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Asperger Syndrome » Social Interaction and Cognitive Patterns
Asperger's can also lead to problems with normal social interaction
between peers. In childhood and teenage years, this can cause severe
problems as a child or teen with Asperger's can have difficulty
interpreting subtle social cues, and as such be ostracized by their
peers, leading to social cruelty. A child or teen with Asperger's
is frequently puzzled as to the source of this cruelty, unaware
of what has been done "wrong".
Recent efforts in the field
of special education have concentrated on teaching children with
Asperger's how to interact with their peers, achieving only moderate
success, while the alternative of teaching their peers to cope with
Asperger's children does not seem to have been seriously considered
by many professionals. The social alienation of some people with
Asperger's syndrome is so intense in childhood that some create
imaginary friends for companionship.
Asperger's syndrome hardly guarantees a miserable life. Often the
intense focus and tendency to work things out logically, a characteristic
of Asperger's, will grant them a high level of ability in their
field of interest. Despite their difficulty with social interaction,
many people with Asperger's possess a rare gift for humor (especially
puns, wordplay, doggerel, satire), and writing. In fact, sometimes
their fluency with language is such that a number of them also qualify
as hyperlexic.
While many people with Asperger's will probably not
have lives that are considered a social success by common standards
- and there are many who will remain alone their entire lives -
it is possible for some to find understanding people with whom they
can have close relationships. Many autistics have children, in which
case their children may be neurotypical or may have an autism spectrum
disorder. Many autistics are unaware of their autism, because milder
forms of autism are widely misunderstood and often undiagnosed or
misdiagnosed by professionals.
Social Stories and Comic Book Conversations:
Carol Gray, a well-recognized researcher in the area of educational
intervention for individuals on the autism spectrum, has developed
a technique called the Social Story that has been found helpful
in explaining social situations. Read more...
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