Just Diagnosed with Asperger's

Hi T.,
I'm so sorry you're going through this. I do not have first-hand experience, and I know what I'm about to say is not the same...but, it could lead you on a new path.

My husband and I have read up on autism quite a bit. My uncle was born mentally handicapped. That and today's autism concerns, led me to look into it. Again, I know asperbergers is not autism.

But, I found a lot of information about there about how diet can greatly affect a child's mental capacity/abilities, etc. Jenny McCarthy has been a very strong, loud voice due to learning about and helping her own son through autism.

She has a website, where you can learn more. I hope that helps!
www.generationrescue.org

I think it is great that you have such a positive attitude towards this diagnosis. I just wanted to say that i have taught many students with asperger's and they were awesome students and had very fun, dry, whitty, senses of humor. They were often my favorite students. I taught 8th grade and they interacted with the other kids well just differently.

Just yesterday I was researching Autism and EFT. Here's some links I found:
Autism and EFT
http://www.emofree.com/Articles2/autism-improvement-lewis...
http://www.emofree.com/Articles2/autism-horseback-riding.htm
http://www.emofree.com/cases/balance.htm scroll down to last story
http://www.emofree.com/children/underdevelopment.htm not sure if this one is autism.

These children are often overloaded with toxic metals and have chemical sensitivities. A proper diet to avoid further irritation to his brain is crucial. Dairy and gluten tend to make it worse. Zinc deficiency is common since mercury (from thimerisol in some vaccines for one example) blocks zinc uptake.

If you'd like a nutritional consult just fill out the form on my website at the end of the movie or call me:

S. Hoehner
www.sharethecause.com/detoxqueen

I am also a teacher turned stay-at-home mommy, and loving the transition! Though it's a little hard in September, isn't it? :)

I just wanted to let you know that I've taught 4 wonderful students with Asperger's, all of whom were highly functional and really bright! They were all identified a little later than your son (2nd-5th grades), but were very successful in learning social skills with the support of various specialists in our school. A speech therapist can really help with language (sometimes kids with Asperger's can speak a little louder than they realize, or with less expression), and this can make a huge difference in social situations. Our counselor also helped my students a ton- both by encouraging them to talk about their emotions (often difficult for them to get in touch with), and also to help them role-play appropriate responses to social situations. Both specialists helped my students learn to listen well in conversations- a skill many of us could still use some work on!

One of the biggest challenges I saw was with bullying, and the counseling played a large role in helping these kids respect and stand up for themselves appropriately.

My advice is to keep talking, talking, talking to him! About everything! The more he talks about how he feels, the better. And if possible, get him some counseling now. A really good social worker or therapist, particularly someone with experience along the autism spectrum, can help him learn these skills early!

And just to let you know- I still see all of those kids from time to time. They come visit me (or used to, until I stopped teaching this year), and they are doing so well. All of them!

You're such an awesome mom. Your love for your son shines through in your request. I wish all my students were so lucky.

First, I know it can be very difficult to adjust your life to. My son has Aspergers, Tourettes, and several other acronyms the specialists like to tack on for good measure. He is 16 now and a junior in highschool. He is fully integrated into regular classes with supports if he needs them.

The one advice I'd give you is to be fully involved in every aspect of his education. Do NOT let 'the experts' tell you what's best for your son. Be the advocate for your son to get what you want and stand firm on what you don't want. I wasted 5 years in a childrens mental hospital/school where he picked up bad behavior and was allowed to act out but education was not up to par. I pulled him from that center in the 6th grade and forced our school system to take him as a special education student at the 4th grade level. He read at college level but if he sat under his desk all day, they were fine with that! NO WAY! They're there to TEACH not babysit!

Until I pushed for what I thought was best for him, they were content to make him dependant on state support for the rest of his life. UNACCEPTABLE. He is now filling out interest cards for different colleges.

Yes, we still have trouble deciphering what is friendly teasing and what is just plain cruel tauntning, but I educate his "friends" when I get a hold of them. They seldom repeat the behavior and soon learn to overlook his differences to focus on his similarities. Don't be afraid to open people's minds to acceptance of people with differences. Be vocal about fair treatment for all regardless of quirks or poor social skills. He's an adult in training...they all grow up.

Most importantly, steele your heart for all the struggles he'll face. It's hard to watch your kids get hurt and taken advantage of, but even more so when they have special needs. Have high expectations and strive to reach goals, but if they don't reach them, acknowledge you've brought them farther than they would have gotten if your goals were lower. Many people told me my son wouldn't graduate - we're looking at colleges! People told me I'd support him all his life and he'd never get out on his own - he has a work permit and has filled out many applications and had two interviews! Never let others limit your son's potential or limit your dreams for your son's future.

