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Family and
AS
More
informed
diagnostic
practices
leading to
an
Asperger
Syndrome
diagnosis
in
children
and adults
often
leads to
individuals
looking
around and
discovering
other
members of
the family
"most
likely"
somewhere
on the
autistic
spectrum.
With AS,
there is a
strong
genetic
component
with a
greater
than even
likelihood
that other
members of
the family
may be
autistic.
For this
reason,
and with
our
greater
understanding
of the
"family
connection”,
diagnosis
of adult
members of
the
family,
siblings,
cousins,
and
grandparents
often
follows
the AS
diagnosis
of
children.
The
process
may or may
not be
equally
difficult
with
mature
adults.
Many
professionally
or
self-diagnosed
AS adults
experience
relief at
finding a
"label
that
fits".
The label
is more
than just
a tag. It
provides
the key to
understanding
past
experiences
as well as
a means to
examine
current
relationships
and
roles. It
may take
an adult a
longer
time to
"remake"
his or her
understanding
of their
past as
well as
their
present,
primarily
because
their
lives are
more
complicated
and “set”
than the
lives of
younger
persons.
Recent
research
has
distinguished
at least
two
phenotypes
of AS in
adults:
an active,
often
aggressive
and
outspoken
extroverted
character
characterizes
the first,
while the
second is
passive,
quiet or
quiet-spoken,
and
introverted.
It is
possible
to have
both types
of
individuals
within the
same
family.
One may be
directly
responsible
for the
other.
Of course
the
problems
of
interpersonal
relationships
between
two AS
member of
the
family,
and AS/NS
(non-spectrum)
members of
the family
can be
considerable.
There are
many web
sites that
have
started to
try to
help these
family
members
understand
and solve
their
difficulties.
To
researchers,
women --
diagnosed
with AS
much less
frequently
than men,
remain
more of a
mystery
than men
(currently
there are
4 times
more males
identified
than
females. This
difference
is
partially
due to the
difference
in the way
AS
manifests
itself in
individuals.
Presently
most of
the
identification
tests for
AS are
aimed at
males).
It has
been noted
the women
are more
social
than men,
so girls
are more
accepting
and
nurturing
to female
Aspies
than boys
are to
male
Aspies.
However,
there is a
developing
body of
research
that
identifies
different
behavioral
and
cognitive
properties
in AS
girls and
women from
those of
boys and
men.
Although
the AS
individual
may have a
special
interest
in any
subject,
it has
been noted
that males
tend to be
primarily
interested
subjects
such as
sciences,
mathematics,
space and
machines
(including
cars,
trucks,
trains,
planes,
and
rockets)
whereas
females
tend to be
more
interested
in
subjects
such as
languages,
environment,
people,
plants and
animals.
In
addition,
there is
ongoing
research
to tell
the
differences
in AS
depending
upon the
age of the
individual.
It must
be
remembered
that
autism is
a
spectrum,
with some
individuals
exhibiting
more
traits
than
others.
It is also
possible
to look at
the
surrounding
family and
see the
lightest
end of ASD.
These
individuals
may be
labeled as
the
“autism
phenotype.”
These
individuals
exhibit
some of
the
traits,
but not
enough to
actually
obtain a
diagnosis.
As parents
and
educators
and
professionals
look for
the
magical
“line in
the sand”
that will
identify
the
individual
with ASD,
it becomes
obvious
that the
person who
is “just
barely on
the
spectrum”
is the one
who can
most
easily be
forgotten,
or be
pressured
into
trying to
be
something
they are
not. When
forced to
be
“normal”,
the result
is
depression,
anger,
moodiness,
rage, and
other
psychological
problems.
At this
time, "the
jury is
out" as to
the most
appropriate
way to
describe
persons
with
Asperger
Syndrome
as a
group.
There are
several
questionnaires
that have
been
developed
trying to
identify
AS. Tony
Attwood’s
Australian
Scale is
probably
the best
known at
the
present
time.
There are
individuals
attempting
to create
questionnaires
that will
be better
suited for
adults and
females.
Despite
many years
of
research,
there
remains no
single
diagnostic
tool for
Asperger
Syndrome
that is
universally
accepted
by
physicians
and mental
health
professionals.
The best
way of
treating
AS
individuals
was the
way
everyone
was
treated
about 100
years
ago—strictly
as
individuals.
By
encouraging
the
strengths
and
teaching
individuals
how to
react in
social
situations,
each
person,
whether or
not he/she
is on the
ASD
spectrum,
can
achieve
their
best. The
self-esteem
must be
intact for
the
individual
to become
an active,
participating
member of
the
community.
Too
often
today's
society
manages to
squash the
self-esteem
of the AS
individual,
regardless
of age.
As a
direct
result of
the rules
and
regulations
of the
education
system, it
has become
frequently
common for
parents to
be
home
schooling
their AS
children.
What is AS
Official
Criteria
for
Asperger
Syndrome
Basic
Characteristics
Traits by
Age
Truth and
AS
Family and
AS
Should You
Seek a
Diagnosis?
Reason and
Support
for BRASS
Go Top
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"I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical.
Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin."
~ Jerry Newport