http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/failsafe.htm offers ideas
on how to modify a menu for good results.
-----
Failsafe eating

Here's a simple way to start:
§  switch to preservative free bread (Brumbys or Bakers Delight if
possible)
§  drink water (bottled, spring, filtered or tap if it tastes OK)
instead of juice or cordial
§  avoid artificial colours in lollies etc (Wethers Originals are
colour free, but save lollies for treats)
§  avoid flavour enhancers (600 numbers) in noodles, Shapes
etc (plain noodles, crackers like Saladas are OK)
§  avoid preservatives in processed foods SEE LIST BELOW
§  avoid broccoli, tomato, citrus, grapes and their products.
§  switch to a2milk if available (see www.a2australia.com.au)
 
Some families see a big improvement just by cutting down.
Others will get best results by doing a full elimination diet, Free
of Additives, Low in Salicylates, Amines and Flavour Enhancers
(failsafe).
Email for a list of failsafe dietitians:confoodnet@... 

Avoid these additives
   from www.fedup.com.au
 
COLOURS
   102,104,107,110,122,123,124,127,128,
   129,132,133,142,151,155
   natural colour 160b (annatto)
 
PRESERVATIVES
   Sorbates                     200-203
   Benzoates                  210-213
   Sulphites                    220-228
   Nitrates, nitrites          249-252
   Propionates                280-283
 
SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANTS
   Gallates                     310-312
  TBHQ, BHA, BHT        319-321
 
FLAVOUR ENHANCERS
   Glutamates incl MSG 620-625
   Ribonucleotides          627, 631, 635
   Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
 
ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS
   No numbers since they are trade secrets
 

A friend online worked with this man in North Carolina, USA, and
has posted his obit. I think it might be of interest to anyone who
has benefited from the work he did in the field of autism as he
inspired a shift in outlook.

http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/458599.html
Published: Jul 08, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: Jul 08, 2006 06:14 AM

WHAT IS AUTISM?
Diagnoses of autism are rising in the United States, with three to
six new cases for every 1,000 children born here, says the
National Institute of Mental Health.

Autism is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome. Symptoms vary
from person to person, with degrees of impairment in
communication and social skills common. Some people with
autism practice repetitive behaviors, such as spinning.

Some autistic children and adults function at high levels. Other
live with serious impairments in thinking and language. A portion
never speak.

Modern treatment of autism, among other things, shows parents
ways to communicate that don't always depend on written or
spoken words, including the use of pictures. Children with
autism also are taught to see social cues they don't easily
recognize.

Autism trailblazer Schopler dies at 79
He inspired shift in field's outlook

Catherine Clabby, Staff Writer
CHAPEL HILL - Eric Schopler, an international pioneer in the
humane and effective treatment of autism, died from cancer
Friday at age 79.

Forty-one years ago, the UNC-Chapel Hill psychologist
co-founded a program that rejected the notion that destructive
parents caused autism. Instead, he recognized autism as a
brain disorder -- one that could be managed.

He observed that people living with autism did not learn in
traditional ways but were capable of learning, especially with
customized interventions from therapists, family and teachers.

Those insights led to the development of Division TEACCH --
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related
Communication-Handicapped Children -- a network of nine
state-funded clinics that are still operating. To this day, families
stream to North Carolina to enroll in the TEACCH programs,
which have inspired autism therapy programs in countries
throughout the world.

"He influenced tens of thousands of people," said Catherine
Lord, a prominent University of Michigan psychologist who
worked with Schopler in Chapel Hill early in her career.

"Not only did he develop treatment, he had this understanding
about what autism is and how it could be treated in the family
and broader context of the community and in the schools. That
was unique," Lord said.

The child of German parents forced to flee Hitler in the 1930s,
Schopler was deeply motivated by injustice, friends and family
said Friday. He saw stark unfairness while training in psychology
at the University of Chicago with the Freudian psychoanalyst
Bruno Bettelheim, who compared the parents of autistic children
to concentration camp guards.

But while working with those families, Schopler saw instead
caring people who frequently raised normal children in the same
household. As a young professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, he and
child psychiatrist Robert Reichler started a research project that
described autism as a brain disorder, not an emotional problem,
and developed strategies to help parents accommodate their
child's disabilities.

"It was very courageous of him. He came as an assistant
professor and took on the whole establishment in his
department as well as the whole country," said Gary Mesibov,
who took over as executive director at TEACCH after Schopler
retired from that post in 1993.

When the federal grant that Schopler and Reichler used to start
their research dried up, families who had benefited from their
help lobbied the North Carolina legislature to fund and expand
the program. It did so in 1971.

'Father of it all'

Betty Camp's son, Norman, was among Schopler's first patients
in the 1960s. At age 7, the boy did not speak. He attended
preschool but didn't play with other children. Even at home, he
preferred to be alone.

