Does anyone know anything about Asperger's Syndrome?

Question

My 12 year old step-son was just diagnosed with this and now we have to take him to see a psycologist. What will they do to further test him? And do you know if the schools are required to give him extra help? He has a really hard time in school and the teachers are not really helping him right now as he has just been labeled a problem child. But with this new diagnosis are they required to give him the "special" help he needs? (He lives with his father and I and his bio mom is no help what so ever.) Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you and have a blessed day!

Answer 1

I used to work at a university special needs office and met a few students with Asperger's - so I hope knowing this gives you hope for his academic future. What I know is with any kind of learning disability diagnosis, accommodation MUST be provided in the school system. His MD/psychologist should recommend what kind of accommodations would be helpful to your step-son. However, some school districts are better (=more funding) than others, so you would have to look into this. Keep all his medical/psychological tests and document meetings with administrators/teachers. Keep really good records because later on, if he wants to go on to higher education, the admissions committee will take his situation in account if his grades aren't the best. I'm jumping ahead - but it helps to know these things now. Good luck to you all!

Answer 2

Asperger's Syndrome is part of the Autism spectrum disorders. It is actually at the "lower" end meaning that it is not as severe. Of course, even Asperger's can have a range of severity. One of the biggest issues with this disorder is the difficulty with social skills. Usually individuals with this disorder do not have much empathy, have poor eye contract, may not like to be touched, and have difficulty carrying on a normal conversation. They also tend to obsess about things. Does your step son seem to love Pokemon or baseball or something else to the point where it drives you nuts? I'm not sure what state you are in, but this is definately a mental health diagnosis and in most places this would require the school to provide special services.

Answer 3

Hi. My son is now ten and he has Asperger's Syndrome. The psychologist will spend time with him so he/she can gauge how he's handling anxiety or haveing any depression - plus kids ("normal" or not) sometimes feel more comfortable talking to person who doesn't judge,or be harsh.

Also the school is obliged to have an IEP meeting so you can set up behaviour goals and academic goals, and you can request a paraprofessional who is a person who will be with your son all day to help him stay on task. If you find you're having a difficult time with IEP's there are organizations who have advocates to come to the IEP's with you to help insure that you get everything needed for your child to succeed.

The best hing you can do is READ up on it and learn as much as you can about and go with your gut feelings, regarding medication and other things that will be recommended to you.

Don't feel "bullied" into putting him on to medicine, if you don't feel it will help or you are hesitant. There are other things like diet, vitamins, omega 3 oils and staying away from pure orange juice that can help. A wheat and gluten free diet can be benificial to a person on the autism spectrum. Another diet would be the Feigold diet. Both stay away from food dyes. Also don't be afraid to have his blood tested for heavy metals, like mercury.

The article below is interesting, just so you know.

I truely wish you the best of luck on this jouney.Remember that's what it truely is. Autism is not a curse. These are kids who just think differently, out side of the box.

If you ever need to talk feel free to email me.

Answer 4

My son age 9 has Aspergers Syndrome. He was diagnosed with it a few years ago and yes the school has to give him extra help. I go to meetings at the school 2 times a year to go over everything with the teacher and others. They modify his work, he is required to sit near the teacher where he can see her and she can see him, becuase he has problems staying focused and he gets help with state tests etc....The school will go through their own testing with him, because they dont go by an outside doctor, but it was basically the same. THey brought in a psychologist and evaluated him, and they do this every year. He also gets some Occupational Therapy in school too. If you have any other questions you can email me. My email is open in my profile.

Answer 5

I don't know any thing medically about Aspergers but i know someone who has it.my son was at nursery with a boy who was very disruptive violent and prone to manic outbursts.other parents spoke about the child(including myself)saying he was getting out of control and she should do more to control him.this behavior carried on till he was in id say primary 2 when he was diagnosed with Aspergers i thought it was linked to autism but wasn't sure.the guilt i felt at judging him and his mother was enormous.i know he is now on medication and whatever it is seems to have helped a lot he,s a lot calmer and my son says he,s a nice boy now he doesn't hit (much!!) anymore.he,s also in the top group for reading and writing i know they have a classroom assistant who spends a lot of time with him not because he has special needs but because he lacks concentration and his attention span is very short.he,s growing up to be a smart little cookie he just needs a little more help than some.i hope you get the support you need .

Answer 6

— also referred to as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger's, or just AS — is one of five neurobiological pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) that is characterized by deficiencies in social and communication skills. It is considered to be part of the autistic spectrum and is differentiated from other PDDs and from high functioning autism (HFA) in that early development is normal and there is no language delay. It is possible for people with AS to have learning disabilities concurrently with Asperger syndrome. In these cases, differential diagnosis is essential to identify subsequent support requirements. Conversely, IQ tests may show normal or superior intelligence,[1][2] and standard language development compared with classical autism. The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the lack of adoption of a standardized diagnostic screen, and, instead, the use of several different screening instruments and sets of diagnostic criteria. The exact cause of AS is unknown and the prevalence is not firmly established, due partly to the use of differing sets of diagnostic criteria.

Asperger syndrome was named in honor of Hans Asperger (1906-1980), an Austrian psychiatrist and pediatrician, by researcher Lorna Wing, who first used the eponym in a 1981 paper.[3] In 1994, AS was recognized in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as Asperger's Disorder.[4]

AS is often not identified in early childhood, and many individuals do not receive diagnosis until after puberty or when they are adults. Assistance for core symptoms of AS consists of therapies that apply behavior management strategies and address poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. Many individuals with AS can adopt strategies for coping and do lead fulfilling lives - being gainfully employed, getting married or having successful relationships, and having families. In most cases, they are aware of their differences and recognize when they need support to maintain an independent life.[5] There are instances where adults do not realize that they have AS personalities until they are having difficulties with relationships and/or attending relationship counseling. Recognition of the very literal and logical thought processes that are symptomatic of AS can be a tremendous help to both partners in a close/family relationship.

Answer 7

it's a pervasive developmentarian disorder. Similar to autistic.characterized by severe impairment of social interaction.