I might never have heard about Asperger and just figured I was just
a. gifted
and
b. ADHD
Obviously we don't have the all the psychometric answers and things like
1. giftedness
2. Asperger
3. ADHD
4. depression
5. OCD traits
happily coexist in the same mind - or seem to be a family package deal..... at least the first two, with respect to the social difficulties, opposite sex difficulties (aunt's marriage, dad's marriage, uncle's delayed marriage, uncle being single, brothers being single too), and the family proclivity toward math (uncle), science (uncle) and computers (brothers).
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080310/NEWS05/803100317
Autism no longer an obstacle for students seeking college degree
Mentors, trained teachers help students to see success
BY ROBIN ERB • FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER • March 10, 2008
If college were purely academic, 16-year-old Cullen Kappel would have no worries.
But the mostly straight-A student who studies astrophysics just for fun knows his challenge at college will be in what happens between classes.
Cullen has Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. Like others with Asperger's, he tends to hyper-focus on topics, can be thrown off-kilter with a slight change to his routine and has a tough time deciphering conversation cues.
You mean it's no longer an obstacle for Asperger's kid with pseudo-savantism or excellent academic skills, right?
That's right, folks... most 16-year-olds with Asperger's study astrophysics for fun and look forward to college. *sigh*
When will the s**t stereotypes end...
But the mostly straight-A student who studies astrophysics just for fun knows his challenge at college will be in what happens between classes.
Cullen has Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. Like others with Asperger's, he tends to hyper-focus on topics, can be thrown off-kilter with a slight change to his routine and has a tough time deciphering conversation cues.
You mean it's no longer an obstacle for Asperger's kid with pseudo-savantism or excellent academic skills, right?
That's right, folks... most 16-year-olds with Asperger's study astrophysics for fun and look forward to college. *sigh*
When will the s**t stereotypes end...
There's a big difference between describing a person, and perpetuating a stereotype.
If someone talks about a specific aspie that has an ability or interest in maths or science, it's not an issue - after all, many do.
It's only if they make statements such as "all aspies have outstanding mathematical abilities" that it becomes an issue.
The only broad statements this article makes are ones that most people would tend to agree with: that aspies "tend to hyper-focus on topics, can be thrown off-kilter with a slight change to (their) routine and (have) a tough time deciphering conversation cues."
I wish the schools would work on this even in elementary school. My gosh my poor 4 year in a couple days will have all his teacher/therapists at school be new with the exception of the OT he sees for 30 min a week. His para left (one on one staff person) He got a new speech therapist and his teacher's last day is friday - maternity leave. (all this changed in 2-3 weeks time)Then to top it off they completely changed his seating arrangement on the bus and he had a total meltdown on me on the bus Monday. Apparently 3 people knew this arrangement was going to take place and failed to notify me (they each thought the other told me). I give my son ample notice when a change is about to occur so he can prepare for it. I was so pissed on the bus. The bus driver was just staring at me trying to calm my son and I told her he doesnt like changes. The next day he was fine with the new arrangement so it worked out maybe because I went over it with him before the bus came. *shrug* dont know. Sorry for the vent. I think the schools need to be educated.
The only broad statements this article makes are ones that most people would tend to agree with: that aspies "tend to hyper-focus on topics, can be thrown off-kilter with a slight change to (their) routine and (have) a tough time deciphering conversation cues."
Here and I suspect all over the US speech therapists come and go. It took months maybe even over a year for my local BOE to hire a speech therapist and now she is so overworked (probably) that she doesn't always answer email.
Same thing for high school job coaches. To make it even worse the latter are trained by the local Board of Disabilities here which knows nothing about HFA/AS! The blind leading the blind....
I figured out pretty quickly I would have to be Hope's OTHER speech therapist, job coach, tutor, you name it. It helps I'm a bit of an academic myself and nearly have a teacher certificate also from years ago when I considered a mid-life career switch to teaching (I changed my mind). I student taught literature at two different Atlanta high schools, one average, one in a high income area.
If you are not doing a lot of the above your child will get lost in the shuffle, NT, AS, what have you. I also expose my children to lots of cultural things- classical music, plays, art, pref. whatever's free.
To survive I no longer check Hope's grades cause I would worry too much or obsess over any setbacks (she won't take the SAT so her grades must get her into college). My rationale is we are doing the best we can so why get hung up over one or two grades? I am also in weekly contact with one or more of her teachers, depending upon what's going on. They tend to re-test Hope a lot (on the items she misses- she gets partial credit) or give her second chances on assignments so that has helped a lot! Hope is a high school sophomore.
PS I tell parents to consider a reduced academic load when they are in high school to ease the stress...
The thing that got me is the speech therapist is still at the school - just another one took over with my son. He definately doesnt get lost in the shuffle. Its just coincidence that the para had to leave due to hours/ her schedule and the teacher is leaving for maternity. Just all came at once. I"m just worried he wont have enough consistency. He finally got over the para leaving - this week he did great. I'm just nervous come Monday without the teacher its gonna start again. We'll get through it
He does well with change if he has time to prepare. The para leaving hit him hard but she is with him all day long so I didnt expect him to deal with that right away.
But the mostly straight-A student who studies astrophysics just for fun knows his challenge at college will be in what happens between classes.
Cullen has Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. Like others with Asperger's, he tends to hyper-focus on topics, can be thrown off-kilter with a slight change to his routine and has a tough time deciphering conversation cues.
You mean it's no longer an obstacle for Asperger's kid with pseudo-savantism or excellent academic skills, right?
That's right, folks... most 16-year-olds with Asperger's study astrophysics for fun and look forward to college. *sigh*
When will the s**t stereotypes end...
There's a big difference between describing a person, and perpetuating a stereotype.
If someone talks about a specific aspie that has an ability or interest in maths or science, it's not an issue - after all, many do.
It's only if they make statements such as "all aspies have outstanding mathematical abilities" that it becomes an issue.
The only broad statements this article makes are ones that most people would tend to agree with: that aspies "tend to hyper-focus on topics, can be thrown off-kilter with a slight change to (their) routine and (have) a tough time deciphering conversation cues."
At least going by what's posted on AFF, I have still never once seen an article discussing a teenage Aspie and the topic of accomodations for college, that did not also describe savant-like gifts in Math or Science for the same individual. That is the problem I have with articles like these.
Actually, you're wrong. You don't have to make a broad statement to perpetuate a stereotype. The stereotyping is in who they chose (and routinely choose) to talk to when they are talking about autism. Read through the article again. Notice that they only talk about aspies who are good at math and physics. Notice that they do not make many generalizing statements about aspies, but they fail to say anything about any kind of aspie except the hyper-intelligent, maths-obsessed, highly academic type. In fact, they barely mention Executive Dysfunction, and make it look as though most or all aspies get good grades.
If it were just one article, it wouldn't be as bad, but the fact is this article represents a pattern in the media, and therein is the stereotype. All that any lay person ever reads in the media is about academically gifted, slightly social awkward, maths-obsessed aspies, usually male aspies. The only mention of non-intelligent autistics is usually in reference to LFAs, never other aspies. Eye-contact and stims are always mentioned, very few other specific social problems ever are. It gives the public a very stilted and, indeed, stereotyped view of autism.
That was precisely what I saw wrong with this article, and the many like it, that I have seen before...
for Luai_lashire:
BRILLIANT!