After two years of work at home with his parents, with Schopler
and others at TEACCH, Norman started connecting with others a
little, though he never spoke. He could attend public school,
Camp said, only because TEACCH trained teachers to work with
autistic children. Today, at age 45, Norman Camp lives at home
and has a job putting together electric meter components.

"I have nightmares about what would have happened if we had
not met," said Betty Camp, one of the parents who lobbied for
state funding to continue TEACCH. "He will be remembered as
the father of it all."

Country gent

A gentleman farmer who lived with his second wife, Margaret, in
the country outside Mebane, Schopler raised beeffalo, ducks,
chicken and sheep. He was not caught up in appearances.
Colleagues say he would sometimes arrive on campus with
mud on his clothes collected during chores at home. Several
remember seeing socks through holes in his shoes.

Schopler kept working in the autism field after releasing
TEACCH's helm at age 65, Mesibov said. A
soon-to-be-published book will include the refinement of a
diagnostic strategy for autistic adolescents and adults that
Schopler finished recently.

In addition to his wife, Schopler is survived by two sons, Bobby
and Tom, and one daughter, Susie, all living in or near Chapel
Hill. He is also survived by seven grandchildren.

Schopler was surrounded by family at his home when he died
Friday from esophageal cancer. Family members intend to hold
a public memorial service in his memory in September, though
details weren't firm Friday.

If anyone wishes to make a donation in Schopler's name, his
family asks that three causes be considered: the Eric Schopler
Endowed Chair for Autism Research at UNC-Chapel Hill, the
Piedmont Wildlife Center and Friends of the Tarheel Angels,
which helps children with cancer.

(Staff writer Jean Fisher contributed to this story.)
Staff writer Catherine Clabby can be reached at 956-2414 or
cclabby@...

http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/10/5/341 is an informative
article, especially for this adult Aspie who was not dx'd until 60.

==> Diagnosis on its own is of limited value, but it is the gateway
to a great deal of information, specialist groups and resources,
including financial support. It is often not recognised that a
diagnosis is simply a working hypothesis: it is a clinical
judgement that has to strike a balance between being too broad
and being too narrow; and it is a process that can evolve with
time and changing circumstances. It is essential, therefore, that
it is categorical and that everyone involved appreciates its
purpose, as its cut-off points will depend on whether it is
* for research – excluding any doubtful cases;
* clinical – a best guess to guide further treatment;
* administrative – giving access to services or resources, or
being part of legal assessments regarding mental capacity,
reliability as a witness, fitness to plead and level of
responsibility.

==> However, whatever its purpose, a diagnosis should only be
given if it has a useful function.

==> Assessment follows diagnosis and it should be broad and
multidisciplinary (Howlin, 2000), in particular, taking account of:
* cognitive ability – identifying discrepancies between receptive
and expressive, verbal and non-verbal communication;
* functional ability – acknowledging the extent to which problems
in executive function and limited empathy can disable someone
who is otherwise very able; strengths should be identified,
particularly any special talents that may become foundations in
life;
* comorbid developmental disabilities, notably ADHD, tics and
dyspraxia.

Diagnosis and assessment in Asperger syndrome
==> Many people with Asperger syndrome misperceive their
circumstances. It is therefore essential to obtain a
comprehensive picture of them that includes the accounts of
others such as parents, friends, teachers and employers (Green
et al, 2000).

==> A report of the assessment should be given to the patient in
writing, to avoid misunderstandings that might arise with spoken
communication.

==> If Asperger syndrome is suspected, diagnosis needs a
clinician familiar with the syndrome as well as with the
alternatives. The diagnostic judgement should be based on a
developmental history (that takes a lifelong perspective)
combined with a present state examination designed to identify
the features of autism. <==
-----
Well, I find this disquieting.  But I hope to return and read more of
the article, to absorb it, so I can better use my own dx in future. It
behooves all of us to learn all we can, as our own health care
professionals often are candid about what they do NOT know.
Mine have been fairly candid about what they can do for me.

Nothing.  I missed my chances by growing up before I found this
dx.  I cannot provide early-years dx by professionals.  Got none.
That's life.  Well, it's MY life.  Gotta do the best I can with what I've
got, and what I got was my dx - or assessment - in writing! -Zer

