. There are a few things you can try to help prepare him for the surgery …

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http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/469.cfm

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Hi and welcome to this week’s blog article which is on the subject of being married to an adult that may have Aspergers …

Question

I suspect my husband has Asperger’s.  What should I do?

Approaching your husband with the idea that he may have Asperger’s Syndrome can result in two completely different responses.  Either he is concerned and interested in pursuing an answer to some obvious issues, or he is in complete denial.  He may even decide that the problem stems from you.

In all honesty, most people with Asperger’s are well aware that they don’t process things like other people.  Relationships of any variety have been difficult since childhood.  Sensory issues have plagued them, like noises others don’t hear and lights that others can ignore.  The way they carry themselves seems less than graceful to fairly clumsy.  Their obsessions overtake any attempt at normal social conversation.  Yes, they know they are quirky, but have no concept of the reasons behind these differences.

Let’s assume that your husband knows that something is different about the way he interprets life.  In this case, he may be searching for the reason and welcome your involvement.  You can find resources on the Internet that will help you understand him better and decide what action you both need to take, if any.  On the Internet you can find articles that describe Asperger’s in terms that he can relate to, and also several mini-evaluations that can help him decide if he wants to pursue a diagnosis.

Now let’s assume that he denies the possibility of Asperger’s Syndrome.  As his wife, you have to respect his decision to keep things the way they are.  But, this doesn’t mean you have to join him in denial.  If you are married to a suspected adult with Asperger’s, you can use a little help yourself to cope with his eccentric behavior.  In either circumstance the advice is virtually the same. 

In addition to Internet research, look for books that are written specifically for the spouses of adults with Asperger‘s.  One such book is “Life with a Partner or Spouse with Asperger Syndrome:  Going over the Edge?  Practical Steps To Saving You And Your Relationship” by Kathy Marshack Ph.D.; Foreword by Stephen Shore Ed.D.  This book focuses on the impact that Asperger Syndrome makes on an intimate relationship.  It will shed some light on what it means to suffer in silence.  

Contact your local chapter of any Autism or Asperger’s support association.  They offer assistance in all areas:  therapy, steps to a diagnosis, family support, spouse support.   Once you find the resources and support you need for yourself, you will be able to pass your knowledge on to your husband.  How you relay this knowledge, either directly or indirectly, depends on his response to the subject of Asperger’s Syndrome.

Thanks for reading,

Dave Angel

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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Our 14 year old son (diagnosed with Aspergers) paces while talking to himself. He’s usually either repeating lines from a movie or TV show, or continuing a story line (he has a great imagination) from a TV show or movie. We’re not even sure if he realizes that this seems odd to folks outside of our family. We’ve talked to him about doing it outside of our home, but worry that he may be doing it occasionally at school which has resulted in few or no friends. Do you have advice on curbing the behavior, or should we just accept it?

Many children with ASD or Asperger’s Syndrome have difficulty understanding how others perceive them. They tend not to have the same sense that neuro-typical children can have about a behavior being “odd” or “strange”. They are not good at tailoring their own behaviors to fit in with the expectations of others. Fourteen year olds are at the height of their adolescent “fitting in” stage. They are all desperately trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in with others at school and in their friendship circle. They are highly critical of those who are different and can be intolerant of those who come across in an unusual way …

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http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/467.cfm

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Was wondering if you could give me some tips on starting an Aspergers support group.

A support group is a wonderful way to find a community of like-minded people who are all encountering a similar situation in their lives. If there is not a support group for Asperger’s in your area, starting one is a great idea …

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I just found out that my 17 year old has Aspergers and I am trying to find out all I can about this and one of the things that I was told and what I seen on the T.V. show Boston Legal was that any person with Aspergers can not be tried in a court or held responsible for their actions and I was just wondering if that was true or not. I have been reading a lot about the subject but have not seen any thing on that subject and we was just curious to see if the T.V. show was telling the truth or if it was just the show saying that.

During the episode of Boston Legal you are referring to, there was a discussion about whether or not a person with autism could use the autism as a defense for the crime he committed. Ultimately, the accused man chose not to use autism as a defense in the episode. In real life, The Asperger’s Defense has been used successfully …
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“Aspergers diagnosis and the DSM 5 proposed changes – What are the pros and cons of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and their plan to change the diagnosis of Aspergers to autism, without the current separations?”

Hi and welcome to this week’s post which tackles the controversial plans to change the diagnosis of Aspergers on DSM5 -

In February 2010, the American Psychiatric Association released a draft of the possible revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM.  The current version, the DSM-IV, contains somewhat complicated diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder, which includes Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, Asperger Syndrome, and includes reference to Rett’s Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

The APA plans to revise the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorder, simplifying the criteria and removing the distinctive divisions.  With this revision, there will no longer be a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome or PDD-NOS.  All individuals who meet the criteria will be given a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders.   The reasoning for these changes is to create a more consistent diagnosis, and a spectrum-type diagnosis may solve the problems of inconsistency.   This will eliminate the need to diagnose an individual based on the severity of the condition.

Two people with the diagnosis of PDD-NOS may have dissimilar abilities.  The same is true for two people diagnosed with Autism, or with Asperger’s Syndrome.  Because these diagnoses are all part of the larger spectrum, you will find differing abilities throughout.  The APA feels the new DSM-V criteria will create a uniform diagnosis for individuals on the Autism Spectrum.

Some experts and individuals are not in agreement with the proposed revisions.  There are definite pros and cons to the proposed changes in the opinions of medical professionals and the public, including those directly affected by these revisions.  Here are the most common pros and cons.

Pros

*    More services could be available for all levels of ability.  Most services require a diagnosis of classic Autism, leaving out the mildly affected individuals.
*    All related health problems can be recognized and treated.  People with Autism Spectrum Disorder often suffer with anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, seizures, and sensory integration dysfunction, along with Autism.

Cons

*    Some people feel that milder cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder, those normally diagnosed as PDD-NOS or Asperger’s Syndrome, are more likely to be missed or not to qualify for the new ASD diagnosis.
*    Some people believe that the less affected individuals will not want the stigma of Autism placed on them.  Asperger’s Syndrome carries a more neutral connotation than Autism.
*   To the person affected by Asperger’s, the diagnosis is part of who they are, and changing that to Autism may be extreme and cause anxiety.

I firmly believe that these changes are not helpful for people with Aspergers and their family members. Many people with Aspergers are comfortable with, and even embracing of, their diagnosis of Aspergers. It can even be a sense of identity and pride. To take this away and just “lump” people in the much broader Autistic Spectrum category is a mistake. Also over time I believe that the general public is slowly becoming to hear about and understand (at least a little bit) what Aspergers is. So if the diagnosis is lost in a broader Spectrum – this understanding level will need to start all over again. Finally on a practical level what about all the support groups, practitioners, authors, resources, educational programs etc, that are all specifically set up to help people with the diagnosis of Aspergers? They will all have to change or cease to exist – which can only impact negatively on the lives of people with Aspergers and their families.

Because of the division of agreement, the APA has posted the proposed revisions online at www.DSM5.org The public will be able to post comments on the website until April 20, 2010.  The APA will include the voice of the public in the final decision on whether these revisions become permanent.

So I implore you to make your voice heard on this topic before April 20, 2010– here’s what you need to do …

Read about the proposed changes at http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=97#

Register for free at http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Registration.aspx

Then login at http://www.DSM5.org and go to

http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=97 to comment on the proposed changes.

Thanks for reading and please make your voice heard today!

Best Wishes

Dave Angel

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