Support groups are good but only if the others are advocating for their kids, too. Some just whine about their struggles but do nothing to change their situation. Many of my support group people were the very people who told me not to put such high expectations on my son. They told me not to push my son so hard. He has problems. He'll only get so far and I need to realize that. BUNK. I pushed and pulled and often dragged him kicking and screaming through every obstacle. I wanted to quit, give up, concede they were right, but my son means more to me than my struggle to make a future possible for him. Now I'm seeing the payoff. He's going to make it to college, he plays piano, he speaks French, he has girls calling our house (grrrr), he's independant. I've given him a chance at a 'normal' future because I wouldn't settle for less.

I've gone on long enough and I'm sure many others have advice, too. Bottom line is YOU have to decide what's best for your son's future. He's an adult in training...they all grow up.

Hi T. -
My son just turned 4 on the 24th and is also diagnosed with mild Asperger's. He is actually opposite of your son and is overly social. He does not respect peoples' space and gets very close to their face when speaking. He is extremely friendly, even with strangers. He also has some sensory integration disorder issues. We started out with Early Intervention when he was 2 and not speaking. I don't know who diagnosed your son, but ours was finally diagnosed by a developmental pediatrician. That would be my suggestion if you have not already seen one. He receives speech therapy and occupational therapy at his preschool (throught an IEP with our local school district). He is very bright and has fit wonderfully into preschool. To me it seems as if Asperger's just gives children certain and different difficulties, but nothing you can't overcome with therapy. I have been told the trick is to catch these issues early (between 2 - 5) and nothing can't be overcome. We work with a home book, which is where the teacher and his therapist write his daily activities and problems, so his Dad and I can work on the same things at home. It works very well. I hope I have helped.
T.

Hi T.,
I'm actually a stay at home dad for our autisic 4.3 yo son. I'm sure you'll learn even more about Asberger in the coming month but let me recommend one book, "How to Understand Autism-The Easy Way" by Alix Durig (Jessica Kingsley Publishers). So many of us have autistic caracteristics and so often they're used in a positive light.
One our closest friends in asberger and is a successful, Yale graduate archetect who would rather work than anything in the world.
Socialization classes could benift anyone and since he shouldn't have any touble learning, with maturity, he'll learn to be more social. Keep up the good attitude, best of luck.
Sincerely, Robert

I'm by no means an expert, but my little brother has Asperger's (but not a "serious" case). In school, he was teased by the other boys - he wasn't really coordinated enough to run and play games with them, so he was picked on a lot. We attended a VERY small elementary school in Eastern Wa. (his class of third graders had only about 8 students, which was then combined with other levels under one teacher, with different lesson plans.) He THRIVED. He was at the top of his class. We moved across the state where he was put into an elementary school and was one of a class of 30. Suddenly, school counselors were talking about ADD, possible behaviour problems, prescribing drugs...he was at the bottom of his class. he was simply UNABLE to focus with so many people and things going on around him.

My mother tried homeschooling, and that went well, but eventually bowed to pressure from her own family and set out to find a "normal school" for him to attend.

My parents moved him to a private school that, crazily enough, was started by a mother with a son who also had Aspergers. The classes were small, the teachers were patient, and the lessons moved just about as fast as the class of 5-10 students could handle. Again, he was thriving and graduated with good grades at the end of high school.

He attended a smaller, private university, instead of the class-of-300 University. He recently graduated, again, with good grades and now is working as an Engineer in a respected firm.

That's just one story...take it for what it's worth. He's found friends who like him for what he is. He has an amazing sense of humour, he's GREAT at listening. (Sometimes he's simply spaced out, but he can usually talk his way out of that if he gets caught. ;-)) When he reached "dating age", he would carry a small pad of paper and a pencil in his pocket at dances, etc, so he could write down names and descriptions of who he met. He would study those, and look for the girls that had REALLY caught his eye next time. :-)

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen such a positive reaction to what would certainly send a lot of us off the deep end.

My older brother, now 39, has Asperger's. If you look back on a lot of the men in our family, it's clear that some of those traits go wayyyy back, with vastly differing circumstances. My granddad was the town pharmacist and a beloved community leader. My uncle is a surgeon, incredibly talented but somewhat awkward to interact with. People seem to ignore the social difficulties the more sucessful the person - almost like they're more willing to think of it as eccentricity associated with intelligence.