Sunday, May 7, 2006
Inside the Autistic Mind
A wealth of new brain research--and poignant testimony from
people who have autism--is lifting the veil on this mysterious
condition
By CLAUDIA WALLIS
The road to Hannah's mind opened a few days before her 13th
birthday.
Her parents, therapists, nutritionists and teachers had spent
years preparing the way. They had moved mountains to improve
her sense of balance, her sensory perception and her overall
health. They sent in truckloads of occupational and physical
therapy and emotional support. But it wasn't until the fall of 2005
that traffic finally began to flow in the other direction. Hannah,
whose speech was limited to snatches of songs, echoed
dialogue and unintelligible utterances, is profoundly autistic, and
doctors thought she was most likely retarded. But on that
October day, after she was introduced to the use of a specialized
computer keyboard, Hannah proved them wrong. "Is there
anything you'd like to say, Hannah?" asked Marilyn Chadwick,
director of training at the Facilitated Communication Institute at
Syracuse University.
With Chadwick helping to stabilize her right wrist and her mother
watching, a girl thought to be incapable of learning to read or
write slowly typed, "I love Mom."
A year and a half later, Hannah sits with her tutor at a small
computer desk in her suburban home outside New York City.
Facilitated communication is controversial (critics complain that
it's often the facilitator who is really communicating), but it has
clearly turned Hannah's life around. Since her breakthrough, she
no longer spends much of her day watching Sesame Street and
Blue's Clues. Instead, she is working her way through high
school biology, algebra and ancient history. "It became obvious
fairly quickly that she already knew a lot besides how to read,"
says her tutor, Tonette Jacob.
During the silent years, it seems, Hannah was soaking up vast
storehouses of information. The girl without language had an
extensive vocabulary, a sense of humor and some unusual gifts.
One day, when Jacob presented her with a page of 30 or so
math problems, Hannah took one look, then typed all 30
answers. Stunned, Jacob asked, "Do you have a photographic
memory?" Hannah typed "Yes."
Like many people with autism, Hannah is so acutely sensitive to
sound that she'll catch every word of a conversation occurring
elsewhere in the house, which may account for much of her
knowledge. She is also hypersensitive to visual input. Gazing
directly at things is difficult, so she often relies on her almost
preternatural peripheral vision. Hannah's newfound ability to
communicate has enabled her intellect to flower, but it also has
a dark side: she has become painfully aware of her own autism.
Of this, she writes, "Reality hurts."

MORE THAN 60 YEARS AFTER AUTISM WAS first described by
American psychiatrist Leo Kanner, there are still more questions
than answers about this complex disorder. Its causes are still
uncertain, as are the reasons for the rapidly rising incidence of
autism in the U.S., Japan, England, Denmark and France. But
slowly, steadily, many myths about autism are falling away, as
scientists get a better picture of what's going on in the bodies
and brains of people with autism and as more of those who are
profoundly affected, like Hannah, are able to give voice to their
experience. Among the surprises:
o  Autism is almost certainly, like cancer, many diseases with
many distinct causes. It's well known that there's a wide range in
the severity of symptoms--from profound disability to milder
forms like Asperger syndrome, in which intellectual ability is
generally high but social awareness is low. Indeed, doctors now
prefer the term Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). But scientists
suspect there are also distinct subtypes, including an
early-onset type and a regressive type that can strike as late as
age 2.
o  Once thought to be mainly a disease of the cerebellum--a
region in the back of the brain that integrates sensory and motor
activity, autism is increasingly seen as a pervasive problem with
the way the brain is wired. The distribution of white matter, the
nerve fibers that link diverse parts of the brain, is abnormal, but
it's not clear how much is the cause and how much the result of
autism.
o  The immune system may play a critical role in the
development of at least some types of autism. This suggests
some new avenues of prevention and treatment.
o  Many classic symptoms of autism--spinning, head banging,
endlessly repeating phrases--appear to be coping mechanisms
rather than hard-wired behaviors. Other classic symptoms--a
lack of emotion, an inability to love--can now be largely
dismissed as artifacts of impaired communication. The same
may be true of the supposedly high incidence of mental
retardation.
o  The world of autism therapy continues to be bombarded by
cure-of-the-day fads. But therapists are beginning to sort out the
best ways to intervene. And while autism is generally a lifelong
struggle, there are some reported cases in which kids who were
identified as autistic and treated at an early age no longer exhibit
symptoms.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENCE
DR. THOMAS INSEL, DIRECTOR OF THE National Institute of
Mental Health (NIMH), which funds much of the nation's autism
research, remembers a time when the disorder was rarely
diagnosed. "When my brother trained at Children's Hospital at
Harvard in the 1970s, they admitted a child with autism, and the
head of the hospital brought all of the residents through to see,"
says Insel. "He said, 'You've got to see this case; you'll never see
it again.'"
Alas, he was mistaken. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 166 American children
born today will fall somewhere on the autistic spectrum. That's
double the rate of 10 years ago and 10 times the estimated
incidence a generation ago. While some have doubted the new
figures, two surveys released last week by the CDC were in
keeping with this shocking incidence.
No one can say why the numbers have soared. Greater
awareness and public health campaigns to encourage earlier
diagnosis have surely played a part, since in the past, many
such children were probably labeled retarded or insane and
hidden in institutions. But environmental factors may also be
contributing to the spike. To get to the bottom of that mystery and
others, federal funding for autism research has more than tripled
in the past decade, to $100 million, although it pales in
comparison with the estimated $500 million spent on childhood
cancers, which affect fewer youngsters.
At the Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease
Prevention at the University of California at Davis, toxicologist
Isaac Pessah is studying hair, blood, urine and tissue samples
from 700 families with autism. He's testing for 17 metals, traces
of pesticides, opioids and other toxicants. In March Pessah
caused a stir by releasing a study that showed that even the low
level of mercury used in vaccines preserved with thimerosal,
long a suspect in autism, can trigger irregularities in the
immune-system cells--at least in the test tube. But he does not
regard thimerosal (which has been removed from routine
childhood vaccines) as anything like a smoking gun. "There's
probably no one trigger that's causing autism from the
environmental side," says Pessah, "and there's no one gene
that's causing it."
Indeed, most researchers believe autism arises from a
combination of genetic vulnerabilities and environmental
triggers. An identical twin of a child with autism has a 60% to
90% chance of also being affected. And there's little doubt that a
vulnerability to ASD runs in some families: the sibling of a child
with autism has about a 10% chance of having ASD. Gene
scientists working on autism have found suspicious spots on
chromosomes 2, 5, 7, 11 and 17, but there are probably dozens
of genes at work. "We think there are a number of different
autisms, each of which could have a different cause and different
genes involved," says David Amaral, research director of the
MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders)
Institute, also at U.C. Davis.
Amaral is heading MIND's efforts to assemble a database of
clinical, behavioral and genetic information on 1,800 autistic
kids. One goal is to clearly define autism subtypes. "It's hard to
do the genetics if you're talking about four or five different
syndromes," says NIMH chief Insel. "Does the presence of
seizures define a separate illness? What about the kids who
seem to develop normally for the first year and a half and then
regress--is that a separate thing?" And what about the large
number of autistic kids who have serious gastrointestinal
problems and the many with immune dysfunctions--are they
distinct subtypes?
Amaral and colleague Judy Van de Water believe they are onto a
major discovery about the origins of at least one type of
autism--a strongly familial variety. They have detected aberrant
antibodies in the blood of kids from families with a pattern of
ASD and, significantly, in mothers with more than one autistic
child. "These antibodies are actually raised against proteins in
the fetal brain," says Amaral, who recently submitted a paper on
the discovery. The working hypothesis is that these antibodies
may alter brain development in ways that lead to autism. If
correct, the finding could lead to a maternal blood test and the
use of a therapy called plasmapheresis to clear antibodies from
the mother's blood. "You get a sense of the excitement," says
Amaral, "if you could prevent, say, 20% of kids from getting
autism. But we don't want to raise false hopes."

