this is on radio 4 now its very interesting

[sesley]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01000z8

 

 

A fascinating, and very personal, discussion between two people who have Asperger's Syndrome. Presented by Olivia O'Leary.

Frederick Veal is in his late 40s, and was only diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome five years ago. He said the diagnosis made sense of his entire life: of the difficulties, the strange habits, the problems holding down a job. He gives a frank and fascinating description of his early life - an obsession with spinning, sensitivity to noise (he could hear humming coming from electric sockets), head-banging. Since his diagnosis he has been able to learn certain coping techniques which make life more bearable.

 

Ben Delo found out he had Asperger's at the age of 11, when he bugged his parents' telephone calls. This early diagnosis means he began the process of learning and copying many of the idiosyncratic, nonsensical, but necessary social habits that the rest of the world take for granted; things like shaking hands and making eye-contact.

 

Asperger's Syndrome is named after the Austrian psychologist who first described it, Dr Hans Asperger. It's at the milder end of the autism spectrum and those with it have difficulty with social interaction, with reading social situations, with communicating.

 

Producer: Karen Gregor.

Broadcasts

 

1.

Tue 5 Apr 2011

09:00

BBC Radio 4

2.

Tue 5 Apr 2011

21:30

BBC Radio 4

 

More details

Episode 1 of 4 from

 

1. Between Ourselves

2. Series 6

 

In this series

 

Previous:

You're at the first episode.

 

Next:

Episode 2

 

Duration

28 minutes

More from BBC Radio 4

 

Genre:

 

*

o Factual

o Life Stories

 

Format:

 

* Discussion & Talk

[Kathryn]

Yes I heard it and the repeat is on in 10 mins time (9.30 pm). Well worth a listen - it's only half an hour.

 

Frederick and Ben were well chosen, very articulate and interesting in describing their own personal experience of having AS. I'm sorry one wasn't a lady - I think that would have been an intersting contrast, but a good programme nevertheless.

 

K x

[Sammysnake]

Worth pointing out people can still listen to this online for the next 6 days - just click the original link Sesley posted. I found it fascinating, a real window into the different lives and experiences of these two guys from childhood through to adulthood, marriage and work. The comment about the daughter changing the phrase 'keep your eyes open' in order to freak out her brother with AS was a real eye opener (excuse the pun). I didn't really understand the force of visual thinking before - my daughter doesnt do that. Definitely worth a listen and posting on to other people to help raise awareness of AS, thanks Sesley.

[Utahraptor]

Thanks for that. Really interesting show!

[indiscreet]

My partner heard the program in the morning (just because he had the radio on) and told me about it so I listened to the repeat that evening.

 

I thought they both did a great job of explaining what it's like to be on the spectrum - not an easy thing to do. Maybe there will be a follow-up featuring women with AS.

[leeds_demon]

I contacted the producer, Karen Gregor concerning the programme and that it hadn't featured a woman with AS. Anyway, she asked me to send her email and that maybe she could get me on to Woman's Hour to discuss my AS. I did suggest that maybe there could be a Radio 4 documentary about women with Asperger's.

 

As of yet, I haven't sent her the email (as I don't know what to write and that I told her a fair bit about my condition when I spoke to her on the phone) - but this could be down to my lack of self-motivation and if I did get onto Woman's Hour, i would end up sounding like a fool (once I start talking, they might not be able to shut me up).

[Kathryn]

Oh well done, leeds demon! I hope something comes of it. Why not do the email and see what happens? Even if you don't end up going on a programme yourself, it may stimulate the "powers that be" at radio 4 to consider making one about women with AS.

 

K x

Edited April 19, 2011 by Kathryn

[Sally44]

I found the programme very interesting.

On the same day I had been in a shop with my son, and he had needed the loo - so I asked the shop assistant if there was a toilet we could use. She took us upstairs and casually said "watch the stairs" - because they were steep - my son asked "why, what do they do?" The assistant laughted and didn't reply - thinking he was teasing her or something. So I asked him "did you think the stairs might do something?" He said "she told me to watch the stairs, so I thought they might move like in Harry Potter or something like that."