The following is an excerpt taken from the documentary: Coping to Excelling: Solutions for School-age Children Diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers Syndrome. Medical reports reveal a profound discovery in the brain of those with High-Functioning Autism. Studies with MRI imaging document an actual physical difference in some areas of the autistic brain verses that of a neuro-typical brain.
Neurological pathways fire differently in Asperger patients than that of a typical brain function. It has become clear that individuals who are diagnosed as High-Functioning Autistic or Aspergers receive their gifts and struggles from a physical medical basis not behavioral, as you may have been pressured to believe. Once we understand exactly how the challenges occur, we can begin to lead our loved ones with Aspergers on the path from coping to excelling.
We interviewed experts in the field of Autism to offer you a quick read on understanding High-Functioning Autism and Aspergers Syndrome.
An amazing discovery still being uncovered and understood involves a revolutionary find in the human mind. Over 50 years ago, Austrian pediatrician, Hans Asperger, revealed to the medical and scientific community a form of High-Functioning Autism later named Aspergers Syndrome.
These people have always been viewed as eccentric or odd, displaying repetitive behaviors and completely lacking social skills. The disgusted and disapproving looks you and your child may be receiving when in public or with extended family only adds to the frustration and pain.
Dr. Temple Grandin says:
“I want to emphasize that Asperger’s and Autism are not separate conditions. Asperger’s is just the milder end of the continuum. There’s no black and white dividing line between a mild case of Autism and geek or nerd. They are the same thing. It is a continuum of traits. The mind can either develop to be more thinking and cognitive or it can be developed to be more social. There’s a point where it just merges into part of your personality.”
The two conditions have very few differences, and research proves which treatments are relevant to High Functioning Autism and also applicable to Aspergers Syndrome. Thus both disorders are combined and the treatments suggested should serve your child well.
Aspergers is a lifelong condition. It occurs in boys four times as often as girls. Because “Aspie” children do not demonstrate developmental delays in their mental capacity, doctors usually do not diagnose them until they are in the early elementary school grades.
In order to be diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, a person must show two of these 4 traits:
- “Marked impairment” regarding nonverbal social cues (doesn’t make eye contact, doesn’t understand others’ body language, etc)
- Failure to make friends
- Lack of appropriate social and emotional responses to others
- Inability to spontaneously share enjoyment, interests and achievements with other people
In addition, the person must show one of these 4 behaviors:
- An abnormal and intense interest in one subject
- Adherence to a strict set of rules, routines and rituals
- Repetition of certain mannerisms like hand flapping, hair twisting or even whole body movements
- An obsession in the parts or mechanics of objects
Experts agree that once the shock of having an Autistic Child has waned, it is time to start accepting and getting pro-active on your child’s behalf.
Behavioral Specialist, Billy Edwards, created the following three-step strategy for getting proactive.
- Give yourself permission to grieve about it because it’s okay
- Begin finding resources; the first resource to look for is what parent support mechanisms exist for you
- Find professionals to surround yourself with and help guide you
- Explaining the diagnosis to you child will be easier for you and for them to accept the younger they are. Take a positive approach by listing the positive characteristics as well as having a plan of action for the more challenging ones. This will make the step easier.
Dr. Tony Attwood says:
“When I meet someone with Asperger’s and explain the diagnosis to them, I say, Congratulations! You have Asperger’s Syndrome. You’re different. You’re not mad, bad or defective. You’re just different, like being left-handed in a right-handed world.”
Dr. Attwood is well known for his work with Aspergers Syndrome. In his best-seller, The Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome, Dr. Attwood beautifully explains all aspects of the disorder.
Dr. Chris Plauche states:
“We are starting to understand the functions of the brain and we realize that Autism really is neurobiological — different wiring, miswiring, atypical wiring, whatever you want to call it. We are in the fetal stage in understanding all of this and I think that once we understand this more, we will be able to subtype this Autism spectrum. Right now we know for sure that folks with Aspergers have atypical function in the Fusiform Gyrus which is the part of the brain that emotionally recognizes familiar people.”
Janessa Manning is a PhD candidate at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Her area of study is Neuroscience Imaging with a focus on discovering Autistic Minds.
“The brain of your child, who has been newly diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers, is different and functions in different ways than a typically developing child. This is not a choice the child is making; we see actual neurological differences when we query by both anatomy and function. So there is a great importance to getting therapy and getting treatments, well-defined efficacious treatments, and trying to improve the behaviors but understanding that they are coming from a place of being different neurologically.”
