Research

It wasn’t until my son was about two years old that we first became concerned. Although he was very bright and seemed normal in most ways, he just wasn’t talking like we knew he should be. He also tended to flap his hands when he became excited and did not play with toys the way that other children do. He was unusually interested in vacuum cleaners and garage doors. I had begun to notice that, while he loved to play with toys next to me, he would not play with toys with me. It was my wife who first gave voice to the unthinkable--autism.

We spent one entire day with a team of specialists. My son was thrilled to be able to visit the “doctor” because he knew he would be able to see the “fishies” and play with the toys. Throughout the visit doctors, psychologists, therapists, and others administered test after test. He was poked, prodded, and observed for hours, while we were grilled about his history and habits. In the end, the physicians delivered the diagnosis we had been both dreading and expecting: our son has Asperger’s Syndrome.

What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

In Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, Tony Attwood tells a story about a mailman’s first encounter with a little girl suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. He recounts how the mailman had just delivered mail to a house that he knew had new owners, when a little girl walked down the sidewalk towards him. The mailman was curious about the family, their names, occupations of the parents and so forth, so he was looking forward to talking to the little girl. Before he could open his mouth to speak, however, the little girl asked, “Do you like Deltics?” The mailman was somewhat confused, because he had no idea what a Deltic was. He assumed that it was a cartoon character or new toy. Before he was able to reply to the little girl’s question, however, she continued on: ‘They are the most powerful diesel trains. The 2:30 from Kings Cross is a Deltic, I have 27 photographs of Deltics.’ The postman was relieved to be enlightened about the subject matter of the conversation, but the relevance to him at that hour of the day was not immediately apparent. The girl proceeded to launch into a description of the qualities of this obscure locomotive. It became obvious to the mailman that the little girl was not engaging in a conversation with him, and was not interested in his thoughts at all. She appeared to not understand his polite signals that he must continue on with his work, and eventually he had to just say, “Good bye” in order to escape . This story, according to Attwood, is fictional, but it gives the reader a good idea of what the outward face of Asperger’s Syndrome looks like (13).

Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a mild form of autism, and was first discovered by Austrian physician Dr. Hans Asperger in 1944. The paper detailing his findings was not translated from German to English until 1981, making widespread access to his work difficult (Bashe and Kirby 9). The criteria for diagnosing Asperger’s can be found in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). It describes Asperger’s as one of several developmental disorders. Some of the disorder’s characteristic features are impaired social interaction, very narrow sets of behaviors and interests, but no significant delay in language or cognitive development (84).

According to Bashe and Kirby, the impaired social interaction associated with AS often comes from a lack of what is often called “theory of mind.” “Theory of mind” is an individual’s ability to understand that other people have thoughts, desires and outlooks different than one’s own. It is this lack that “lies at the heart of the disability AS entails and is often at the root of the behavioral challenges and social difficulties people with AS face” (Bashe and Kirby 36). As you can imagine, the behaviors exhibited by someone with Asperger’s Syndrome will often be perceived as odd or strange. The ability to imagine how the world looks through someone else’s eyes is a very important ability that most of us take for granted.

The DSM-IV also reports that an “encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus” is associated with AS (DSM-IV 84). In fact, according to Bashe and Kirby, “many persons with Asperger’s Syndrome are often identifiable by their all-consuming interest in one or more particular topics” (39). This “special interest” can prove to be a social challenge because it is often the only thing that someone with AS will want to talk about. They acquire encyclopedic knowledge about their topic of interest, which could be something as prosaic as cars or computers, to something as unusual as bleach bottles or dining room furniture (Bashe and Kirby 40). My son’s interests, as noted earlier, involve vacuum cleaners and garage doors.

There are no real physical indicators of AS. Someone with AS doesn’t look any different than someone who is, as Shaw describes it, “neurotypical” (“Asperger Information”). According to the DSM-IV, the most prominent external signs of AS are “stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)” (84). While not an obvious sign, severe physical clumsiness can also be associated with AS (Bashe and Kirby 56).