THE AUTISTIC BRAIN
WHETHER THE CAUSE IS MATERNAL antibodies, heavy metals
or something else, there is no question that the brains of young
children with autism have unusual features. To begin with, they
tend to be too big. In studies based on magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) and basic tape-measure readings, neuroscientist
Eric Courchesne at Children's Hospital of San Diego showed
that while children with autism are born with ordinary-size brains,
they experience a rapid expansion by age 2--particularly in the
frontal lobes. By age 4, says Courchesne, autistic children tend
to have brains the size of a normal 13-year-old. This aberrant
growth is even more pronounced in girls, he says, although for
reasons that remain mysterious, only 1 out of 5 children with
autism is female. More recent studies by Amaral and others
have found that the amygdala, an area associated with social
behavior, is also oversize, a finding Amaral believes is related to
the high levels of anxiety seen in as many as 80% of people with
autism.
Harvard pediatric neurologist Dr. Martha Herbert reported last
year that the excess white matter in autistic brains has a specific
distribution: local areas tend to be overconnected, while links
between more distant regions of the brain are weak. The brain's
right and left hemispheres are also poorly connected. It's as if
there are too many competing local services but no long
distance.
This observation jibes neatly with imaging studies that look at
live brain activity in autistic people. Studies using functional MRI
show a lack of coordination among brain regions, says Marcel
Just, director of Carnegie Mellon's Center for Cognitive Brain
Imaging in Pittsburgh, Pa. Just has scanned dozens of 15- to
35-year-old autistic people with IQs in the normal range, giving
them thinking tasks as he monitors their brain activity. "One thing
you see," says Just, "is that [activity in] different areas is not
going up and down at the same time. There's a lack of
synchronization, sort of like a difference between a jam session
and a string quartet. In autism, each area does its own thing."
What remains unclear is whether the interconnectivity problem is
the result of autism or its cause. Perhaps all that excess wiring
is like the extra blood vessels around the heart of a person who
has suffered a heart attack--the body's attempt to route around a
problem. Or perhaps the abnormal growth of the brain has to do
with the immune system; researchers at Johns Hopkins have
found signs that autistic brains have chronic inflammation. "It's
impossible to tell the chicken from the egg at this point," Just
says.
Autistic people have been shown to use their brains in unusual
ways: they memorize alphabet characters in a part of the brain
that ordinarily processes shapes. They tend to use the visual
centers in the back of the brain for tasks usually handled by the
prefrontal cortex. They often look at the mouth instead of the eyes
of someone who is speaking. Their focus, says psychologist
Ami Klin of Yale's Child Study Center, is "not on the social
allegiances--for example, the longing gaze of a mother--but
physical allegiances--a mouth that moves."
Do these differences reflect fundamental pathology, or are they
downstream effects of some more basic problem? No one
knows. But the fact that early intervention brings better results for
children with ASD could be a clue that some of the odd brain
anatomy and activity are secondary--and perhaps even
preventable. Studies that look at whether early therapy might
help normalize the brain are beginning at York University in
Toronto, but results are probably years away.

