It depends on the people around him, whether he will get "worse" or "better". Which is the same exact answer for any child of 5.
If he's surrounded by people who think he's a freak or think that he's "ill" and treat him as such, I would wager a bet that he will get what you think of as "worse". If he is surrounded by compassion, patience, love and understanding and allowed to nurture his unique talents and skills, and helped with those skills that are a bit weaker (as any child) then he will most likely grow better, and stronger, and more confident. As any child would.
Take a 100% normal child (good luck finding that one but hypothetically) and treat him like he's weird and "ill" when he's not. He will develop poorly and he will develop personality disorders and what you call illnesses simply by being treated that way.
There are so many Asperger adults that are not only functional, brilliant and incredible humans, but far outshine the other posters and the original writer of this article in intelligence and life success. Asperger's is NOT an illness. It is NOT something to be saddened by. Tell Bill Gates or Steven Spielberg, Dan Ackroyd, some even say Einstein that you feel sorry for them and they're so "ill" (cough cough, go sit over there by the window of the institution, Einstein, you're so ill and can't do anything)
The original article writer needs an Asperger education, desperatly. Before more harm is done to her child by this attitude.
Read "Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison" - a wonderful read that explains quite a bit about Asperger's.
It's been said that Asperger's could be a part of evolution - the human race becoming more intelligent, less emotional. If so, we are not to be pitied but instead the NT (neurotypical) humans would need to up their game in order to keep up.
Try to not over use the label. Try to make your own allowances for the child, help him with areas that are particularly difficult, give him lots of room to be him instead of forcing him into a box that you have designed and predetermined how he has to act. I would try to never even tell anyone that he has anything - at least never in front of him.
I was raised in a very abusive home and Asperger's was the least of my problems. Being Asperger just added to things for me. Getting away from the people who thought less of me (I imagine they may have thought at some time that I was "ill" when I was much healthier than they were mentally and physically), the people who were tasked with loving and nurturing and raising me but failed, was the best thing that I could do. Like John Elder Robison, I shared that need to escape very early into the world.
I've been married for 30 years, have 4 children, have taught college, held corporate programmer jobs and now have my own business. But more importantly than that, I have learned steadily how to interact and how to become more compassionate and more social and more tolerant. Every year I believe I have gotten better in that way.
Example: three years ago I would have deleted this link and never bothered to respond to this article after being told that I'm "ill". Today I stay and talk a bit. :)
Both of my sons are Asperger humans and equally wonderful in different ways. One is very outgoing and successful in a very visible high level job and one is much more withdrawn with very specific niches and talents. Just let them be themselves.
I wonder what he has to teach you? It's good to ask that question daily instead of trying to push the square peg into the round hole.
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It depends on the people around him, whether he will get "worse" or "better". Which is the same exact answer for any child of 5.
If he's surrounded by people who think he's a freak or think that he's "ill" and treat him as such, I would wager a bet that he will get what you think of as "worse". If he is surrounded by compassion, patience, love and understanding and allowed to nurture his unique talents and skills, and helped with those skills that are a bit weaker (as any child) then he will most likely grow better, and stronger, and more confident. As any child would.
Take a 100% normal child (good luck finding that one but hypothetically) and treat him like he's weird and "ill" when he's not. He will develop poorly and he will develop personality disorders and what you call illnesses simply by being treated that way.
There are so many Asperger adults that are not only functional, brilliant and incredible humans, but far outshine the other posters and the original writer of this article in intelligence and life success. Asperger's is NOT an illness. It is NOT something to be saddened by. Tell Bill Gates or Steven Spielberg, Dan Ackroyd, some even say Einstein that you feel sorry for them and they're so "ill" (cough cough, go sit over there by the window of the institution, Einstein, you're so ill and can't do anything)
The original article writer needs an Asperger education, desperatly. Before more harm is done to her child by this attitude.
Read "Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison" - a wonderful read that explains quite a bit about Asperger's.
It's been said that Asperger's could be a part of evolution - the human race becoming more intelligent, less emotional. If so, we are not to be pitied but instead the NT (neurotypical) humans would need to up their game in order to keep up.
Try to not over use the label. Try to make your own allowances for the child, help him with areas that are particularly difficult, give him lots of room to be him instead of forcing him into a box that you have designed and predetermined how he has to act. I would try to never even tell anyone that he has anything - at least never in front of him.
I was raised in a very abusive home and Asperger's was the least of my problems. Being Asperger just added to things for me. Getting away from the people who thought less of me (I imagine they may have thought at some time that I was "ill" when I was much healthier than they were mentally and physically), the people who were tasked with loving and nurturing and raising me but failed, was the best thing that I could do. Like John Elder Robison, I shared that need to escape very early into the world.
I've been married for 30 years, have 4 children, have taught college, held corporate programmer jobs and now have my own business. But more importantly than that, I have learned steadily how to interact and how to become more compassionate and more social and more tolerant. Every year I believe I have gotten better in that way.
Example: three years ago I would have deleted this link and never bothered to respond to this article after being told that I'm "ill". Today I stay and talk a bit. :)
Both of my sons are Asperger humans and equally wonderful in different ways. One is very outgoing and successful in a very visible high level job and one is much more withdrawn with very specific niches and talents. Just let them be themselves.
I wonder what he has to teach you? It's good to ask that question daily instead of trying to push the square peg into the round hole.
May 4, 2009 - 11:24amThis Comment
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