My brother's Asperger's is coupled with some pretty severe learning disabilities and a family history of depression, so we all had a pretty complicated time of it when he was growing up, especially him. And especially with bullies, as another mom posted. And all this was a lot tougher in that he was born in 1969 - they had no idea there were any sorts of problems until he was six and started school. (That was around the time I was born, and Mom says he didn't seem to unsettled by the birth of a sibling as he was totally absorbed in the Watergate hearings.) He has only been correctly diagnosed over the past year or so, we got some pretty wacky diagnoses in the past that just didn't fit.

Okay, so this wasn't really the type of response you were looking for.

My sister in law is a theraputic specialist in the fields of Asperger's and Autism. It was through several long conversations with her that I recognized lifelong traits of my brother's as having an uncanny similarity to Asperger's. Obviously she is a big believer in early intervention, as that is her livelihood. She's had some pretty great sucess with her kids, who range in age from 18 mos to five or so.

If I were in your place, and given my family history, that is certainly a possibility, I would go for as much early intervention as you can get. These kids don't learn social cues from other kids spontaneously, and that sets them up for some pretty cruel stuff in school. But they do interact very well with adults, and a caring teacher giving them help with social cues can set them up for an easier time of it when they hit grade school. We would all give our eyeteeth to have been able to help my brother in this way, but alas...

And unlike diagnoses of ADHD, etc., this doesn't involve pharmaceuticals, just occupational therapy, etc., so I figure if they are wrong about the diagnosis, how much can that type of therapy hurt?

Good luck!

Hi T.,
When I taught, I had a student who was just being diagnosed (he was 6). I also have two friends who have boys on the Autistic spectrum.
First of all, your approach and attitude to your son's diagnosis is your best asset in helping him! I highly recommend you start researching your area's services. Parents need to be their children's best advocates - and it can be difficult to break through the red tape to even find out what is an option. Every child is different and there is a huge range of services that may or may not benefit your son and your family. Find out about the options that don't even seem to fit him right now - because the more educated in the system you are the better. And keep learning how policies change and what else is new because as your son grows the services will change.
**Additional comment:
Also continue in depth physical/biological exams. Many children on the spectrum have other biological issues - such as digestion/allergies, eczema, etc. A friend just learned that her son who always watched tv sideways, couldn't maintain eye contact, etc. has double vision. This was found by a neurological optomologist - her regular pediatrician said he had 20/20 vision.

Your son will be fine. I have a son with asperger's and he is such a great kid. We did not get a diagnosis until he was 8 years old, he is 12 now. You are very fortunate to find out so early. There are social skill groups for all ages. Go online to find them in your area. Start reading anything you can get your hands on because the more you understand about how he thinks/feels the easier it will be for both of you. The main thing is you will just have to coach him through different social situations, explaining how to behave, what to expect, etc. Please don't hesitate to contact me. It is very helpful to talk to others in the same situations. Keep in mind that some of the most successful people have Asperger's. (Bill Gate for example) We do have an IEP in place at school which just makes things a lttle easier. Good luck. Everything will be fine!!!

Hi!

{hugs} to you and your family! i'm the sister of someone with aspergers so I understand what you are going through (obviously to a point). my brother is 42 years old and unfortunately services weren't available...today the story is much different. check out (ask your pediatrician) about whatever services are aviable for him...at this age he can gain and learn SO much. Early Intervention is a service which is avialble to kids up to three only...there are services that go beyond that so I would ask what the follow up services are to early intervention in your area! best of luck to you!

I my opinion too many kids are being 'diagnosed' into categories. Years ago kids were shy or dreamers or had a lot of energy. NOW they have Asperger's, ADD or ADHD. Lord only knows what category Bill Gates would have been stuck in or how much medication he would have been given. I know we never would be typing on our PC's. This is personal pet peeve. Seems the educators want every kid to sit quiet and respond when asked, like little robots. Can you say 1984?
Don't worry about your son, he will be fine, just keep him away from doctors who like to diagnose. It's a proven fact that many kids on the 'autism spectrum' are extremely bright.

