everything can
email recently from a connecting point viewer that stated the mastermind behind
the terrible school massacre
at Sandy Hook had been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome according to news
reports and even a front-line investigation
on PBS the viewer was concerned that people not familiar with Aspergers
with think that was the reason for the shooting rampage
that left 20 children and six teachers said love you are brought up a good
point
what do we know about Aspergers how can those diagnosed with it be truly helped
instead a feeling alienated from society doctor bruce weir flick from the
psychiatry department at Baystate Medical Center
deal specifically with children adolescents and is here to explain
as well as answer some thought-provoking questions that we received on Facebook
and beer email from viewers we presented this question on
1 thank you so much doctor for joining me today let's start off with
talk about Aspergers Syndrome in general can explain it was because I don't think
it as
readily known people really don't know what it
okay Aspergers Syndrome is
considered pervasive developmental disorder so
we've always considered it in the autism spectrum so Aspergers Syndrome really is
a form of autism
often the case with Aspergers Syndrome have certain strengths that some kids
with autism
don't have so that includes language you know
believe that to make conversation use language more effectively
allow the kids are bright you know they are capable love learning
and actually doing well and sometimes excelling in certain areas
soul whereas some other kids with autism are more globally affected the Aspergers
syndrome kids I more
more effected in terms of their ability to function socially and also in terms
of
the relationship development correct so
they have strength then they have weaknesses as well
and the weaknesses let's talk about those specifically social interaction
and which data motions feelings or how they express is this
two major components one is social communication ability to kinda make
interactions with other kids make relationships make friends
have long standing relationships also trying to understand how the social
world functions how to function within the family how to function in the
classroom how to function
out on the playground with the kids chest often
the the sort of unspoken rules of social
development just come difficult hard for them to
recognize hard for them to learn the other main component is that they often
have a
restricted range interests get obsessively fascinated with certain
things
and become experts you know and want to spend all the time thinking you're
involved with activities related to their preferential
activity sometimes to the exclusion of other things like making friends are
going to school there are doing their homework or things like that
those are the two main features when I brought this up on social media I was
astounded at the responses that I got from parents
that said yes you know I have questions about Aspergers are my child is dealing
with that but then also there's this misconception that
you know because somebody for instance like this year behind any hope was
diagnosed with Aspergers that there's a strong
correlation to violent and that's not the case at all now in fact I would
I would make the filing said I think this is accurate that kid with Aspergers
Syndrome syndrome
are much more likely to be the victims of violence as opposed to the
perpetrators of violence
%uh the the kid in Newtown I think was and help liar
very unusual sorta situation most kids with Aspergers Syndrome
are not inherently aggressive or violent so we have some questions that came up
from parents
that had children dealing with Aspergers and we had a couple questions I wanna
leave the names anonymous because this was truly a very
sensitive topic these parents are truly struggling with
figuring out how to help their children the best way they can
the one question what happened at the child asks you mami y may not like the
other kids
why can't I make friends you know I iced I tell parents tell them that they're
everybody's a unique individual in San
everybody has certain things that they're really good at and certain
things they learned just paying tuition in
others have more trouble so some kids
are natural athletes you know some kids are naturally social some kids
struggle in those particular areas so it really is a matter of sort of playing at
the kids cranks
every parent confined think about that their kids that they're really good at
highlight the strengths talk about differences as opposed to disabilities
I and also the kids are young they're growing their learning if they're not so
good at something at this point in time
things might be different a year or two from now so make sure the the kids feel
hopeful
they might have to put their minds to it a little bit more in terms of making
friends are making relationships
home but keep an optimistic attitude with them
another question he received if you have another child in the home who does not
have Aspergers
and this child sees how the other one behaves and the attention that they get
because
I'll or that they said the special 10 church in a get how do you explain to
them that they're different
and they're just not acting out to get that attention
um most kids with autism symptoms
they're not in control that you know they don't they don't do it on purpose
I'm often they're overwhelmed with situations that they can't figure out
the can understand
I think having some kind of language a discussion with the other kids
that their brother a sister is struggling with certain issues they're
not doing it on purpose this isn't about
getting attention in the vast majority of cases it's about kids trying to
figure out how to learn
had to be in the family how to make relationships I'm
so highlight they out and say again everybody's different everybody's a work
in progress
your brother sister is growing in hopefully here she will figure it out
someday
now one other parents had mentioned that their child could it make friends at
school
another parent mention that there child can make friends at school
but treats their siblings much differently and much more harshly
then the friends so it almost seems as if there's a
there's that difference in how they treat their friends and their own
siblings
a fat comin or how would you different environments pose different challenges
so that
sometimes kids are more successful in a classroom setting which is very
structured you know they know what to do they know what they're supposed to be
doing
and the kids are all the same aids might have things in common they can
find things to talk about like their school activities that environment may
be very different than at home
dealing with kids who are a lot younger lot older there's a lot of more
emotional intensity in the family relationship there might be some
a little bit a sibling rivalry sibling jealousy
and trying to figure out had deal with those powerful feeling sold
kids do act differently in different settings some kids are fine at home and
have trouble at school sometimes kids are having
a no difficulty at school having more trouble at home so
everybody's E individual and everybody's unique
cell trying to figure out an individual's strengths and weaknesses in
different environments is also important
and also they were asking another question we received what kind of
programs or supporters out there
for children and their parents was thinking this is increasing support so
people professionals doctors teachers
therapists are learning more and more about autism Aspergers Syndrome
there's in a global increase in awareness about the problems the kids
with autism have in the united states
sold most teachers school counselors guidance counselors primary care doctors
pediatricians
can direct families to get appropriate evaluations
appropriate interventions sometimes there's things that are needed at school
help kids
function at their best special support at school that schools can provide an
are increasingly providing for kids and families
and there are mental health resources in the community their arse
agencies that offer help two kids dealing with autism
I'm so there's a variety of agencies even western Massachusetts we have a lot
of
agencies and and the services are increasing every day
arm so parents shouldn't feel down they have questions turned to trusted
professionals in their environment
threats cooler in the health care system to try to get the kids appropriately
evaluated and get them the services that they need
great thank you so much active response like help