Asbergers Syndrome from yourhealthcare.net

Asbergers Syndrome (from FAAAS.org )
Asperger’s Syndrome is a newly recognized neurological disorder. It shares many of the same characteristics of autism, although people with Asperger’s Syndrome do not have the accompanying disabilities. Those afflicted with this syndrome have difficulty understanding what those around them think and feel. As a result of this, they often behave inappropriately in social situations, or do things that may appear to be unkind or callous.

Many Asperger sufferers have a difficult time in planning and coping with change despite average or above-average intelligence. This manifests itself as a notable lack of ‘common sense’. There are many nuances to how this disorder affects the lives of those afflicted as well as the lives of their families.

Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest.

They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see.

It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting".

The name "Asperger" comes from Hans Asperger, an Austrian physician who first described the syndrome in 1944.

Asperger Syndrome By Rosalyn Lord
Social Interaction Children with Asperger Syndrome have poor social skills. They can not read the social cues and, therefore, they don't give the right social and emotional responses. They can lack the desire to share information and experiences with others. These problems are less noticeable with parents and adults, but it leads to an inability to make age appropriate friends. This in turn can lead to frustration and subsequent behavior problems. They find the world a confusing place. They are often alone, some are happy like this, others are not. They are more noticeably different among peer groups in unstructured settings i.e. playgrounds.

Their naiveté can cause them to be bullied and teased unless care is taken by assistants or buddies to integrate and help protect them. They can often focus on small details and fail to see the overall picture of what is happening in any situation.

Communication Both verbal and nonverbal communications pose problems. Spoken language is often not entirely understood, so it should be kept simple, to a level they can understand. Take care to be precise. Metaphor s (non-literal expressions - 'food for thought') and similes (figures of speech - 'as fit as a fiddle') have to be explained as children with Asperger Syndrome tend to make literal and concrete interpretations. Language acquisition - learning to speak - in some cases can be delayed. They make much use of phrases they have memorized, although they may not be used in the right context. A certain amount of translation may be needed in order to understand what they are trying to say. Spoken language can sometimes be odd, perhaps they don't have the local accent or they are too loud for a situation or overly formal or speak in a monotonous tone.

If the child with Asperger Syndrome has a good level of spoken language you must not assume their understanding is at the same level . Some talk incessantly (hyperverbal) often on a topic of interest only to themselves without knowing the boredom of the listener. Difficulties in using the right words or forming conversations is part of semantic-pragmatic difficulties. They appear often to talk 'at' rather than 'to' you, giving information rather that holding proper conversations.

Body language and facial expressions of a child with Asperger Syndrome can appear odd (stiff eye gaze rather than eye contact) and find 'reading' these things in others gives rise to further difficulties. Early age is known as Hyperlexia. Some children have remarkable reading abilities although you should check if they also understand the text. The ability to read fluently without understanding the meaning is known as Hyperlexia. . They usually excel at rote memory - learning information without understanding, but it can still be an asset.

Attempts should always be made to explain everything in a way they can understand. Don't assume because they parrot information back that they know what they are talking about. Education If the child with Asperger Syndrome is to be educated in a mainstream school it is important that the correct amount of support is made available. In order to get the correct support a Statement of Special Educational Needs should be drawn up from the various advice's supplied by you and the specialists. This procedure, when it begins, can take 6 months and be a very stressful and confusing time - don't be afraid to contact people who can help, this need not be a professional it may just be someone who has done it all before.

It is beneficial if the school of your choice is willing to learn about the difficulties that they and the child will face, some schools are better than other on this score. Looking at several schools will give a better picture of exactly what is available. The support currently offered in mainstream school is by Special Support Assistants (SSA) for a certain number of hours each week based on the child's needs in order to help the child access the curriculum and develop in a social setting. A support teacher with specialist knowledge of Autism should support the child, SSA, teacher and school in understanding and teaching the child. Other professional input may also be required such as speech and language therapy to help develop skills.

The home/school link is vital, a diary can prove invaluable giving two way communication on achievements and problems on a regular basis. Helpful Strategies There are many things you can do to help your child better understand the world and in doing so make everyone's lives a little easier. The ideas below are only suggestions which you may or may not find helpful.
• Keep all your speech simple - to a level they understand.
• Keep instructions simple ... for complicated jobs use lists or pictures.
• Try to get confirmation that they understand what you are talking about/or asking - don't rely on a stock yes or no - that they like to answer with.
• Explain why they should look at you when you speak to them.... encourage them, give lots of praise for any achievement - especially when they use a social skill without prompting.
• In some young children who appear not to listen - the act of 'singing' your words can have a beneficial effect.
• Limit any choices to two or three items.
• Limit their 'special interest' time to set amounts of time each day if you can.
• Use turn taking activities as much as possible, not only in games but at home too.
• Warn them of any changes, and give warning prompts if you want them to finish a task... 'when you have colored that in we are going shopping'.
• Try to build in some flexibility in their routine, if they learn early that things do change and often without warning - it can help.
• Don't always expect them to 'act their age' they are usually immature and you should make some allowances for this.
• Try to identify stress triggers - avoid them if possible -be ready to distract with some alternative 'come and see this...' etc.
• Find a way of coping with behavior problems - perhaps trying to ignore it if it's not too bad or hugging sometimes can help.
• Promises and threats you make will have to be kept - so try not to make them too lightly.
• Teach them some strategies for coping - telling people who are teasing perhaps to 'go away' or to breathe deeply and count to 20 if they feel the urge to cry in public.
• Begin early to teach the difference between private and public places and actions, so that they can develop ways of coping with more complex social rules later in life.
• Let them know that you love them - wart's an' all' - and that you are proud of them.

It can be very easy with a child who rarely speaks not to tell them all the things you feel inside. Remember, they are children just like the rest, they have their own personalities, abilities, likes and dislikes - they just need extra support, patience and understanding from everyone around them.

Autism & Asberger's Syndrome Nutritional Recommendations: It's critical to have them eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables ( high fiber diet). Eating 50-75% raw foods, including large amount of fruits and vegetables ( void of pesticides/chemicals ), brown rice, lentils and potatoes.
Protein: beans, legumes, fish, raw nuts and seeds, skinless white turkey (with no added hormones or antibiotics), tofu and low fat all natural yogurt.

Eliminate: Alcohol, caffeine, canned and packaged foods, carbonated beverages, chocolate, all junk food, refined and processed foods, salt sugar sweets, saturated fats, soft drinks and white flour. Avoid all foods that contain artificial flavors and colors, MSG, or preservatives. Avoid fried and fatty foods such as bacon, cold cuts luncheon meats, gravies, ham, sausage and avoid all dairy products except for low fat soured products.

Avoid wheat and wheat products, drink steamed distilled water, eat frequent small meals.

Research strongly shows many autistic people are sensitive to dairy products, and may be sensitive to strawberries, citrus fruits, behavior reactions to these foods can be seen immediately or within 36 hours of consumption.

Dosages listed are for adults. For ages 12-17 reduce to 3/4 amounts, child 6-12 use 1/2 the amounts and children under 6 use 1/4 amounts.
Always use supplements with no added artificial colors or flavors, no yeast, dairy or wheat.