The exact cause of Asperger’s Syndrome remains a mystery. Research has uncovered certain genetic anomalies related to autism and AS, but no precise markers or physiological causes have yet been identified (Bashe and Kirby 16). It has been determined, however, that AS is the result of physical abnormalities in the brain, not merely a set of emotional or psychological problems.

Having your child diagnosed with any disorder can be a tremendous shock. However, knowing what challenges lie ahead can help parents and their children to deal with them effectively. An anonymous parent of an AS child is quoted in the OASIS Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome:

Your child is no longer a problem child. He or she is now a child with problems, and you can work with those problems and around them. A better understanding of your child will lead to your child feeling better understood. And your child will be a much happier child for that. After all, we all want to be understood. (125)

Socialization

Geraldine Robertson, a Tasmanian woman with Asperger’s Syndrome, describes what it was like for her on her school’s playground:

They told me I would have friends but the playground was a nightmare of noise and fighting, lying, and cheating and people going fast, all knowing what to do but me. It was like a flock of birds, wheeling, surging, changing direction at a whim, all knowing what to do, and all in unison except for one at the back. Me. I had to watch and anticipate and follow so I was never quite in harmony. Sometimes I got left behind and there are hawks out there. I didn’t know how to tell who was a friend. (Quoted in Morgan)

As a parent of a boy with Asperger’s, I have special worries about his social future. Like it or not, we are all social creatures and our quality of life is largely dependant upon our social successes and failures. Bashe and Kirby describe a study conducted by Dr. Tony Attwood and Carol Gray that looks into the quality of life of adults diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. The only variable that was able to consistently predict quality of life scores was “hours spent with friends.” They go on to say that “These adults valued and desired friendships more than anything in their lives, yet few had the ability to maintain acquaintances, let alone friends” (Attwood and Gray 329). Try to imagine how lonely and hurtful it must be for these people. Linda Baker, writing for The Oregonian, interviewed the parents of a young boy named Dalton who suffers from AS. This family’s experiences eerily parallels my own family’s, in that up until around age three, they believed that their son was a quirky little genius. At around four years of age, however, Dalton’s behavior began to deteriorate. At one point, Dalton’s mom overheard one of Dalton’s classmates say, “Here comes trouble!” when Dalton approached her. Dalton’s mom said that it “broke her heart,” to hear that (Baker E03).

What you and I would consider to be the simplest of human interactions could pose daunting challenges for somebody suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. Myles and Southwick explain that people with AS are often able to carry out simple greetings without much trouble, but have difficulty maintaining a prolonged conversation. Their brain’s internal censor does not function as it should, and the person says exactly what pops into their head. This disconnect, called “blurting,” can lead to severe communication problems. There’s no malice involved when someone with AS says, “That dress makes you look fat,” or, “I think that’s a stupid idea.” It is just their lack of social awareness showing through (15).

Group dynamics also cause confusion among people with AS. Leanne Willey, an author who suffers from Asperger’s, relates an incident that occurred during her youth:

I never understood group dynamics, particularly causal friendship dynamics that work on giving and taking, role playing and modeling, rule following and turn taking. Somewhere along the way, I had learned to cope with the intricacies of young friendships well enough to manage one friend. Any more spelled disaster sometimes in very real forms. One day, I suppose I had had enough of [my friend] Maureen’s having other friends. She and a little girl from next door were playing outside in the yard when I marched myself up to the little girl and asked her just why she was at Maureen’s house. I can’t remember what she told me, but I do remember I punched her right in the belly the moment she finished her explanation. I guess she said something I didn’t like! (20)

Was Leanne being a bully? She was not acting maliciously or cruelly, she just did not have any other means for solving what she perceived as a problem. Myles and Southwick attribute such behavior problems to frustration over social ineptness, a lack of understanding, high stress levels, lack of control over the environment, and an obsessive pursuit of a certain interest (17).

Most of us have, at some point in our childhood, had to deal with bullying. We were either on the giving or the receiving end of some form of “harassment.” Children with Asperger’s, however, are at a special risk. They do not possess the social tools to defend themselves and are often incapable of determining whether or not somebody is trying to deceive them. Bashe and Kirby describe a disturbing incident of schoolyard bullying towards a boy with AS: “One mother reported that when she told her son’s teacher about an incident in which a bully called her son a “retard” and pushed him on the playground, the teacher first refused to believe the incident had occurred, then added, “Well, your son is different and it bothers the other children” (339).

