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29.4.09

PARENTING AUTISM & ASPERGER’S NEWSLETTER

April 2009

Inside this edition you will find:

1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Asperger’s Syndrome and Crime

2. In the News – Cambridge offers place to rejected teen with Asperger’s Syndrome

3. Prominent People Linked with ASD - Richard Ewen Borcherds, British mathematician and Fields Medalist

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1. Hot Topic of Discussion - Asperger’s Syndrome and Crime

It has always been a hot topic for discussion whether there is a direct association between Asperger’s syndrome and violent crimes and offenses. Some media reports suggest that a person with Asperger’s Syndrome may be more likely to develop criminal behavior because of issues with social skills/communication. However, arguments from the other end of the spectrum disputes these findings, stating that people with Asperger’s Syndrome are more likely to be victims than offenders. And I have to say I am pretty much in favor of this end of the debate from personal experience.

Efforts to further increase the awareness of Asperger’s Syndrome is still needed to extend the understanding of this condition in order to recognize and avoid misconceptions and confusion. Awareness of this condition within criminal courts also has grown over the past few years and certain measures have been in effect in order to respond to the nature of Asperger’s syndrome. But it’s still a work in progress!

To read the full article, go to: http://www.mugsy.org/connor111.htm

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

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2. In the News – Cambridge offers place to teen with Asperger’s Syndrome

When Alex Goodenough, 17, applied to study at a local secondary school, his application for enrollment was refused due to his diagnosis. Hertfordshire and Essex High School and Science College rejected Alex initially because of he has Asperger’s Syndrome.

Alex, a self-taught and home schooled boy, used this experience as his motivation to excel in the math courses and physics modules he took at another regular school. His hard work and efforts were rewarded when he won a conditional offer to study Engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Prior to his application to Hertfordshire, Alex was enrolled at another school where his mother also used to work. There, Alex completed his first year of A-levels but planned to transfer to H&E which is near their Bishop’s Stratford home after his mother left her job.

The high school has offered a written apology for the unfair treatment of Alex “for a reason related to his disability”.

To read the full article, go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/20/aspergers-school-rejection-cambridge

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

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3. Prominent People Linked with ASD - Richard Ewen Borcherds, British mathematician and Fields Medalist

Richard Ewen Borcherds was born on November 29, 1959 in Cape Town. He is a British mathematician who was honored with a Fields Medal in 1998. A Fields Medal is the highest honor for a mathematician to receive. It is awarded every four years and is said to be the “Nobel Prize” of Mathematics.

Borcherds, who grew up in Birmingham, was a top student of his class and has shown potential to be a great chess player. He graduated from Cambridge University and taught in Cambridge and University of California-Berkeley after getting his doctorate. Currently, he is a Mathematics professor in Berkely.

In an interview with The Guardian, Borcherds said that he considers the possibility of him having symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome.

To see the full text of the article go to: http://simonsingh.net/Fields_Medallist.html

The person mentioned above may or may not have Asperger’s Syndrome.


The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide: A Complete
Resource Guide For Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed
With Aspergers Syndrome.

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How to Prevent Meltdowns in Aspergers Children

Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and the Asperger’s child are totally exhausted. But...

Don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next - the meltdown can return in full force.

If your child suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, expect him to experience both minor and major meltdowns over incidents that are part of daily life. He may have a major meltdown over a very small incident, or may experience a minor meltdown over something that is major. There is no way of telling how he is going to react about certain situations. However, there are many ways to help your child learn to control his emotions.

Click here for the full article...

Parenting Defiant Aspergers Teens

Although Aspergers is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager with Aspergers are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the Aspergers teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

The standard disciplinary techniques that are recommended for “typical” teenagers do not take into account the many issues facing a child with a neurological disorder. Violent rages, self-injury, isolation-seeking tendencies and communication problems that arise due to auditory and sensory issues are just some of the behaviors that parents of teens with Aspergers will have to learn to control.

Parents need to come up with a consistent disciplinary plan ahead of time, and then present a united front and continually review their strategies for potential changes and improvements as the Aspergers teen develops and matures.

Click here to read the full article…

Aspergers Children “Block-Out” Their Emotions

Parenting children with Aspergers can be a daunting task. In layman’s terms, Aspergers is a developmental disability that affects the way children develop and understand the world around them, and is directly linked to their senses and sensory processing. This means they often use certain behaviors to block out their emotions or response to pain.

Although they may vary slightly from person to person, children with Aspergers tend to have similar symptoms, the main ones being:

=> A need to know when everything is happening in order not to feel completely overwhelmed
=> A rigid insistence on routine (where any change can cause an emotional and physiological meltdown)
=> Difficulties with social functioning, particularly in the rough and tumble of a school environment
=> Obsessive interests, with a focus on one subject to the exclusion of all others
=> Sensory issues, where they are oversensitive to bright light, loud sounds and unpleasant smells
=> Social isolation and struggles to make friends due to a lack of empathy, and an inability to pick up on or understand social graces and cues (such as stopping talking and allowing others to speak)

Click here to read the full article…

Living with an Aspergers Spouse/Partner

Research reveals that the divorce rate for people with Aspergers is around 80%. Why so high!? The answer may be found in how the symptoms of Aspergers affect intimate relationships.

People with Aspergers often find it difficult to understand others and express themselves. They may seem to lose interest in people over time, appear aloof, and are often mistaken as self-centered, vain individuals.

A person with Aspergers may have trouble understanding the emotions of their partner, and the subtle messages that are sent by facial expression, eye contact and body language are often missed. Because of this, a person with Aspergers might be seen as egotistical, selfish or uncaring.

These are unfair labels, because the affected individuals are neurologically unable to understand other people's emotional states, and they are usually shocked, upset and remorseful when told their actions were hurtful or inappropriate!

Click here to read the full article…

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