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My 11 year old son was diagnosed with AS 2 years ago. I have been tring to find out all I can about AS. He has a very High IQ and he has had a difficult time with peers. Is there anything that I can do to help him?

Check out "nutbag's blog" on this site. I have tried to describe AS from inside so hat those outside it can understand. Several parents have replied that it has been of assistance.

And thank you for your obvious care for your aspiekid!

Welcome to WP!

Tim

Welcome Ladydot.

Your question is a little on the vague side.Could you tell us more about your son?What are his interests,any school problems,sensory issues or behavior problems?There is also a parents forum here where you can get information to specific issues.I am sure peple would be happy to respond to any specific challenges you both might be having.It's good to do as much reading on the topic as you can but I personally feel you might get better input here,from people who have AS then even some "experts".Everyone with As has their own unique set of life experiences and challenges....so answers may very.

There are a couple ways that you can start out

1. DO NOT treat his neurotype as a burden and a tragedy:
Sadly to say, my parents treated my aspergers this way due to the fact that it was thought to be a disability (as it still is by those who haven't seen the full picture... and also by the arrogant and ignorant fools). This parental attitude WILL rub off on your child as shame, low-self esteem, and self-hatred. He is already going to feel ashamed due to the fact that he's "alone" (since it seems to be human nature, when we think we're all alone, we all feel so ashamed), don't add to his pain. Celebrate what he is, uniqueness and individually are hard to find at his age.

Neurotypes seem to have many "friends" and seem to find out that some of them are not really "friends" at all. His neurotype and uniqueness is a filter system to help him find actual and loyal friends.

Remember, Disability in your son's case is a very DIRTY word. If I were running this forum, I would sooner censor out this word than "f**k". It's the equivalent to calling someone in America who speaks only spanish as "disabled" I highly suggest you correct those who use it in reference to your son, words are much more hurtful to us aspies since we take the literal words sometimes as the message instead of the what's between the lines. For those who scoff at you when you correct them, be sure to use a tone that tells them to keep it to themselves anyway. You're a parent, this is the best way to protect your child.

3. Try not to put your faith in psychomedications. Remember, these drugs were tested out on neurotypicals, NOT those on the autistic spectrum. It's 100 times the risk when a drug is prescribed to us, almost a damnation game if you would like to call it. Read the following article to see what psych meds and psychiatrists getting kick backs can possibly do to your child http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/0 ... diagnosis/

4. Find a support group. In my opinion, if you can find it, go for a group run by aspies for aspies.

5. LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD!! !! !! My parents often didn't listen to me because I was the youngest and had aspergers. Be sure to not dismiss the literal context (the words).

6. Yes, it's true, you're parenting experience will be a little tougher than raising a neurotypical child, but it's for the following reason. Society is not set up for the aspie neurotype... period.

If you have questions, comments, concerns, etc, Please feel free to send me a private message. I would be more than happy to help you out. The fact that you are seeking out knowledge on aspergers shows that you are on the right path to being a great parent of an aspie, but if the knowledge is for "dealing" with the "problem" than you have already failed. Remember this.

Welcome to WP!

Oh, almost forgot,

WELCOME!! !

Welcome and i am new here too.

Hi welcome!

Welcome to WrongPlanet

What can be hard to realize is that kids his age are NOT his peers. They are just the people he is stuck with now. He will likely have a much better time with interesting adults. When I was eleven, all my best friends were in their sixties and had white hair. (I love that I am slowly getting white hair in my fifties.)
He needs to join clubs that will accommodate his interests. I wish I could have joined a mushroom society, but my parents and I did not know such existed.
If he is being tormented in school, as I think 99.9% of us in WP have been, it would help him to find another situation if you can work it at all.

WOW, You said what I have implied, and wanted to say! But what is a "mushroom society"?

Steve

Welcome to WP, ladydot!

I was diagnosed with AS a few months back and I am starting to realize why I acted the way I did back then. Here are just some things that might/will happen.

1. He will get an obsession. What I mean is that he will become highly knowledgeable in a certain area or subject, like light bulbs, movies, etc.

2. He might experience bullying. As a child, I was basically the butt of many jokes and was often made fun of a lot by most of my peers. There really isn't much you can do, but listen and symptahsize for your child and interviene when things turn dangerous.

3. He will be different. This isn't a bad thing, just know that his personality will be a little eccentric as he grows.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or any one of the fine (no, superfine) people here!

I hope you enjoy your time here.
*STI awarded for being so open*

A mycological society is a club that meets once a month to discuss mushrooms and has members that go out to the woods to pick mushrooms to eat. Once a year they have a survivor's banquet.