AUTISM FROM THE INSIDE
IN THE MEANTIME, 300,000 SCHOOL-AGE American children
and many adults are attempting to get through daily life with
autism. The world has tended to hear from those who are
highest functioning, like Temple Grandin, the author and
Colorado State University professor of livestock behavior known
for designing humane slaughterhouses. But the voices of those
more severely affected are beginning to be heard as well. Such
was the case with Sue Rubin, 27, a college student from
Whittier, Calif., who has no functional speech and matches most
people's stereotyped image of a retarded person; yet she was
able to write the narration for the Oscar-nominated documentary
about her life, Autism Is a World.
What such individuals have to say about their experience is
offering new clues to their condition. It also conforms remarkably
to what scientists see inside their brains. By and large, people
with ASD have difficulty bringing different cognitive functions
together in an integrated way. There is a tendency to hyperfocus
on detail and miss the big picture. Coordinating volition with
movement and sensation can be difficult for some. Chandima
Rajapatirana, an autistic writer from Potomac, Md., offers this
account: "Helplessly I sit while Mom calls me to come. I know
what I must do, but often I can't get up until she says, 'Stand up,'"
he writes. "[The] knack of knowing where my body is does not
come easy for me. Interestingly I do not know if I am sitting or
standing. I am not aware of my body unless it is touching
something ... Your hand on mine lets me know where my hand
is. Jarring my legs by walking tells me I am alive."
Such descriptions shed light on seemingly self-destructive
behavior like biting, scratching, spinning and head banging. For
people like Rajapatirana, banging against a wall can be a useful
way to tell, quite literally, where their head is at. "Before we
extinguish [such behaviors], we need to understand what they
are telling us," writes Judith Bluestone, a Seattle-based therapist
who is autistic, in The Fabric of Autism.
In his new book Send in the Idiots, British journalist Kamran
Nazeer, who is also autistic, describes the need for repetitive
motions or words as a search for "local coherence" in a world
full of jarring randomness. He also conveys the social
difficulties: "Striking up conversations with strangers," he writes,
"is an autistic person's version of extreme sports." Indeed, at a
recent retreat for people with ASD, attendees wore colored tags
indicating their comfort level with spontaneous conversation: red
meant don't approach, yellow meant talk if we've already met,
green indicated, "I'd love to talk, but I'm not good at initiating."
Perhaps the worst fate for a person with ASD is to have a lively
intelligence trapped in a body that makes it difficult for others to
see that the lights are on. Neuroscientist Michael Merzenich at
the University of California, San Francisco, studied an autistic
boy who is unable to speak or even sustain his attention to a
task for more than a few moments, and yet is aware of his
condition and writes remarkable poetry. How many other autistic
kids, Merzenich wonders, "are living in a well where no one can
hear them"?
Luckily for Hannah, her voice and thoughts are being heard.
Since learning to type, she has begun to speak a few words
reliably--"yes," "no" and the key word "I"--to express her desires.
All this seems miraculous to her parents. "I was told to give up
and get on with my life," says her mother. Now she and her
husband are thinking about saving for college.
-----
With reporting by Dan Cray/Los Angeles

Copyright © 2006 Time Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is
prohibited.

http://forum.asperger.asn.au offers a wide range of info for folks
of all ages - parents of new Aspies, adolescent Aspies, and just
any folks who are looking for a better way to live as Aspies. -Zer
(still enjoying my late-life Aspie dx at 60 - two years later, wow!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger's_syndrome is a nice intro
to Asperger's - a high-functioning autism spectrum niche that is
coming into its own as the 'Net offers a forum for voices that have
not been heard until recently.  Aspies are squeaking up now, as
if to take back our dx from the clinical folks who would describe
us as limited - just because we think outside the box as a way of
life.  C'mon out, the thinking is swell.  Risk thinking outside the
box, where most solutions lie and where there is no limit to how
many solutions might be found. Yay, Wiki!   -Zer (just beginning
to learn about Asperger's myself; anyone else here? Squeak up!)

http://www.mercola.com/forms/eftcourse.htm offers guidelines
for how/where to tap as we make positive affirmations to realign
or reprogram our subconscious for a healthier lifestyle.