Wow! That is a strong statement and bears repeating. The High-Functioning Autistic or Asperger brain is different, in its function and in its anatomy. This is not a choice the child makes. In other words, it’s not bad parenting nor bad behavior, those with Aspergers are simply wired differently!
Manning goes on to say that soon imaging should aid in diagnosing Autism based upon brain biomarkers. Now we don’t have to wait for behavior to occur to make a diagnosis. We can actually look at changes in the brain between subjects on the Autism spectrum and between a typically developing controlled, and actually see the changes on the brain. That is really exciting.
Along with the diagnosis of High-Functioning Autism, or Aspergers Syndrome, may come other disorders or cormorbidities. Dr. Plauche explains that medically speaking children with Aspergers Syndrome are very healthy, but sometime there are other conditions that may require medical attention.
The primary concern in children with Aspergers are the psychiatrics cormorbidities; and there are several of them – Anxiety disorder, depression, ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder. There is a very large range, but those are the four biggies. If the child with Aspergers has one or more, and often times they have 2 or 3 of them, those psychiatric challenges can be a lot more disabling than the Aspergers itself.
If you suspect your Autistic or Aspergers child is challenged with any of these additional disorders, first getting a diagnosis is imperative so you’ll be able to understand and treat these potential obstacles.
Our son, Sam, has ADHD and also developed OCD as he entered High School. Our choice was to provide a mild dose of an anti-anxiety medication as well as a few trips to a behavioral therapist. The combination has worked great for Sam but may not be the right combination for your child. Be sure to consult with your doctor.
When we are using these medications with children with Aspergers, we sometimes have to realize that they are hyper-sensitive to the medications, which is not a bad thing, it just means we use a lower dose. It’s always good to use a lower dose. We need to start low and try to slowly upwards the dose, and if we see any kind of deterioration in behavior, go back to the lower dose.
I know we hate to think about our children on psychiatric medications, but they really have a good track record, and they can help eliminate those extra little balls of weight slowing them down. We don’t have a medication for Aspergers, but we can take care of these other things and make their life easier so they only have Aspergers.
As Dr. Plauche stated, it’s usually not the Autism but the other psychiatric diagnoses that can be more impairing or disabling than the Aspergers itself. Treating High-Functioning Autism and Aspergers Syndrome comes in many forms and choices.
The most noted and successful treatments are as follows:
- ABA – Applied Behavior Analysis
- Psychotherapy
- Sensory Integration Therapy
- Medication
- Language Communication Therapy
- Social Skills Groups
- Public School Educational Support Programs
- TEACCH – Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children
- Denver and Greenspan Models
Studies indicate that up to 80 percent of people affected with Aspergers Syndrome often experience extreme sensitivities to everyday sights, sounds, smells and touch.
The sensitivities may include:
- Hearing being the most common. They can be easily distracted by noises everyone else can filter out such as the buzz of fluorescent lights. This makes it hard for many to follow conversations or listen to teachers’ direction. Sensitivity to sounds is actually painful making it difficult to take “Aspies” to places such as arcades, restaurants or noisy classrooms. An overwhelming fear of an impending school fire alarm may cause total panic.
- Taste and Smell in some are heightened to the point of nausea. This can make cafeterias, stores and certainly restaurants a painful and fearful experience.
- Touch may also be a factor. If overly sensitive, certain clothing (typically with polyester) may be irritating. Hyposensitivity causes lack of feelings to cold temperatures or very little feeling towards pain.
- Visual problems, though rare, can get upset by certain pictures, colors or bright lights. Some even experience discomfort with colors as if they are sounds.
- Physical challenges also come into play for many with Aspergers Syndrome. Simple activities that require coordination quickly become complex such as hand-eye coordination, handwriting or tying your shoes. That is why playing baseball or any sports can quickly become a nightmare for many on the spectrum.
by Jennifer Allen
The above information is an excerpt from the documentary: Coping to Excelling; Solutions for School-Age Children Diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers Syndrome.
A graduate of Abilene Christian University, Jennifer had a long career in TV Broadcasting. Upon learning her oldest son Sam had a form of Autism called Asperger’s Syndrome, she left her career and became a full-time mother to both of her sons. Jennifer elicited the participation of her family and together they produced several independent programs including a children’s animated series titled Ameriquest Kids, as well as a documentary and book titled, Coping to Excelling: Solutions for School-age Children Diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers Syndrome. She formed the nonprofit Asperger101 to provide on-going free resources related to ASD at Aspergers101.com and has implemented the Texas Driving with Disability Program and continues to grow the statewide initiative today. She and her husband have recently retired to their property in the Texas Hill Country.