Daniela Lamas reports in the Miami Herald that some children have been pulled out of public schools and are being home-schooled by their parents in response to bullying (12E). I was bullied for a time as a child, and my father’s advice to me was, “Just pop one of them in the nose once and they’ll leave you alone after that.” Good advice, although the risks are too great in this age of “zero tolerance for violence” and lawsuit-happy parents. Bashe and Kirby describe instances where children with AS are already at risk of being “profiled” as a potential danger to others. They recount an incident where a boy with Tourette’s Syndrome, and a 4.0 grade point average, was suspended a day after the Columbine tragedy simply because one of his classmates told a teacher that she “could imagine that he might commit such a crime” (Bashe and Kirby 366).

Obviously, life can be difficult for someone with AS. Threats of suicide are very common, even among young children (Leichman F1). The most insidious aspect of this disability is the fact that these people, with normal or even genius-level intelligence, are often unable to support themselves. Leichman reports that “Many ‘Aspies’ possess an amazing capacity for visualization that makes them well-suited to engineering, architecture and art. And their ability to memorize staggering amounts of information is a skill many envy” (F1). Their social ineptitude and hypersensitivity to stimuli often make it impossible to hold down a job.

Education

School can be a difficult and confusing time for children with Asperger’s Syndrome. As Bashe and Kirby point out:

The strengths and weaknesses of many children with Asperger’s Syndrome seem to converge most glaringly in school. Those who are academically gifted or have developed special interests that are validated in school may get their chance to shine. Unfortunately, the social, sensory, and organizational challenges of school also provide ample opportunities for even these children to crash and burn. (47)

A fierce debate rages on about whether or not children with AS should be “mainlined” or kept in a special education environment. Educators who are aware of the AS student’s special needs can, according to Falk-Ross, et al., focus, direct, and teach them very effectively using a variety of different techniques (51). I personally wonder if the teachers of highly functioning AS children should even be told about their diagnosis. It is possible that the teacher will begin to “teach down” to the student and actually hamper his or her academic achievement.

Early intervention programs are also available to help these children prepare early for success in school. Stahmer and Ingersoll report in the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions that those toddlers who are involved in early intervention and are afforded early opportunities to learn social skills show improved language use and social behavior (68). My son will be beginning pre-school next week, which means that he will be in school before even reaching his third birthday. While it seems like a lot to ask of a small child, I think that it’s also a wonderful opportunity to, hopefully, minimize the impact that his disability will have on his life.

While students with Asperger’s may have all of the tools to succeed academically, schools themselves are a nightmare. A loud, crowded building full of people, schedules to keep, moving from one classroom to another, one subject to the next … after reading this far, can you imagine a worse place for an AS child to be? Attwood, one of the leading authorities on Asperger’s Syndrome, says in Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, that “It does not matter how old the teacher is, how big the school, or whether it is a government or private school. What is important is the size of the classroom. Open plan and noisy classrooms are best avoided. The children will respond well to a quiet, well-ordered class with an atmosphere of encouragement rather than criticism” (174). That’s a pretty tall order in this age of overcrowded classrooms and highly competitive environments. Again, special programs are available to help tackle the challenge of moving around in a school environment, but the fact remains that the school years will be very difficult (Bashe and Kirby 261). There is hope, however. According to one anonymous “Aspie,” as quoted by Bashe and Kirby: “This is not a death sentence. I grew into adulthood not knowing I had AS. I made good grades, went to college, got a degree, became an engineer, worked as an engineer, started having kids, then found out about the AS when my first [child] was diagnosed” (127).

