Myths about Aspergers..

[Brook]

Hi all,

 

I came across this, I thought that the first one was quite appropriate to a recent post

that has had lots of discussion.

 

http://www.aspergers.org/myths_about_aspergers_syndrome.htm

 

Brook

[Flora]

Brook, thank you. That is a very useful guide.

 

Lauren

[ceecee]

Thanks Brook

 

That will provide helpful to lots of people.There are many myths floating about regarding aspergers and i am sure many people will learn things they didn't know reading your link.

 

For me personally( not that I am saying I know everything because I don't)It confirmed the things I knew but very interesting reading.

 

People with aspergers can and do have immaginations and it is not to do with how they are brought up but to do with genetics.These things I agree with.

[DaisyProudfoot]

I like that a lot.

 

It's straightforward and honest. Just like an Aspie would tell it.

 

I have printed it off and will keep it to hand because it's quick to read to

 

Thanks

Daisy

[Suze]

Thanks Brook, been busy with the Links today .........shall print off a few copies of this and put it in a few Crimbo cards, with several points highlighted ,some parents at my sons school could do with reading this.

[laine]

thanks brook a very good read. I shall print it out and get it framed.

 

 

Laine

[Hectorshouse]

Fantastic link, and totally apt considering recent conversations.

 

Thank you Brook, am printing it off now.

 

HHxx

[Hidden Gem]

Imagination is a very general term,

 

What is seems that people with AS struggle with abstract thinking, which when considering other symptons such as taking things literarily and not understanding jokes makes sense.

 

Abstract thinking (to use a modern term) is like thinking out of the box, a prime example here already is someone's reference to been glad that is not to do with how you are brought up.

 

They have obviously took the theme of environment having an impact and took that to mean how you bring up children.

 

When in fact it means something completely different, to say enviroment has an impact on a child's development does not have to relate to actual parenthood. You just need the thinking pattern to seperate the two.

 

Although this is what I have read I have found with websites that they vary in info, and often there seems to eb a constant bending of the symptons.

 

But logic to me suggests that if common symptons such taking things literarily, not understanding jokes, then the imagination required to understand these is lacking or hidden away. Obviously AS is not to with how you are brought up, it's something you are born with, but many things in a childs life or young adulthood can scar and produce symptons similar to AS or any number of other disorders.

 

Although the above concept in tiself requires a certain degree of thinking, as do most things in life, which is why I guess a love or desire for routine is good. Becuase it does not require that outside the box thinking.

 

 

Anyway my thoughts

Edited December 9, 2005 by Hidden Gem

[ceecee]

I don't understand jokes and often take things literally.Guess that might mean I have A.S.

 

Aspergers is definately not a result of bad parenting.But someone like me who has had a disrupted childhood for want of a better word will be a combination of things.There will be bits about me that are due to my upbringing but bits about me that are due to my AS They are both parts of the equation going together to make the full and often not very nice picture

 

I love routine as well.Guess I might have aspergers then.

 

Like the article stated the A.S. is not to do with upbringing but genetics

[KarenM]

I only know two people with AS my Dad and my daughter and she is very clever . I thought to actually have aspergers you had to have average or above average I Q .

karen

Edited December 9, 2005 by KarenM

[lisann]

Hi Brook

Thanks for link just printed it off for my school who are wonderful but any info' they readly welcome.

 

Lisa x

[ceecee]

Karen

 

Many many people with As are extraodinarily clever in many areas.I passed my 11 plus with ease but it was decided not to send me to grammer school because i wouldn't be able to cope with the amount of work I would have to do because I was a worrier and it was felt my anxiety levels would go through the roof.Also because of my need for perfectionism I wouldn't have been able to cope with not being top of the class it would have worried me.

 

I like lots of people with As fell down badly when it came to maths.No idea whatsoever.

 

But what got me through the 11plus and Olevels as they were in my day Was my memory.Anything where you had to memorise dates large chunks of texts e.g. history, religious education etc etc, english literature I was way ahead.

 

English language because of my reading ability and my vivid imagination enabling me to make up stories easily and well I was way ahead.

 

So yes in lots of areas someone with As often comes across as very clever but my extreme shyness, my anixety, my communication difficlties and general social difficulties in many ways held me back.I was also in many ways thinking about in now always quite young for my age(I think this is common with people with A.S.)

 

 

So to conclude yes some people with A.S. are fairly clever but their communication, social and emotional and anixiety difficulties nearly always hold them back.

[Canopus]

I seem to be the opposite. I was very good at maths and other logical factual subjects such as physics, chemistry, engineering, and computer programming, but struggled with wordy subjects like English and history. The issue of writing came into the equation and I could produce better essays on a computer than with a pen, but my schools couldn't understand why and didn't like me doing work on a computer.

[TuX]

I only know two people with AS my Dad and my daughter and she is very clever . I thought to actually have aspergers you had to have average or above average I Q .

karen

IQs probably can be lower than average (if average is 90-100?)I have always come out with 75-76 in IQ tests (the being able to learn answers issue never worked for me)I do not remember,or understand what i'm looking at,but I do think IQ tests can be worded in a bad way and are biased towards those with Autism and/or working memory difficulties and/or ADHD,so they may affect scores.

 

 

 

Aspergers Syndrome is �Mild Autism�?..There is nothing �mild� about autism. Aspergers is a neurobiological disorder which has a profound affect on basic life skills.

That quote was needed a few days ago on here.

[KarenM]

To be honest I misread the article it said above average or average iq with learning difficultys. I think your classed as having low IQ if its below 70 . I did the bbc IQ test and was not proud of my score but did another one on line and did fine so i don't think you can trust them. DD is much more clever than me but poor little soul has a lot of other problems. She reads my posts and tells me how rubbish my spelling is.

Karen

[Tally]

I've recently started seeing the term "flexibility of thought" used instead of "imagination." I think this is better, as "imagination" can be misleading. It usually refers to making up stories, or picturing certain situations, whereas in relation to autism it really means the ablilty to do things in different ways and to change routines. "Flexibility of thought" is far clearer.