I wish I would have read your message before going off on a
big "disertation re: my experience. I am a mother and registered
nurse of a newly dx 8 year old son- Logan diagnosed about 1 week ago.
Still grasping at straws!!As far as punishing your child... with
Logan it is hard because you have to really take a lood at if it is
something he can "help" or not. I think it really depends on the
action whether or not you can punish. For example the other day he
came home with his homework agenda filled out by his teacher.
Although highly annoying to me, I had to fish to see if it was truly
negligence or a piece of this puzzle called Aspergers. Come to find
out, after talking with Logan I found out he can only copy one letter
at a time off the board and it is hard for him... not really
punishable...But something that needed to be communicated to the
Special Education Director and his teacher.

On the other hand he is a boy and needs punished. For picking on his
little brother for example he often has trouble with the "personal
space" wanting to smother him or will be on the oppisite end with
getting really irritated when his brother touches even one inch of
him. I have to look is this typical or Aspergers. And try to find a
punishment that will work for either. If you cant even be touched
one inch.... you need to cope and go be alone-- in your room. Or
find a place where you can go.. on the other couch where there is no
one to "touch" you and YOU are the one with the problem, so YOU have
to move. I feel this is both telling him it is not okay to act this
way and also offers ways of compensating. If it is where he
is "craving" the interaction "smoothering" it is usually needing
input..I will tell him he needs to go outside and roll down a hill or
go in your room and jump up and down again punishment with teaching
compensation. I dont know if it is right or not???? I guess I look
at every behavior differently and act accordingly.

Also even if they cant help a behavior I think if they don't know its
wrong, they dont know to learn a compenstaion or coping. Logan used
to "ram" into people for input. Did not matter who it was. If was
not punished or told its is "wrong" he would still be doing it at 8
instead he has learned it is inappropriate.




--- In AIPL@yahoogroups.com, "kevinandheatherjohnson" <chicflix@a...>
wrote:
> My name is Heather. I am thankful for groups like these! I have a 6
> year old son with AS. The road to this diagnosis was a very tough
> one...over the last couple of years especially. We received the
> diagnosis in Feb this year. I am actually thankful for the
> diagnosis, because now I can put a "label" on his behavior. I have
> felt guilty and like a bad parent. I have felt that I have been
> grasping at straws and reaching out to anyone who would help. I
have
> received many different diagnosis from therpaists, etc that
> suggested ODD, ADD, ADHD and the like. I have always rejected them,
> because my little guy is not truly any one of these things at all
> times. (And sometimes not at all).
> I am blessed for many reasons:
> 1.TERRIFIC IEP team!! I challenge them regularly and they always
> appreciate that, actually!
> 2.I live 11 miles from the TEACCH center in Chapel Hill, NC-we just
> had the full eval and we are IN!
> 3. My son has attended a classroom for AS (and similar
disabilities)
> children about 3 miles from the TEACCH center. There are 5 children
> in the class and two teachers.
> So, now all I need is a little support from my AS parent-friends. I
> am told by TEACCH that I cannot take priveleges away from
> or "punish" my boy. This is just unbelievable to most (including my
> husband and his g-pa).
> I can be helpful also, because I am quite the advocate for my son
in
> regard to the school system. I have had many a challenge with our
> school Superintendant and am very familiar with working with the
> Dept of Public Instruction.
> Thanks very much for allowing me to introduce myself.