jc10101
08-30-07, 01:49 AM
Well hello everyone, I recently was diagnosed with asbergers syndrome about a year ago, and have been trying to figure out where I should be placed in life. I am 27 years old and I wish someone would of known my symptoms of asbergers back when I was 10 yrs old, so I could of prepared myself better for the obsticles I had to face.
I hope you find my story interesting as it's coming from an adult point of view and I hope it helps parents who may have a son or daughter with asbergers. It's not a horrible problem if you face it directly. I guess I was one of the lucky of being able to get the extra help to get though school and to really cope with this until the last 5 years.. I just want to tell you that I'm on social security disability now. and believe me it's been a really harse 5 years that has been the worse it's ever been. Now I will share with you my whole life including tragedies and what has helped me cope with this since around age 22. Now first thing I want to say is (may be different for others) usually that asbergers leads one hobby or enjoyment that you mainly will focus on most of your life, (meaning a good 10-12 years) or more. your child my have a few more hobbies that will go away or decline after couple years. But they may have a hobby that will stick to them for a long time. Such as for me it first started out as martial arts in jr high school, then it was basketball in high School then I lost interest in both after couple years.
However 1 hobby stayed with me for nearly most of my life and that was the computer with a mix of computer games (when I was a little kid mostly)then led to microsoft office tg, and then to web design, and then running my own internet business (while I could make money without having to worry about what others think and thoughout high school)and after high school I made pretty good money though internet marketing. Of course in High School no one, including me knew I had asbergers, and to be honest of what I heard asbergers is pretty hard to diagnose too.
Anyways of course in my senior year in high School, I was always told get good job training will get you a good job, of course with asbergers it makes it hard. But to be honest the thing that really got me to have and keep a stable job for 3 years was the volunteering at a Animal shelter I did and a personal development type of program (books, tapes, that make me feel good about myself and wanted to talk to people, and continue a fantastic hobby of internet selling) while working in the grocery industry for over 3 years which pretty much is where the problems came into gear. as most people with asbergers get very anxious around people and it gets even harder to cope with feelings when family deaths and family split ups happens and friends move away. anyway I am gonna suggest some stuff and support you should try to get for your daughter or son.
Just so you know I am no professional in this field but just someone who has asbergers and is an adult now(and get support from the government. And just so you know I'm not giving up on life, and theres no need to give up. There is help out there. And due to the lack of help I got till now, cause no one could diagnose me till now.
Anyways first thing I suggest is that if you think your son my have asbergers first thing to check for is the following.
*lack of eye contact, but a eye gaze, meaning they may have eye contact but it's not to you, but maybe a plant or picture, furniture, etc)
* A constant changing of hobbies or activitys due to bordom or lack of interest and or 1 main activity that remains for many years.
*constant movement of the hand, hand flapping,hand twisting.
* A delay of cognitive development, delay in language, lack of self help support.
*Constant Bullying in school*
My opinion: *A interest in an activity that not most people understand and or wouldnt understand and or do* but does work if you understand it.
Now: In my opinion asbergers has weaknesses and strengths that makes asbergers in my opinion, a mix of huge benefits in some key areas and a mix of weaknesses in some areas too.
Support ideas which has helped me till High School.:
Elementary School:
speech and memory therapy (the famous concentration card game) can help alot. at early age. check with your childs school to see if they offer speech therapy and or other cognetive therapy.(make sure you review there material, and make sure it's a pattern that makes it fun to learn.
Jr High- Special Resources/Mentoring program: try to get your child into a class that helps with homework, essays, etc) if you do on planning to go into a public school, however if possible I would use private schools and or home schooling or a mentor program to minimize anxiety and confusement. Mentoring and or special needs is really important at jr high level, cause in High school in my full opinion your child will need to major support which is not available in high school. due to the large amount of students. (Also try to get your children into volunteering some place as to interact with something they enjoy, such as if they like animals (animal shelter) so they feel connected to a 4 legged friend :0).
high School(14 yrs old-20)
For me asbergers threw me back from graduating till I was 20 yrs old) and to be honest this is one of the key strengths and weaknesses of high school. I did quite well in high school almost a 3.8 GPA and had advanced majorley in computer tg, and did quite well in pretty much all subjects except PE and Math which I got average B/C/D grade. But yet even with my High GPA and numorous educational achievements, certificates, et I was never taught the Math Required to pass the Exit EXAMS I failed 3 times and was on the verge of not graduating, but I was lucky that the state noticed there was problems on the exam(not everyone was being taught what was on it) and it was terminated like couple months or so before Graduation. Which I was simply lucky, so in my opinion the education system of high school is failing especially for not teaching the required education, and even noticing people with asbergers and even noticing the symdrome.
IN my full opinion since I know I have asbergers now I wouldnt even have tried to go to High School due to the anxiety that it caused. which you will want to shield your children from anxiety, but learn everything on my own simply by using the computer and the internet, utilizing youtube.com and other places. Did you know that videos on youtube and blogs,websites teach you mainly all high school education requirements, and self help support for asbergers and other problems. And even provides a place to get A GED (Equal to Diploma) and not only that I would try to find a doctor, phsycologist who has a PHD and understands autism when your child is in jr high who can give your child on Social Security Disability, By High school. as Asbergers is combined with other stuff which can mostly get your child on disability if it was recognized at a early stage.
Now some may not believe what I say, but I hope it helps on ideas on how to be closer to your kids with asbergers, looking back it was harsh.. but help me cope and be successful till this point. Anyways The main thing I can say is get your child a video game system when there a little kid, and then around 16 yrs old or so, get then a computer/laptop and have them explorer, that was my main strength..