I am so sick of this co morbid shit with autism high functioning. I have autism so do my three kids. None of us have co morbid anything. You want to know why? Because we don’t try to teach our kids to be what our society says they should be like to impress other people. My kids don’t care about shit our society says you need to care about to fit in. I put them in Montessori school where the kids are allowed to walk around when they want to, study what and when they want to, take a break when they want to. Guess what, no comorbidity because they are allowed to be healthy, natural kids. We are all asynchronous developers. My oldest was in college level English at 10, my middle graduate level math at 10. We have significant intellectual growth between 9-11 not at 5. If you just read up on how people can develop you would see that they develop at different times. Boys often hit their intellectual biggest growth in puberty at 19. Girls it’s often 12. Why are so stuck in the middle ages with this shit.
I grew up in an unhealthy family. I had co morbid bunches of stuff. But, my sensitivities were what helped me get rid of them. Then I made a healthy family with a healthy spouse and none of my kids have it. It’s not co morbid. It’s the society that is sick and the most sensitive that get the sickest along with it. It’s not rocket science, it’s just logic. Can we stop blaming the canaries who are not supposed to live in the coal mines for their deaths there. They are birds who are supposed to live in the sky and trees. These are kids who are supposed to live in healthy, nurturing environments and we have them in prisons systems called district schools systems. People need to get real with this crap. All we are is sensitive people telling you everything is jacked and it’s time to fix society. Stop making us change ourselves. It is not how it works. Society needs to change. It’s killing everyone else with obesity, and/or physical illness. Our brains are just so sensitive it show up there first.
Thank you for sharing this. I just recently got diagnose with high functioning autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression (possibility of PTSD) I find it very difficult to cope and also find it very difficult to get the energy and be calm enough to make the calls and get the help I need.
Great website Jennifer! Thank you muchly, you have no idea how much good you have done.
I got diagnosed yesterday at the age of 54 (Anthony Hopkins Actor was diagnosed at 78). Spent all day internet researching & it was a joy to find this website. I believe I can help your son. Its not denial he is experiencing but a desire to move on. There are many blessings which aspies enjoy, one is emotional courage, the ability to grieve extremely quickly, & move on. Your clearly a lovely mother, try not to worry about him too much.
My significant other has two sons. 22 yr old, in collage and he drives. He had been Dx with Autism at 4 yrs old. He would not speak until his brother, who is soon 18 was born. His brother is an aspie. Both highly intelligent young men. The eldest I feel has failure to thrive. He is about 150. Lbs over weight, will do nothing at all but attend class and back home. Will not participate in chores, and will make excuses to seek even part time work. Will he need to potentially be taken care of the rest of his life or will he eventually seek independence as an adult? I have learned so much but still full of questions. His parents feel he will eventually desire to be independent but honestly I think he is smart enough to know that he is completely taken care of and will allow them to just continue. Any advice would help. I’m actually concerned for him.
Are aspies prone to enmeshment ,codependent and enabling behaviors due to their lack of empathy and ability to interpret and negotiate social and emotional cues-of manipulative people ?
Yes they are more vulnerable to people in general, humans have a deep rooted intolerance of difference and I know for someone with aspergers personally its a mine field.. the minute humans get a sniff of vulnerability or naivety they have to pray on it.. and yes Most not all but most humans are dangerous to aspergers sufferers.. I have paid a heavy price in my 45 years of life being open and naive and not understanding the social hints and tips that they have that we do not have.. In the UK its a joke there is little or no care for adults with autism.. it took them over 20 years to diagnose me
its also misinformation that we do not have empathy or know how to feel it, I for one have too much of it! and know alot of aspies with too much also
Just informed by school psychologist that my son is likely to have Aspergers or high functioning autism. He is only 8, and was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 5. I am trying to take it all in. I suspected this to be the case, but seems so different when someone actually tells you it is so. I am not sure how to tell him, or where to take him for follow up. We live about 2 hours from Pittsburgh and have been spending a lot of money on an ADHD clinic there that is a cash only practice, wondering if they recognized the same but just continued on only the ADHD treatment route. Seeking advice as I learn more. Thankful to find this site.
‘An actual physical difference’ as opposed to what, a metaphysical, mystical or otherwise supernatural difference? I’m not aware of an NMR study on any disorder of the brain that has NOT yielded a finding of a ‘physical’, structural difference compared to control.
The interesting thing is what the difference is, not that there is one. To propose that it is a surprising result is to acknowledge implicitly an expectation that there ought not to be: that the condition is not real in any well-defined sense at all.