Conclusion

The most frustrating thing about Asperger’s is that those who live with it each and every day are so close to normal. My son, for example, is a very sweet, affectionate little boy, and is not lost inside his own head like children suffering from more severe forms of autism. As has been stated earlier, these individuals possess normal to genius-level intelligence and are, by and large, able to care for themselves. It is only their unintentionally inappropriate or odd behavior that holds them back. Society can ill afford the wasted talent lying dormant and unused in those individuals with AS who are unable to hold a job due to behavioral issues. While they may strike co-workers as odd, AS men and women in the workforce are often the most dedicated and intelligent employees in a company.

Asperger’s Syndrome is not a deadly disease. It does not exclusively affect any one ethnic group or social class, it is not likely to the subject of congressional hearings, and there is no celebrity spokesman. It is not, in short, a “sexy” disease. It is, however, a disease that is out there among our friends, neighbors, and children. Asperger’s has a prevalence of 71 out of 10,000 births (Bashe and Kirby 12), and these are all people who are intelligent enough and have sufficient cognitive ability to understand that they are different. They can realize that they are the butt of jokes, even if they don’t understand them. The single best thing that our society can do for those afflicted with this disorder is not to give money, or donate blood, or participate in studies. It is simply to approach people with understanding, not rush to judgment, and try to make others feel included. You never know if that person that you think is just a “weirdo” may be my little boy.

American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

Attwood, Tony. Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kinglsey, 1998.

Baker, Linda. “Raising a Child With Asperger’s Syndrome.” The Oregonian 24 October 2002: E03.

Bashe, Patricia Romanowski, and Barbara L. Kirby. The OASIS Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome. New York: Crown, 2001.

Falk-Ross, Francine, et al. “Teaching and Learning Approaches for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome.” Teaching Exceptional Children 36(2004): 48.

Lamas, Daniela. “Autism – Mild Form Defined by Social Ills.” The Miami Herald 9 March 2004: 12E.

Leichman, Abigail “A Life out of sync: Asperger’s Syndrome” The Seattle Times 23 July 2003, 4th ed.: F1.

Morgan, Robert. “Tony Attwood.” 2004. 15 May 2004. < http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/ >.

Myles, Brenda Smith and Jack Southwick. Asperger Syndrome and Difficult Moments. Shawnee Mission, Kansas: Asperger Autism, 1999.

Shaw, Suz. “Asperger Information.” 2004. 8 May 2004 < http://www.aspergerinformation.net >.

Stahmer, Aubyn, and Brooke Ingersoll. “Inclusive Programming for Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Outcomes From the Children’s Toddler School.” Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. 6.2(2004): 67-84.

Willey, Liane Holliday. Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger’s Syndrome. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley, 1999.

Cellular phones have become a way of life. What was once only wielded by the rich and powerful as a status symbol has now become commonplace among the general populace. From young adolescents on up, cell phones have become a convenience people rely on everyday. It doesn’t require much to obtain a cell phone. Filling out some very minor paperwork is about all it takes to be authorized to carry and operate a cell phone. After that…BREEEEEP! BREEEEEEP! Oh hold on. “Hello? Oh, hi there. I’m kind of busy right now. Can I call you…what? She said what? I never …wait. Let me call you back later. O.K. Yeah. Bye.” Anyway, cell phones are relatively easy to come by with very little instruction on how to use them. Some people don’t have any idea when and where to use their cell phone appropriately. This is why cell phone users should have to receive some sort of cell phone etiquette training before their cell phones are activated. Many annoying, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous situations could be avoided by educating cell phone users.

According to USA Today, there are roughly “120 million cell phone users in the USA—more than 20 times the number in 1990” (Sharp). That means there are 120 million potential cell phone abusers in America. People who, for the most part, yak away on the cell phone without so much as a thought to where they are or who their conversation might be imposing on. For example: standing in line at the bank is not the appropriate place to discuss last night’s date with a friend. No one wants to hear a one-sided conversation about events and people they don’t know. Sitting behind a distracted motorist talking on their cell phone at a stop light that has turned green can again, be a very frustrating situation.

