Sorry it took me so long to post again! Gosh I'm getting worse at keeping up! I'm due to start my new support worker job on monday, well, due to start the induction/training, so no doubt many a future post will based around this and experiences within an NHS environment. I am also horrendously behind with my training for the Manchester 10k run for Alzheimer's Society, which is fast approaching!
Well, as promised here is part 2 for WAAD, and today I'll be focussing on Asperger's Syndrome; So, what is Asperger's Syndrome?
Asperger's is categorised as an autism spectrum disorder, and people with it therefore show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. As linguistic and cognitive development appear unaltered it stands out from other Autistic Spectrum disorders. It was in 1944 that Hans Asperger, who was an Austrian pediatrician, first noted that some children in his practice lacked nonverbal communication skills, exhibited limited empathy, and were physically clumsy.
The main characteristics of Asperger's are placed into three categories, these are;
1. Difficulty with social communication. Some people with Asperger's occasionally find it difficult to express themselves emotionally and socially, such as a difficulty understanding gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, starting conversations (i.e. picking a topic); may have a literal understanding of things (therefore jokes and sarcasm are difficult to understand); may use jargon or complex phrases that they do not understand the meaning of.
2.Difficulty with social interaction. The problem in this situation is the difficulty in maintaining relationships, or in some cases initiating relationships. This can be due to them finding other people confusing; not understanding social rules; this can result in the person becoming withdraw or uninterested in other people, or evening using inappropriate behaviour.
3.Difficulty with social imagination. This can be be seen when the person's imagines alternative outcomes to situations which they then find then hard predicting what happens next; misunderstanding other peoples thoughts, or feelings, and in some cases actions too.
Alongside these characteristics Asperger's may manifest itself through;Rituals and routines; To try and make the world less confusing, people with Asperger syndrome may have rules and rituals (ways of doing things) which they insist upon.
Special interests; People with Asperger syndrome may develop an intense, sometimes obsessive, interest in a hobby or collecting. Sometimes these interests are lifelong.
Sensory difficulties; People with Asperger syndrome may have sensory difficulties. The degree of difficulty varies from one individual to another. Most commonly, an individual's senses are either intensified (over-sensitive) or underdeveloped (under-sensitive)."People with sensory sensitivity may also find it harder to use their body awareness system. This system tells us where our bodies are, so for those with reduced body awareness, it can be harder to navigate rooms avoiding obstructions, stand at an appropriate distance from other people and carry out 'fine motor' tasks such as tying shoelaces. Some people with Asperger syndrome may rock or spin to help with balance and posture or to help them deal with stress (- "National Autistic Society")
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