Thank you for your comment James. The statement/fact of a physical difference in the brain anatomy therefore it’s function is still revolutionary to many parents whose child has been recently diagnosed. This one fact allows the parent, educators and extended family to realize that what they might have perceived as “bad behavior” or “slow”comes from a place that is wired differently than that of a neurotypical. You are right…as opposed to what? This statement seems to be the turning point for many who do not understand their child’s behavior. Once they educate themselves, then they are a much better parent/educator for understanding the challenges/advantages of being diagnosed with Autism.
Phnnemeoal breakdown of the topic, you should write for me too!
My grandson 12 years old was diagnosed with high functioning asbergers. Since he turned 10 he was starting to have a hard time at gatherings. Would sit alone. VERY focused on his drawings. Been drawing since he could hold a pencil. Sharks…..anything ocean. His focus is amazing. I am doing as much research as I can to help him and myself. But I do not feel it is a stumbling block….BUT a stepping stone. We will get through this everyday with love and patience.
[quote]Medical reports reveal a profound discovery in the brain of those with High-Functioning Autism. Studies with MRI imaging document an actual physical difference in some areas of the autistic brain verses that of a neuro-typical brain.[/quote]
Is it necessary to point out that if one sees a muscular man next to a skinny man one cannot correctly conclude that that “physical difference” between the two has a genetic cause?
[quote]
Neurological pathways fire differently in Asperger patients than that of a typical brain function. It has become clear that individuals who are diagnosed as High-Functioning Autistic or Aspergers receive their gifts and struggles from a physical medical basis not behavioral, as you may have been pressured to believe.
[/quote]
“… from a physical medical basis not behavioral,…”
The phrase “physical medical basis” appears to mask an assertion that there is a genetic cause of Asperger’s; if so, two things: 1. popular research opinion aside, it has no where near been conclusively shown that Asperger’s has a genetic cause, and 2. correlation does not imply causation.
That 2nd point is important.
What I would like to know is what is the marked dif. between high and mid or low function aside of spoken language?
This is an artilce that makes you think “never thought of that!”
In some cases there’s a very strong correlation between vaccinations and the onset of autistic behaviors, not in every instance but in some. If this can actually happen, would you hypothesize that environmental toxins combined with the stress to the body of the vaccination could change brain chemistry somehow?
These conditions are inherited traits passed from the parents to some children and like many inherited traits can skip generations and then appear in one or more children. Although there is always the chance that evolution could play a role in these cases the more likely explanation is inherited DNA. In our extended family there is one Uncle, one cousin and one brother who has been diagnosed with brains that work differently and this has been confirmed with MRI’s where it is obvious that there is a difference when compared to what is more of the norm. There is no evidence that anything causes this but there is plenty of evidence that this runs in families and that it is an inherited trait much like the color of hair, eyes or male pattern baldness. Like many inherited traits it is not inherited by everyone and can skip generations. This may account for why we read about so many people looking for answers outside of the norm,
Our son is 28 now, he was diagnosted with ADHD and Tourettes since he was 8 yrs old and has. been treated and coaching since that age until he leave his second yr at college, he was boring and uninterested . Just recently (2 yrs ago) he was diagnosed with HF Asperger, he was treated and is with marijuana in Co. It,s calm his tics and the anxiety, but we are worrying what else could be done at this point, he is working and has been doing it, but with some problems, his I Q is 149 at the last test he took in 2010. What can we do to help him more…?
wow, this website is awesome! I’m 14 and have aspergers and this made me feel better about myself after looking at this page.
Thank you for your comment Madalynn! We are glad to have you and welcome your input at anytime!
My son (a fraternal twin) was diagnosed in pre-school. I did see signs earlier on but did not know what was wrong or where to get help. My son is now 15 medication free and doing extremely well! He has been medication free for four years now and is a freshman in an Ivy League all boys high school.
After being hospitalized 6 times, medicated for 5 years, required to attend mandatory outpatient programs and a special/alternative school for two years I never believed my son would achieve the things has!
It has been a long and tough battle (a lot of sleepless nights) but we are so proud of what he has been able to overcome.
The biggest challenge now is his denial, he does not want to remember what happened so of course he doesn’t want to talk about it, or continue with therapy. This definitely concerns me.
Also him and his twin brother (who does not suffer from autism) don’t get along at all! They constantly argue and I know he resents his brother, this is not easy, it’s actually heartbreaking as a mother. I’m really not sure how to handle this. We have overcome much worse but I am not sure where or how to get help with this new challenge. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!