Not everyone who carriers a cell phone abuses it every time. Some people use their phones only in case of emergency. Cell phones definitely come in handy when car trouble arises or directions need to be clarified. According to Knox Bricken, an employee with a Boston technology research company, “after the attack [Sept. 11th, 2001] as many as 2 million people bought cell phones” (“Some”). Clearly Americans felt the need to stay connected with their loved ones, and cell phones helped fill that need. People also carry cell phones because they are fast and convenient. However, the convenience of one person should not affect the convenience of those around them. Making a quick phone call while waiting in a crowd usually does not offend anyone. However, it’s when the people who speak on and on without realizing those around them are becoming increasingly annoyed that problems arise. Sometimes unwilling listeners take matters into their own hands after being subjected to another’s inconsiderate phone call. Recently, “two associates of rap star Lil’ Kim were accused of opening fire on a Brooklyn man, wounding him in the leg, after he wouldn’t lower his voice while talking on his cell phone” (Sharp). This seems like an extreme way to deal with the situation. Violence does not usually erupt because of inappropriate cell phone use. Usually, the people around can give hints to the cell phone abuser by clearing their throats or staring at them, without reverting to violence.

Sprint PCS, a cellular provider, recently jumped into the ring to help “curb ill-mannered callers” (Sharp). The company hired Jacqueline Whitmore, a well known corporate etiquette expert, to be the “’Miss Manners’ of mobile commerce” (Charny). Whitmore usually instructs executives on appropriate business luncheon and board meeting protocol, but she now is adding cell phone manners to her list as well. Cell phone companies are trying to ward off the rude behavior exhibited by many of their customers. Cingular Wireless, another provider, decided to take their plea of better manners to the movies. The company: Uses gentle humor in its 15-second movie trailer…which urges people to put their phones in silent mode. If a phone rings, the trailer warns, the movie will be paused while the owner is asked to stand up and other moviegoers are encouraged to pelt them with jelly beans and chocolate covered raisins. (Charny) As silly as this may seem, this idea just might catch on at theatres. People do not like to be interrupted at a movie they just paid $8.50 for to hear someone else give running commentary on the film to a friend. Behavior such as this is what gets people fired up over inconsiderate cell phone use. The people of New York became so fired up that last year the state banned handheld cell phones to be used by drivers. With a few exceptions, this new laws makes it clear that it’s not ok to talk and drive using a handheld device. Violators of this law will feel the sting: “First-time violators of the ban would face a $100 fine. A second conviction calls for a $200 fine and every subsequent violation would cost $500” (“New”). The people of New York have spoken and were heard. The citizens of other countries have spoken as well; rude cell phone manners are not just an American problem. According to an article in USA Today, “At least 23 countries, including Great Britain, Italy, Israel, and Japan, bar drivers from using handheld cell phones” (“New”).

In a world that is used to efficiency and convenience, it’s easy to see how cellular phones have become entrenched in our society and our way of life. However, people as a whole need to not be so caught up in themselves that they do not see those around them and recognize when their practices and behaviors infringe on others. Cell phones do have their place, people just need to exercise better manners when using them. If attitudes and behaviors don’t start to change, then cell phone users might become societal out casts. “We need to use our cell phones responsibly now, before we find ourselves outside in the cold sneaking a call the way smokers sneak a cigarette” (Neuharth).

Charny, Ben. “Shhh! Cell Phone Carriers Call For Etiquette.” CNET News. 16 November 2001. 24 October 2002.
< http://www.etiquetteexpert.com/shhh.htm >.

Neuharth, Al. “Can We Curb Rude Cell Phone Manners?” USA TODAY. 19 July 2002. 24 October 2002.
< http://www.etiquetteexpert.com/shhh.htm >.

“New York Cell Phone Ban Signed Into Law.” USA TODAY. 28 June 2001. 24 October 2002.
< http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/wireless.htm >.

Sharp, Deborah. “Cell Phones Reveal Screaming Lack of Courtesy, Etiquette Lessons Are Part of Backlash.” USA TODAY. 5 July 2001. 24 October 2002.
< http://www.etiquetteexpert.com/usa_today_1.htm >.

“Some Schools Rethink Cell Phone Ban.” CNN.com. 12 November 2001. 24 October 2002.
< http://fyi.cnn.com/2001/fyi/teachers.ednews/11/12/schools.cellphones.ap/htm >.