EFT? Emotional Freedom Technique, developed by Gary Craig
as a way of opening doors that we can move through as we tap
for a healthier life.  Try it on everything!  Step by step, tap by tap.

==> This is a very powerful illustration that the subconscious is
absolutely neutral. Remember our subconscious is our faithful
servant and it will provide us with exactly what we tell it - whatever
demand we place on it. In many ways it is like our computer. It
will perform whatever instructions we tell it. So we must be very
careful of the instructions we provide. <==

Anyone care to start tapping?  -Zer (happily tapping my way to a
firmer grasp of Dr.Atkins' LC guidelines as a better way to live)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Asperger offers a fuzzy photo of
Hans Asperger (Feb. 18, 1906 – Oct. 21, 1980), the Austrian
pediatrician after whom Asperger's Syndrome is named.
> Born in Vienna, Asperger published the first definition of
Asperger's Syndrome in 1944. In four boys, he identified a
pattern of behavior and abilities that he called "autistic
psychopathy," meaning autism (self) and psychopathy
(personality disease). The pattern included "a lack of empathy,
little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense
absorption in a special interest, and clumsy movements."
Asperger called children with AS "little professors" because of
their ability to talk about their favourite subject in great detail....
> Hans Asperger's positive outlook contrasts strikingly with Leo
Kanner's description of autism, of which Asperger's is often
considered to be a high functioning form.
> Ironically, as a child Hans Asperger appears to have exhibited
features of the very condition named after him. He was
described as a remote and lonely child, who had difficulty
making friends....
> Asperger died before his identification of this pattern of
behaviour became widely recognized because his work was
mostly in German and little-translated. The first person to use
the term "Asperger's Syndrome" in a paper was British
researcher Lorna Wing. Her paper, Asperger's syndrome: a
clinical account, was published in 1981 and challenged the
previously accepted model of autism presented by Leo Kanner
in 1943.
> International Asperger's Year, 2006, marks the 100th
anniversary of Dr. Asperger's birth and the 25th anniversary of Dr.
Wing's landmark paper. International Asperger's Year was
conceived by the Asperger Adults of Greater Washington.

How Autism Feels ~ December 20, 2005 ~ by Kate Goldfield
(a senior at Goucher College wrote this for the Baltimore Sun)

When I was a freshman in college, someone asked a friend of
mine if I was autistic. Having almost no knowledge about what
autism was other than a dim memory of a "Rain Man"-like
character rocking in the corner and nonverbal, I was appalled.
How could anyone possibly think I was like that?

Two years later, I rediscovered the subject of autism after seeing
a Lifetime movie about it. I was intrigued by some of the
concepts in it and began reading everything I could find about
autism, purely out of intellectual interest.

I awakened to the notion that a lot of what I was reading sounded
like me. I learned that autism is actually a spectrum disorder,
which means that there are people who are affected by it on
different levels. I discovered something called Asperger's
Syndrome, which is high-functioning autism and markedly
different in its presentation from what we could call classic
autism.

People with Asperger's Syndrome, or AS, I learned, have trouble
reading social cues and understanding nonverbal language.
They have trouble knowing what to say in conversations, when to
start speaking and when to stop speaking. They fail to notice
subtle conversational cues like change in tone of voice or body
posture. In fact, they have trouble with social language in
general.

They are often highly intelligent, especially with special interests
that they pursue, but have trouble conversing. Because of this,
they have trouble making friends and many will go through all of
high school and college without having ever really made a good
friend.

Sensory issues are very prevalent in people with AS. They can
hear the sound of a person tapping their pencil from across the
room. The smell of cigarette smoke or cleaning agents will drive
them crazy. Lights are either too bright or too dim and they often
have a difficult time finding clothes that they can bear wearing
because of the way they feel on their skin. Often, they will have
sensory overloads and need some time out from an activity to
process all that is happening to them.

For this reason, eye contact can hurt. Social interactions for
someone with AS can be like trying to put together a 500-piece
puzzle before the time is up. We even speak differently; our
conversational manner tends to be quite genuine. We say what
we're thinking.

It is this genuineness, though, that endears us to many people.
We don't play guessing games with people; we say what we
mean. As employees and friends, we are loyal. We have the
ability to focus completely on tasks of interest for hours at a time
and also to remember huge amounts of facts related to our
interests quite easily.

When I was diagnosed with AS last summer, it came as an
enormous relief. I finally knew why I had always hovered on the
outside of social life, always wanting to join in but somehow
never being able to figure out quite how. I could find other people
who understood me and were like me.

Unfortunately, many people are not as fortunate as I was to gain
this understanding about myself. There is comparatively little
information available about AS. It was put into the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Disorders (the official handbook of what is
and what is not a psychological disorder) in 1994. There are
many people out there who wonder why they are different, who
are desperate to find the missing piece, but have never heard of
AS.

