I am having a lot of difficulties in school lately and when my mom was talking about it to a friend, the friend mentioned something called "Executive Skills Disorder" or perhaps it was "dysfunction", though when I searched wikipedia neither one came up.
Anyway, the idea is that shrinks have come up with this new label for anyone who has difficulties with executive skills, so that would mean
1. Can't get homework done/turned in on time
2. Can't remember to take a shower or do chores
3. Is often late
ect.
Does this strike anyone else as just renaming an important part of AS/Autism? I think, especially if the kid were also labeled a "spirited child" (meaning different thinker, usually physically and emotionally sensitive, often introverted), this diagnosis could completely REPLACE an AS/Autism diagnosis.
Do all of the above... I have to write down lists... it I try to remember a list, I will take one thing, then it will become many different things, it becomes branches off into associative thoughts, then I forget what I was originally thinking about...
I have been trying the ADD route, but I am not certain that is the way for me...
I suppose that there are alot of people who are otherwise NT that also share this common aspie problem.
I would hope that the diagnostician would be able to identify the aspie traits in the 'spirited child', and make a more appropriate diagnosis.
Because it is very common with ASD I think they should make a 'exectutive skills disorder' diagnosis' subject to whether the person who has it, doesn't show signs of ASD, in which case that diagnosis would take precidence. If it was actually tagged on to the diagnostic criteria for ESD then it would reduce the amount of times that a person with ASD is misdiagnosed.
I can relate to alot of this and whilst its difficult work and school can tolerate this if you explain its part of your personality.
I do it mentally now, but I have lists for things I need to do and if some new situation turn up I have written lists.
example- If I'm working early I set two alarm clocks ( one away from the bed ), put my clothes out the night before including wallet, pass, etc.
I do it for everything.
If its going to go wrong and I'll miss a dead line or I'm sure I'll be late I ring up or tell the person concerned.
I understand this is relatively easy for me as I'm 30 and have been in my job sometime. I think you should be able to achieve a similar situation at school.
I think I have this executive dysfunction thing and have had it for many years. At school, I was incredibly disorganised and how I got good marks in most subjects, I just don't know.
Here's a tiny extract from something I came across:
"Executive Function
Executive dysfunction in individuals with autism and Asperger syndrome has been documented in the existing literature for more than two decades (Bennetto, Pennington, & Rogers, 1996; McEvoy, Rogers, & Pennington, 1993; Ozonoff & McEvoy, 1994; Ozonoff, Pennington, & Rogers, 1991; Rumsey, 1985). Executive function (EF) includes such abilities as planning, organization, flexibility, and self-regulation (Stuss & Benson, 1986), which are essential elements for everyday functioning and school success (Ozonoff, 1998, p. 263). Research suggested executive dysfunction is resulted from the frontal lobe damage (Ozonoff, 1998; Stuss & Benson, 1986). The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is the most popular task used to measure EF in individuals with autism. Other measures include Trail Making Test and Tower of Hanoi. Previous research showed individuals with HFA perform worse on the above tests than their normally developing controls (Rumsey, 1985), or control groups with other disabilities such as severe dyslexia (Rumsey & Hamburger, 1988), learning disabilities (Borys, Spitz, & Dorans, 1982) and other executive function disorders (Szatmari et al., 1990)."
Source:
http://www.internationalsped.com/ documents/ 12Huang%20Wheeler.doc (take out the spaces for the link to work)
I think one of the problems is that AS affects different people in different ways.
'Executive dysfunction' does seem to contradict what are the most widely known AS traits, such as routine behaviours and so on; I mean, how can people who are known to be so rigidly obsessive about adhering to routines and schedules and organising things be so disorganised? It doesn't really make sense in some ways.
Personally, I think it's all part of the same thing: i.e., I do like routine, habit, and I'm very comfortable and feel less anxious that way. However, I'm also quite chaotic and find it hard to focus and I'm not very good at implementing frameworks such as daily routines.
For me, it's the chicken:egg thing. Yes, I do like order, but I can only function in an orderly fashion if there's a system and a framework in place for me to fit into.
I think it's very good that you're aware of these problems at your age, while you're still at school, because you have a chance to recognise and change your behaviours. In my case, I was quite good academically, so I never felt the need to do homework, because my exam grades were always quite high without the supplementary work. However, it's become a problem for me in later life, because by neglecting to get into routines of doing homework, I've found I haven't developed skills such as self-discipline and organisation.
Michael 1 seems to have developed those skills, and they seem to help him function. I wish I had been able to become so organised, maybe my day-to-day life would function more effectively and efficiently.
I think it's perfectly acceptable to audit your own strengths and weaknesses, and if you're affected by executive dysfunction, then get help from your parents, from your school teachers, from any kind of educational support services, to help you overcome that deficit so that you can capitalise on your strengths and advantages. There's absolutely no shame in that. In fact, I think it takes a lot of courage for a person to admit their weaknesses and address them.
Ask the people around you for their help in setting up systems of schedules and reminders. Once you get into the routine then I think you will do these things automatically and stop getting so stressed out about them. I think building good habits and getting into good routines in the key here.
Good luck!
EnglishLulu,
Thank you for the link. From what you posted and what I have read from it so far, it is definitely speaking to me and about me.
englishlulu, lets see i could give you a long wind reson why most are disoaganizited but simply put oragation is not normally a ruteine that how.
In some ways I actually seem to be getting worse as I can't seem to consistently impose organisation upon myself except in response to outside deadlines.
'Executive dysfunction' does seem to contradict what are the most widely known AS traits, such as routine behaviours and so on; I mean, how can people who are known to be so rigidly obsessive about adhering to routines and schedules and organising things be so disorganised? It doesn't really make sense in some ways.
Hehe, that, plus IMHO it is more upsetting for someone who needs routine than for someone who is of a generally more chaotic disposition personality-wise. Having said (typed) that, just because you have strong routines for specific things doesn't mean that the rest of your life can't be drowning in complete chaos 
I knew that this has been considered a part of autism for a while; what is new, appearantly, is it being diagnosed separate from any other diagnosis. If it gets popular, it could replace a good deal of autism diagnoses.
I knew that this has been considered a part of autism for a while; what is new, appearantly, is it being diagnosed separate from any other diagnosis. If it gets popular, it could replace a good deal of autism diagnoses.
I think it is less a separate diagnosis than a term used for the same kinds of problems appearing alongside other diagnosable syndromes or disorders. It is a common aspect of Schizophrenia as well for example, which seems to remain with the patient even when any acute symptoms have disappeared.
I would think that on its own it would be more likely to be diagnosed as ADD (hypoactive rather than hyperactive if someone doesn't have impulse control problems to that degree).