Hi T.,
Congratulations to you for such a great attitude. Aspberger's is something that is surprisingly common and there are many ways to work with a child with this syndrome. What you may want to do is get plenty of good information about the how's and why's of Aspbergers and yes, I definitely think you should notify his school. Teachers and staff can prepare much better when they know what to expect, and they won't (hopefully) put unfair expectations on your son. They can also plan academic and social interventions if needed. You can also request educational testing so that by law he will be provided the services he needs in order to succeed in school, whether it is extended testing time, having tests read to him or other modifications. If you feel you would like and benefit from a second medical opinion, you owe it to your self and your family to get one. This diagnosis, as you know, is not the end of the world and he is still your child and of course you still love him and want the best for him. Just be proactive in his education and socialization and he and your family will be fine. I know quite a few successful adults with Aspberger's. You may even want to seek out some in your area to talk with about their experiences growing up. Best wishes to you and your family.

Just wanted to clarify some things for you that were discussed on the message boards. Early intervention services are only for children between birth and 3 years of age. I would see if you can get a child study team evaluation for your son to see what services he may need/qualify for. This is a comprehensive service that can be done by the public school districts or through pediatric hospitals, e.g., Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside. You sound like a wonderful and very involved parent and I wish you all the best of luck!

Hi T.,
Like the other responses, I commend you for reaching out for advice and for accepting your son's condition. I am a special education teacher who is expecting for the first time! I have worked w/ many children on the autistic spectrum including Asperger's syndrome. My recommendation is, like someone mentioned before, is to seek out early intervention from your state and local agencies. I am a firm believer in it and I have seen progress in many students that have done it. Your son will be evaluated to see if he qualifies for services. If he does, they will find a program or provide services at your home according to his needs. I know that if services (speech therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, play therapy,etc.) are provided at your home, it is done on a pay scale according to what you qualify for. THe programs outside your home are usually free. Remember, you have rights and you are your son's BEST ADVOCATE!! If your school district doesn't have an early intervention program, they have to find one that will and provide transportation! Hope this helps and good luck! DOn't be intimidated by what people say. Your son is probably such a smart little boy that just needs a guidance in the social dept. He is very special & make sure you challenge him!

Hi T.
Is Asperger's Syndrome genetic? Do family members have it? Just thoughts to think about. My suggestion is to look into some alternative therapies. You are home anyway and they can be fun. You have nothing to do that is more important than him because you are opting to stay home with him. Also check with alternative medicine people. Your local health food store may be able to help.
I am working with Intervention Therapy now with some young children, it helps many things. I am not far enough in to know whether it helps social behaviors because that is not our issue yet.
God bless you
Talk to your mom, she may have stories
K. SAHM married 38 years to the greatest hard working man who loves me even when I am not lovable, 4 adult children 37, 32 married and gave us a grandson this summer, and twins 18.

My son was diagnosed at age 2 with PDD-NOS, which is also an autism spectrum disorder. He had some of the characteristics of autism, but not all, and some with mild severity. In any case, early intervention is the key. And EI in NYC is wonderful. We had a great home based program when he was younger, and then he transitioned to a mainstream preschool with support. He's 8 now, and he goes to a school for children on the spectrum since the other options just didn't work for us. (Too many kids in the class, or not enough support, etc.)

But early diagnosis and intervention is really the best thing you can do. And in NYC there are so many resources to choose from, including soccer, swimming, and all sort of other things aimed at special needs kids, that have extra staff and take into account the emotional needs of the participants. (And the parents!)

Good luck!

I compliment you on not being devastated. He's your son - he's no different - he just has more access to services that may help him now! I read through most of the posts. I am a speech therapist and have said for years - there is a fine line between genius and asperger's. Yes - labels may be used too much - and chances are - there are more people out there that we see as 'quirky' - but still nice and pleasant as well as successful! As for Nan D - I've thought the same things about Bill Gates and others like him!! But - coming from a speech therapy standpoint - in response to the mom who said buck the system and push for your son - the experts don't know everything and may put your son into the box that fits best.......RIGHT ON!!!!!!! In this field - many therapists/teachers think they know best (you may know that already from personal experience!!). You know your son better than we ever will. Now - we may know a diagnosis and treatment methods - but if it's not working for you and your family - voice that. Take advice into account - but you are your son's best advocate. There is one family that will always stand out in my mind - their daughter has autism - they had 2 other children - but they didn't have 2 sons and a child with autism. They had 3 kids - they were wonderful in some ways and drove them crazy in others. It didn't matter one had a disability - they were one family and it sounds like you are well on your way to that with your mindset and openness. Good luck!

I am a special education teacher so I know about the process. I would call your school district to let them know about the diagnosis. They will probably have a committee meeting including a special education teacher and school psychologist to discuss your son's diagnosis and any needs he may have. You and your husband should attend to discuss your son and his needs so that, if needed, an individual education plan (IEP) can be set up with your input. The committee will use your input to decide if he needs services and what goals (social/emotional and any other areas he needs help with) will be. The district may want to to additional testing, which the psychologist will most likely do. The committee may decide that your son does not need any additional help at this point but it's best to discuss your options with the professionals at the school.