Anyways if anyone has any questions for me, or would like some support and help feel free to contact me, again I'm no professional in this field but I have been with Asbergers for many years...
I hope you find my story interesting as it's coming from an adult point of view and I hope it helps parents who may have a son or daughter with asbergers. It's not a horrible problem if you face it directly. I guess I was one of the lucky of being able to get the extra help to get though school and to really cope with this until the last 5 years.. I just want to tell you that I'm on social security disability now. and believe me it's been a really harse 5 years that has been the worse it's ever been. Now I will share with you my whole life including tragedies and what has helped me cope with this since around age 22. Now first thing I want to say is (may be different for others) usually that asbergers leads one hobby or enjoyment that you mainly will focus on most of your life, (meaning a good 10-12 years) or more. your child my have a few more hobbies that will go away or decline after couple years. But they may have a hobby that will stick to them for a long time. Such as for me it first started out as martial arts in jr high school, then it was basketball in high School then I lost interest in both after couple years.
However 1 hobby stayed with me for nearly most of my life and that was the computer with a mix of computer games (when I was a little kid mostly)then led to microsoft office tg, and then to web design, and then running my own internet business (while I could make money without having to worry about what others think and thoughout high school)and after high school I made pretty good money though internet marketing. Of course in High School no one, including me knew I had asbergers, and to be honest of what I heard asbergers is pretty hard to diagnose too.
Anyways of course in my senior year in high School, I was always told get good job training will get you a good job, of course with asbergers it makes it hard. But to be honest the thing that really got me to have and keep a stable job for 3 years was the volunteering at a Animal shelter I did and a personal development type of program (books, tapes, that make me feel good about myself and wanted to talk to people, and continue a fantastic hobby of internet selling) while working in the grocery industry for over 3 years which pretty much is where the problems came into gear. as most people with asbergers get very anxious around people and it gets even harder to cope with feelings when family deaths and family split ups happens and friends move away. anyway I am gonna suggest some stuff and support you should try to get for your daughter or son.
Just so you know I am no professional in this field but just someone who has asbergers and is an adult now(and get support from the government. And just so you know I'm not giving up on life, and theres no need to give up. There is help out there. And due to the lack of help I got till now, cause no one could diagnose me till now.
Anyways first thing I suggest is that if you think your son my have asbergers first thing to check for is the following.
*lack of eye contact, but a eye gaze, meaning they may have eye contact but it's not to you, but maybe a plant or picture, furniture, etc)
* A constant changing of hobbies or activitys due to bordom or lack of interest and or 1 main activity that remains for many years.
*constant movement of the hand, hand flapping,hand twisting.
* A delay of cognitive development, delay in language, lack of self help support.
*Constant Bullying in school*
My opinion: *A interest in an activity that not most people understand and or wouldnt understand and or do* but does work if you understand it.
Now: In my opinion asbergers has weaknesses and strengths that makes asbergers in my opinion, a mix of huge benefits in some key areas and a mix of weaknesses in some areas too.
Support ideas which has helped me till High School.:
Elementary School:
speech and memory therapy (the famous concentration card game) can help alot. at early age. check with your childs school to see if they offer speech therapy and or other cognetive therapy.(make sure you review there material, and make sure it's a pattern that makes it fun to learn.
Jr High- Special Resources/Mentoring program: try to get your child into a class that helps with homework, essays, etc) if you do on planning to go into a public school, however if possible I would use private schools and or home schooling or a mentor program to minimize anxiety and confusement. Mentoring and or special needs is really important at jr high level, cause in High school in my full opinion your child will need to major support which is not available in high school. due to the large amount of students. (Also try to get your children into volunteering some place as to interact with something they enjoy, such as if they like animals (animal shelter) so they feel connected to a 4 legged friend :0).
high School(14 yrs old-20)
For me asbergers threw me back from graduating till I was 20 yrs old) and to be honest this is one of the key strengths and weaknesses of high school. I did quite well in high school almost a 3.8 GPA and had advanced majorley in computer tg, and did quite well in pretty much all subjects except PE and Math which I got average B/C/D grade. But yet even with my High GPA and numorous educational achievements, certificates, et I was never taught the Math Required to pass the Exit EXAMS I failed 3 times and was on the verge of not graduating, but I was lucky that the state noticed there was problems on the exam(not everyone was being taught what was on it) and it was terminated like couple months or so before Graduation. Which I was simply lucky, so in my opinion the education system of high school is failing especially for not teaching the required education, and even noticing people with asbergers and even noticing the symdrome.
IN my full opinion since I know I have asbergers now I wouldnt even have tried to go to High School due to the anxiety that it caused. which you will want to shield your children from anxiety, but learn everything on my own simply by using the computer and the internet, utilizing youtube.com and other places. Did you know that videos on youtube and blogs,websites teach you mainly all high school education requirements, and self help support for asbergers and other problems. And even provides a place to get A GED (Equal to Diploma) and not only that I would try to find a doctor, phsycologist who has a PHD and understands autism when your child is in jr high who can give your child on Social Security Disability, By High school. as Asbergers is combined with other stuff which can mostly get your child on disability if it was recognized at a early stage.
Now some may not believe what I say, but I hope it helps on ideas on how to be closer to your kids with asbergers, looking back it was harsh.. but help me cope and be successful till this point. Anyways The main thing I can say is get your child a video game system when there a little kid, and then around 16 yrs old or so, get then a computer/laptop and have them explorer, that was my main strength..
Anyways if anyone has any questions for me, or would like some support and help feel free to contact me, again I'm no professional in this field but I have been with Asbergers for many years...