Happy International Aspergers Day

spectrumwarrior ♦ February 18, 2014 ♦ 1 Comment

What is Aspergers?

Aspergers is an autism spectrum disorder, that in the latest DSM V handbook has gone away as an official diagnosis, but can be considered a less severe form of autism (for lack of a better term). Although to those of us parents living through it, I don’t know that I would call it less severe, I would just say that it has its own unique challenges that other forms of autism do not always have. I may not walk in the shoes of a parent who has a non-verbal child, but I don’t know how many people would want to walk in my shoes either. Yes I think my daughter is amazing, but at times she can be the most frustrating human being on the planet.

Aspergers, like any form of autism is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder, with two main groupings of symptoms:

1) social and communication difficulties and impairments
2) Restrictive and repetitive patterns and behaviours or rigidities

Although Aspergers was not officially recognized as an autism spectrum disorder until the 90’s, it was originally discovered in 1944, by Austrian Paediatrician Hans Asperger.

Today we are not going to talk about the causes of Aspergers, or the challenges those of us face, today we will honour International Aspergers Day and have a little fun.

Try a little trivia:
Test your Aspergers Knowlege – 

Poetry

Aspergers, by Angelo Noteworthy (more poems can be found on Tony Attwood’s site)

I’m like  square peg tryna fit a round hole. And my congeniality map is malformed. With great effort I struggle to discover abilities that come as second nature to others. Communication is laden with unwritten rules and for their discernment I was gifted with insufficient tools. The goal of developing people skills couldn’t possibly have been made into a steeper hill. My social sensibilities are short circuited so it seems I’m destined to be misinterpreted. But I only got one brain so instead of throwin my hands up and cursin it I try to work with it. My interests all lie upon a narrow field and very few people are subject their appeal. The  understanding of others seems unattainable and sharing my own interests makes me unrelatable. I tend to perseverate on a few topics like comic characters and Jazz soloists nuances. Like how the West End Blues trumpet solo follows the same pattern that the opening cadenza models. Or how the same image is on the first and last pages of every single chapter in the Watchmen graphic novel. I start talking you’ll wanna pull out fast. It’s like I’m destined to play the role of an outcast. As far as close friends I don’t have a long list. Solitude is who I spend most of my time with.  We currently retain a strong involvement because she’s the only one I get along with. I’ve noticed other people tend to avoid her but ever since our first encounter I have enjoyed her. As long as I live she will always remain a constant companion and a pleasure to reconnoiter.

We also liked this status update shared by the Autism Mothers Facebook page

Nicole Elaine Says

My child looks fine, normal you can see,
Blonde hair, blue eyes, a little beauty
He walks ok, talks ok, smiles and plays,
What you don’t know is these are the good days,
Some days he’s loud, shouts, bites and kicks,
Whatever I say, it never clicks

He doesn’t understand, out of control,
Trying to calm him, it takes it’s toll
He doesn’t need discipline, a slap won’t help
If he was yours he would still scream and yelp
The tuts and the comments, looks and words
He’s stressed because he can hear the birds

Before you judge why don’t you say
Is he ok? Why won’t he play?
I’ll explain he has autism, needs you can’t see
Then maybe you’ll think twice before looking down on me

So thank you Dr. Hans Asperger for making your discoveries, and we only wish you could be around to see the amazing discoveries, research and evolution of Aspergers in today’s society.

Happy International Aspergers Day,

Rebecca and Sabrina