If you are in the Bronx, check out the Rose Kennedy center that is located in Jacobi Hospital Grounds. My 23 year old son was diagnosed with Aspergers and ADD in Kindergarten. He is now a college graduate. We went to there for his therapy, his tutoring and other needs. Not the prettiest place, but they were very thorough and supportive. I got support for him all the way through to High School. All of the evaluations and everything. He still does not like to talk on the phone and has some other little "quirks", like certain sounds and situations. but he learned to have friends and BOY do he have a social life now!

My sugestion: Get familiar with the IDEA -Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the ADA -Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and advocate for your son at the District CSE- committee for Special Education.
Keep a copy ALL of your documents! ALL of them, everything you sign. things get lost quite often.
Also walk with a copy of the addendum to IDEA to every meeting, havie it bookmarked to relevant topics. Do not depend on the parent advocate on the CSE committee, they are usually yes men for the School district because they get paid a stipend. I remember I knew more than my advocate.
When you show yourself as a parent who is well informed, you get alot more support from the CSE.

Last piece of advice is this. Private schools do not help unless they are specifically for children with disability. They get no district support for special education and you have no rights. You can only get it from Public school system.

You are on the right track. I love your spirit. Getting help at this young age is crucial. If you need any help at all, please contact me here. My son is proof positive that this is an obstacle that can be overcome.

HI! I don't have experience but I do know that if you contact your local school district they can stear you to help. I have heard of "play therapy" groups being used for aspergers. I'm sure there are other options as well.

I had to use the school services several years ago (my daughter was 2yo) for speach therapy for my daughter who is now 7yo and talks a mile a minute! I know it is different case but "therapy" has also helped my friends daughter who is said to be autistic but aspergers was also discussed. I don't remember if she was "diagnosed" with that or not but she is an awesome. amazing kid and everyone loves her! A.

I would look at the autismspeaks.com website. They have loads of information for parents and families. You can find local resources from this site too.

Hi T., our 2.5 y/o son was diagnosed with PDD, they really were not sure what to do with him b/c he did not have all the signs of this disorder. But, he definately was not very social, but since recieving speech therapy, his socialization skills have improved substantially! As Louis learns to verbalize his wants and needs, his social skills will get better. But, he may never be the "social butterfly" as you stated, but getting therapy (hopefuly in school and at home , so you can continue the theraphy on your own)in whatever your son needs will help his life overall. Also, ask your doctor to get you into a social-mom group for children with this disorder. There is hope. I pray that your son will continue to grow and be a productive citizen!
Hope this was helpful.
-M.

Auditory processing issues (how his brain is processing all of the different noises he is hearing) can show some of the same signs Asperger's like social interaction problems. Have you had him tested for that? Before you decide that this diagnosis 100% accurate -especially if he doesn't show many other signs of it- I would call his Ped./Dr. & request a referral to have his auditory processing checked. While his hearing may be perfect, if his brain is having a hard time figuring it all out, it could lead to other issues. There is therapy (OT, I think) that can help him if he is having auditory processing problems. Good luck to you & your little guy.

Hi T., I can tell you are an amazing mom from your post. I'm sorry to see another poster did not take your question seriously and belittled your request. I have done a ton of reading about autism and have 2 friends with children on the autistic spectrum, one very severe (he's 17) and the other with Aspergers. I've known the severe autistic boy for 11 years. He did not get diagnosed until he was 12, the parents were in denial, I suppose. The one thing they recommend is to get help early. They are firm believers in home schooling (for all 4 of their kids) but actually have their autistic son in a special school part time to help him socialize (he's doing very well), so they also recommend being open to trying different options. They also have specialists and friends come to do different activities with him every day. This has helped him tremendously, along with speech therapy. But the thing that has helped him the most is the extreme love his parents give him, along with the ability to just be himself.

For my friend whose 4 year old was just diagnosed with Aspergers, this was actually first brought to her attention by his preschool teachers as he was home with her until this past year. She is so glad to finally know what's going on with him after lots of testing and has him learning some new social skills with the help of counselors, teachers, and family. He's doing very well! They have found out that he functions better on a gluten free diet as he also is a celiac, which I know diet issues are common in children on the autistic spectrum.