I explain all of this just to give the average person an idea of what
it is like to live on the autistic spectrum. I feel that it is only by
learning about others' struggles and truly trying to understand
them that we can build a world that is safe for everyone - a world
where we can grow and improve because we are taking
advantage of everyone's strengths, not just the strengths of a
selective few. That's the kind of world I want to live in. It's the kind
of world we all want to live in.

Got some help in figuring out how to do exercise C. See below.

--- In Aspies-Anon#300, "zer92781" <zer92781@y...> wrote:
> This summary offered by a parent from her experience in using
it with her own Aspie child, to a parent anticipating using it for
her own young Aspie at home.  This is a quick summary.  For
more info, see site info at end of this post.  -Zer (celebraing my
own Aspie dx, which has brought such peace into my own life)
> -----
> P>A>C>E is a series of 4 brain gym activities that sort out the
> brain to get ready for learning and to help make things more
> peaceful around your home. It is magical stuff.
>
> P stands for positive. Take a mouthful of water and hold it in
your
> mouth. This is to rehydrate the body. Most of us are dehydrated
> and water is the best thing to make the brain work well.
Holding
> it in the mouth is the fastest way for it to be absorbed into the
> body. Remember that if you go have a heart attack the way they
> give you your medicine is in a tablet under the tongue for
fastest
> uptake.  Count to at least 20 with the water in your mouth.
>
> A stands for active. Do some cross crawl. Lift the right knee
and
> tap it with your left elbow, then left knee to right elbow. Count to
at
> least 20 while doing this. This makes both sides of the brain
> work together at the same time which helps with everything
from
> reading and writing to thinking and speaking.
>
> C stands for clear. Brain buttons is the exercise. Place one
hand
> on your belly button. Put the other on the lumpy bones at the
> base of your neck. Pointer finger on one side, thumb on the
> other. Slide your hand down until they slide into a hollow. Now
> rub gently. If it is tender you absolutely have the right spot. If it is
> too tender to touch then rub the air above.
> ==> Need clarification on the above exercise? I sure did!  Here
is what an experienced parent suggests for a novice like me:
> >...put your pointer finger on your chin; slide it down your throat
until you hit bone at the base of your neck. That is where your
collar bones connect to your sternum. Put your thumb to one
side and your middle finger to the other and slide down from
here. On me its about 2 finger widths down from the bone to the
depressions. If you are round and cuddly like me it takes a bit of
finding. But don't be too worried about being exact. It will still
work just not as well if you aren't in exactly the right place.
It is higher then where you give CPR. Halfway between CPR
position and your collar bone on either side of the sternum.< <

> E stands for energetic. Cross your feet at the ankles. Hold your
> hands straight out in front of you, backs of hands touching
> together and palms facing out. Now holding hands in this
> position lift the left hand and cross it over the right so that
wrists
> are crossed over and palms are touching. Link fingers together
> then pull your hands downward and toward your body till they
roll
> over and hands point toward sky. Hold this position until you
sigh
> or yawn or until you decide you have had enough (up to 2
> minutes may be necessary).  This is a really good calming
> exercise. If you can't twist the arms up like a pretzel then you
can
> just tuck your hands into your opposite armpit and hug
yourself.
> -----
> If you feel this might work for you, see http://www.braingym.org/
> for more info on...
> > Educational Kinesiology ~ We are a worldwide network
> dedicated to enhancing living and learning through the science
> of movement. For more than 30 years and in over 80 countries,
> we have been helping children, adults, and seniors to...
> > Learn ANYTHING faster and more easily...
> > Perform better at sports...
> > Be more focused and organized...
> > Start and finish projects with ease...
> > Overcome learning challenges...
>
> > For information about Brain Gym® ... edukfd@e...
> [earthlink.net] phone: (800) 356-2109 or (805) 658-7942
>
> Brain Gym® International
> 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 204B
> Ventura, CA 93001
>

http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/ ~ Looks like a great site! -Zer
-----
Welcome to Aspies for Freedom. This is unlike any autism and
asperger's site you have ever seen before. We view autism, not
necessarily as a disability, or something that is negative for
everyone on the autistic spectrum, but as part of who the
individual is.

We know that autism is not a disease, and we oppose any
attempts to "cure" someone of an autism spectrum condition
such as aspergers syndrome or any attempts to make them
'normal' against their will. We have expanded beyond being an
online-only organisation by setting up offline social groups in
various locations internationally. We are part of building the
autism culture. We aim to oppose all forms of discrimination
against aspies and auties, and work to bring the community
together both online and offline.

