I’ve known people throughout my life who were ‘different.’ At the time I couldn’t exactly put my finger on what made them ‘different.’ Conversations with them were very awkward. They wouldn’t make eye contact and looked very uncomfortable when I tried to talk to them. When they did engage in conversation they would most likely go on forever about some obscure subject. They usually didn’t dress like everyone else and didn’t try to fit in.
Now I have a child who is ‘different’ and I actually have a strong desire to know what makes him think, look, and act the way he does. I want to learn how he thinks so I can help him understand the people around him and understand himself.
In the process of learning all I can about my son’s hidden disability I have read books and articles about individuals who live with Asperger’s. The more I read I realize that we are far from really understanding how the brain of the person with AS functions, processes, and analyzes information. However, we are much farther along than our parents were. We recognize the condition and know its name. We share insights and information with each other. In this way we have an advantage over the generations that came before us in helping our loved ones feel accepted and prepared to face the world. In the same way, we’ve got a leg up on helping the world understand and value those who live with AS.
~ Louise
I often remember those “different” people in my life and wonder, “Asperger’s?”
I understand your comment about seeing these people as different. I am a physical therapist and I work with children and adults (hippotherapy) with the use of a horse. I did not always have an interest in children until I had a son with sensory stuff, adhd symptoms, auditory processing delay issues, some days just not quite “there”, and other days (very few) pretty “normal”. Here is what I know so far…when children are conceived, born, and learn to grow it is vitally important for them to move correctly through their reflex milestones (ALL of them). God made us so dynamic that one alteration in this plan causes a bleep in the person. Most of the times this is ok, but when many milestones get missed there are many bleeps and you then have a child with every symptom under the sun. There is a real physiological reason behind our kids “seeing” things in a different way, when this hinders normal daily function and social interaction one must help them through therapies. Here’s the catch…finding the right therapy and therapist. I am not directing this email to you but to anyone who is reading this and may benefit from this knowledge. If someone can integrate the reflexes (they all should be gone by age 2 or close), then the rest of it is staying active and being a kid. Most therapists don’t know how to do this in a timely manner and they usually address only 3-4 at best (there are 20+)…cold laser therapy and energy work does a great job in a timely manner (not years, but weeks). My son is 7 1/2 and I am not waiting anymore, treating him now (just learned) and doing well. i will keep you posted. ~Lynn
Lynn, I’m glad to hear that you are taking a proactive role in seeking treatment for your son. I would love to hear at some point in the future about his progress with these therapies.