Thank you for having the information available. For so long we had no idea of what was going on and the school kept insisting he was ADHD. This didn't quite fit and with a lot of perseverance and prayer, an answer finally came. Information that is provided through various sources is a God send.
Thank you again and may God bless,
Maggie Kellock

Aspergers is a family affair
From: Sonya Lewis

I'm amazed by what I have read about Asperger's Syndrome and am very grateful to have found such a valuable resource.

I am just beginning to do research for home schooling my 14-year-old son, and in the process discovered the information pertaining to Asperger's Syndrome. He is very bright and in many areas tests at a much higher level than children his age. He is very intelligent and is very much the "walking encyclopedia" discussed on one of these pages, especially in his areas of special interest. He avoids almost all social situations and experiences extreme anxiety when he has to go places. He's been diagnosed with ADHD but medications didn't work well. During the course of his 14 years, I have tried every kind of diet and supplement - herbal and vitamin - without any discernable improvement.

From my experiences as a child, I had drawn the conclusion that I must also have ADHD and/or bipolar disorder and have, indeed, been diagnosed with both. Perhaps it's because I've always had a keen sense that I was different from everyone else, and I needed to find a basis for it, that I sought psychological help and was ultimately diagnosed.

Those diagnoses never addressed my intense and sometimes paralyzing fear of social situations and fear of/ineptness at interacting with people. Nor did they address my hyper-sensitivity to noise, activity, babies crying, touch etc. So, although I felt a measure of relief with my diagnoses, I still felt strange and different.

I think back to times in school when kids and adults would marvel of my total unawareness of what was happening, from a human standpoint, around me. Socially, even when I did attempt to make friends, my intense focus on "special interests" and my lack of ability to relate to others caused people to reject me. At 39 I have striven to learn "correct" behaviors and responses which I practice in business and in my family but still "lose it" when under a lot of pressure or in uncomfortable, unwanted social situations.

While on the one hand I was uncomfortable from a very young age with the knowledge that I was somehow different from others, I was equally proud of it. I was an avid reader and much smarter than my peers. As a teen I would be very inappropriate, however, if for example while in class a teacher would be presenting a subject and state incorrect information. I would embarrass my teachers..........who for the larger part liked me as a person. I only had that reaction with my teachers or other persons in position of authority who were misinformed, under-informed, inept, or unjust. I have an exaggerated sense of fairness/justice, and an acute sense of what is ethical.

I called my mother this morning and announced to her that I think I may finally have figured out what is wrong with our family. She said, "You really hate me don't you?" and I said, "No. I think that, if what I've discovered is true, I can actually forgive you". You see, my mother would be the source of the disorder in my family, and was the worst parent you can imagine. I've spent a good deal of my life trying to figure out what could possibly make such an intelligent person treat her own children so badly. I have five siblings, and there are eleven grandchildren. Of the six children, I think four may have Asperger's. It's possible that all three of my children have the syndrome to varying degrees.

I have ordered some books to educate myself on the disorder/gift, and would very much like to learn if there is a resource that will allow me to easily locate professionals in my area who specialize in Asperger's. Any resources to which you can direct me would be greatly appreciated.

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Asperger's Syndrome books
More from author
Tony Attwood

Asperger's Syndrome
by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
What is it & does your child have it?
AS is defined as a form of autism. It was "discovered" by Hans Asperger's back in 1944. It is stressful for kids with AS to interact with other kids and adults. Though they may desperately want to have friends they find that it's very hard to "read" and understand what others mean. It's as if they are "emotionally blind". Find out how to recognize AS in your child, what experts in the field have to say about this condition, and what you can do help make you life better.

Meet the Author
Jill Dunford
author of: "Teach Me Mommy"
hosted by Sue Spataro
interview & FREE excerpt

Teach Me Mommy is a step by step themed book that gives parents lessons that will teach their preschoolers in a fun and relaxed way.  The book is simple to use and includes crafts, book recommends and topics to cover that are perfect for the preschooler. In the interview with author Jill Dunford, she describes how to set up your own nursery school complete with activities along with a FREE excerpt to help you see how this is done.

Asperger's Syndrome:
A Guide for Parents and Professionals
by Tony Attwood, Lorna Wing

Not many books can truly be called "must-have", but if you have a child with Aspergers, teach a child with Aspergers or deal in any way with a child with Aspergers, you NEED this book. One reader said, "I find myself referring so often back to it to help me understand my 5 year old son. I think my favorite part of this book is that it's positive---it doesn't gloss over the tough parts of life with AS, but it leaves you feeling the author truly likes and admires those with AS."

Asperger's Syndrome
by Ami Klin, Fred R. Volkmar, Sara S. Sparrow

An exploration of a social disorder characterized by a lack of empathy, inability to form friendships, and intense absorption in special interests. The editors (all of the Yale Child Study Center, Yale U.) present 16 contributions that discuss clinical and research aspects of the issue. The papers discuss behavioral aspects; the relationship of genetics and neurobiology to the disease; diagnostic constructs; and assessment; treatment, and intervention.

Pretending to Be Normal:
Living With Asperger's Syndrome
by Liane Holliday Willey, Tony Attwood

Autobiography of a woman and her child diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Author shares her daily struggles and challenges. Includes appendices providing coping strategies and guidance. For the general reader as well as professionals. As both Willey and her young daughter have AS, her life story provides a startling look at how those with the syndrome experience the world. Willey grew up knowing only that she was somehow different, extremely intelligent, and extremely quirky but accepted and valued seems to have been the assessment of her parents, physicians, and others early in her life.

Asperger's Syndrome and Difficult Moments:
Practical Solutions for Tantrums, Rage, and Meltdowns
by Brenda Smith Myles, Jack Southwick

It offers practical solutions to the day-to-day challenges facing individuals with Asperger's Syndrome and their families. With a major emphasis on tantrums and other behavioral outbursts, the book offers strategies that promote social skills development, including self-awareness, self-calming and self-management thereby promoting effective lifelong practices. Solutions for parents include organization and support, the importance of daily routines, signs to watch for and more.

Eating an Artichoke:
A Mother's Perspective on Asperger's Syndrome

Charting Jimmy's development from infancy to pre-adolescence, Fling's story illustrates the profound effect that Asperger's Syndrome has on a family. She provides practical advice for parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome, as well as for those seeking to gain more information about the disorder. EATING AN ARTICHOKE is the book that the author needed when she first set out to have Jimmy diagnosed, and it will enable parents and teachers to understand and help other children with Asperger's Syndrome.

Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World:
Unlocking the Potential of Your Add Child

by Jeffrey Freed, Laurie Parsons
Requiring only ten minutes a day, the program revealed in this groundbreaking book provides an effective, step-by-step method for helping children with Attention Deficit Disorder develop their special skills and individual learning styles and excel in a classroom setting.