If teachers and others around you know your son has Aspergers, they will learn how to best work with him and also help him to deal with social situations, including bullying which several people have mentioned. Your son will thrive brilliantly, as you say, and now you will learn how to help him with something he must find frustrating and even scary: social situations. Good luck to you!

I HAVE A LITTLE BOY WHO IS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM, ASPERGERS IS ON THE SPECTRUM OF AUTISM. with our little boy the older he gets more behaviors come out more.
THESE CHILDREN DONT KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS. MY SON DOES TALK ALOT NOW SINCE WE GET ABA THERAPY FOR HIM. THESE CHILDREN NEED ALOT OF THERAPY FOR THEM TO DO WELL. MY SON WILL BE 3 IN NOV. WE ADOPTED HIM. HE HAS GOOD DAYS AND TOUGH DAYS, HE LIKES TO BE IN CONTROL IF HE CAN. IT IS A TOUGH JOB RAISING A CHILD ON THE SPECTRUM, BUT THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN AND YOU HAVE TO STAY FIRM AND STRONG, JOIN COSAC IT IS A WONDERFUL SUPPORT GROUP.

T.

I am so touched by how wonderfully and thoughtfully everyone has responded to you! There are truly lots of smart, sensitive, creative women on this message board! As a clinical psychologist (and as a mom who has a 2 y/o son receiving services), I can tell you that early intervention is not only helpful and supportive to your child, but quite helpful and supportive to the parents. Do opt into this. Talk with your pediatrician about this, as you typically need a referral written on a prescription pad. Such a lucky family you are to all have each other.

Best wishes, B.

good job for not panicking! all your son now has is a "word" used to describe his personality. for his entirely life you probably considered him somewhat less social than his peers, and it was no big deal. i'd read, educate yourself, but realize that you're going to end up reading about kids with significantly lower levels of functioning. be glad your son is doing so well, and dont get scared by anything you read. he'll be fine!

I am a clinical social worker, and my recommendation is going to be...GET SERVICES NOW!!! Your child has been diagnosed at an age where he can still thrive socially with help from professionals. Find early intervention services by finding a head start program. You can also contact your school district, and have a CSE meeting on your child now to put services in place now, and prepare him for the schooling he needs. Also, you can check out autism awareness websites in your area to learn about agencies that may be able to help. Don't wait this one out, and find the money if your insurance won't pay. This is the best thing you can do!

Hi T.....I first would like to say that you and your husband sound like very positive people, whom have a great out look on life........that is great!!!

I have worked with Asperger kids, and they are great..
I worked in the public schools for three years as a special ed asst., and so I observed, and learned alot!!

I would strongly suggest you get your son's school involved, and get him All the resources that are offered to him. There are great people that work in the schools, and so any contacts you can make with the special services dept, will be a GREAT asset to your son,,,,, There are alot of resources for him that will help give you suggestions and ideas with working with your son,,,,

I learned that starting to work with the kids at a younger age, will give them a greater advantage in the future.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, and or to ask for assistance. Like you said you have many questions, and his well being is of course the most important,,,

The schools are a great resource, and they will get you the assistance and guidance that you need.

Please keep me posted, and best of luck. J.

If your son does not have any other distinguishing traits, I would definitely have him meet with someone familiar with giftedness. A great website to start with is
www.brainy-child.com, as well as the National Association for Gifted Children (I think that's what it is called). My son, who will be 5 in December, is also awkward socially, but he could read by his third birthday and this summer began typing his own stories on my computer, well before he's conquered his penmanship! I started researching autism when he was about 2 and it seemed odd to me that he never wanted to play with anyone outside his family. Yet he met all of his milestones and then some when he began reading. There can be a lot of overlap between Asperger's and giftedness and I would try as hard as you can to make sure the diagnosis of one does not exclude consideration of the other. What autism experts define as "socially awkward," a gifted expert might phrase as "prefers adult company" -- at least that is what I've discovered during my research. There is a lot of information online and it is fairly easy to compare the lists. Our son does have some of the Asperger's traits, yet he also has nearly all of the traits associated with giftedness. When I discussed Asperger's and autism with his pediatrician, he looked at me like I was crazy and dismissed all of it. I met with a social skills therapist and she said he was too advanced for her group. I feel like you do too, that my son will thrive regardless of whether or not he is captain of the football team. So congratulations on your extraordinary child -- every day I am so thankful for mine.

Hi T., I don't have a child with Asperger's but I am a great believer in complimentary therapies. You might want to check out the following books.

Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds by Jenny McCarthy

Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder by Jaquelyn McCandless

Good luck and God bless,
G.