The site has an autism chatroom, autism forums, and lots of
information in the autism wiki.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Aspies-Anon/ is the home
site for this list.  At this site you can see some choices listed at
the left on the screen.  FILES is one of the sites that is useful for
posting longish articles, instead of posting them as emails that
might swamp someone's mailbox.  To read an article, go to
FILES and read the text files.  You too can post articles. -Zer (who
just posted the article aimed at helping grandparents and others
become more involved in the life of an Aspie child or family)

> Files > Aspie articles of interest
>
> Especially for Grandparents of Children With Asperger's
> Nancy Mucklow offers insights on how a grandparent might
benefit an Aspie grandchild and become a support for parents of
an Aspie child.
>
> How about Not 'Curing' Us
> NYTimes, 12/20/04

https://www.medicalert.org/Home/homegradient.aspx offers an
interesting array of options to identify a person's medical history
and to provide instant awareness of important info/contacts. -Zer
(who is thinking maybe this will ease my Aspie angst about how
I am growing ever older and do not have a good support system)

http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=3
is a site that explains how government websites are supposed
to be accessible.  Not obscure or difficult for someone to get into.

Sent that info to the folks who have been stonewalling me about
how their artsy-fartsy new program at TreasuryDirect.gov chokes
my Macintosh at 56KB of 59KB so that I cannot access my own
investment account.  Can you believe this?  Since early October
I've been unable to manage my investments in US savings
bonds at TDirect.  All I get is some flack about how to use a
browser, how to type in 'treasurydirect.gov" and about upgrading
to a different browser.  None of that fits into Section 508's
commitment to make govt websites accessible!

Yay for Aspie tenacity!  Sometimes being Aspie pays off!

Yay for Google, too, for bringing all sorts of info to my eyes! -Zer

Lack of affect? Is that part of your Aspie experience? It is mine. It
adversely affects my success in getting proper medical care and
other essential services.  Flat affect. Wooden face. Failure to
show emotion. Inability to get help when it is needed, as one
simply 'goes away' or melts down to avoid feelings in the face of
impossible emotional situation. Any or all of these may strike a
chord with an Aspie who is baffled by life. See also
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/lack_of_facial_expression.
htm ~  Lack of facial expression: Face without normal facial
expressions (flat affect). An absence of expression on the face is
medically called "flat affect". In many cases, the face mirrors the
underlying emotions, and the person has limited emotions or
various emotional or psychological disorders. ... Other less
common psychological disorders with flat affect include:
* Autistic disorder
* Asperger syndrome
------------------------------
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/asperger_syndrome/intro.htm
is full of adverts, but there is content if you scroll scroll scroll
down down down to find the text.

Here's a victory story about a SoCal woman who stood firm and
fought a good fight -- and won her case against an employer! It's
people like this who make life better for Aspies who are not able
to break through, who rely on others to carve a path that they can
follow.  I'm grateful for those with the ability to make a difference
such as this woman has done.  Just read.  It will warm the
cockles of your heart and make this Thanksgiving Day better!
-----
From: "scap_64" <scap_64@...>
Date: Thu Nov 24, 2005  9:55 am
Subject: Employer Held Liable for AS Disability Discrimination

Dear Friends: I am delighted to share with you news about this
case. At this time of Thanksgiving, I would like to express my
deepest gratitude to you personally and to everyone whose
support, personal involvement, resources, information and
genuine concern made this victory possible.

Please feel free to re-publish and forward the following if you find
appropriate to do so.

<<<El Cajon, California: College District Held Responsible for
Disability Discrimination of an Employee with Asperger's
Syndrome: L.K., 41, has been a Grossmont-Cuyamaca
Community College District (GCCCD) employee since 1996 with
a history of long-term steady employment, quality work
performance and active community/campus involvement. She
graduated with honors and awards from Grossmont College,
which is part of GCCCD, and has been featured in GCCCD and
city publications both as a student and an employee.

In early 2002, L.K. disclosed her condition (Asperger's
Syndrome) and intent to request an accommodation under ADA
(transfer to a vacant position). After that, she was subjected to
disparate treatment, including but not limited to premature
termination of her family's health benefits, her voice mail having
been depersonalized and her e-mail account having been
blocked.

Against its own written policy setting 30-day deadline to respond
to disability accommodation requests, GCCCD had stalled L.K.'s
request for about 1.5 years, withholding information about
available vacant positions to transfer. When the violation was
pointed out, the employer's response was to modify the policy to
eliminate 30-day deadline. From now on, disabled GCCCD
employees who request accommodations may have to wait
indefinitely for their request to be considered.

By summer 2003, the employer left L.K. no choice but to accept
demotion and 45% pay cut as the only chance for receiving an
accommodation. In October 2003, GCCCD administration
placed her on an indefinite "illness leave" with no request for
such leave from L.K., no documented medical necessity and no
authorization by medical professionals.

To this day, GCCCD does not allow L.K. to return to work.

Among other college courses, GCCCD offers studies in
Disability Services Management. It also claims to be an equal
opportunity employer.

On October 7, 2005, after a two-week trial, the El Cajon, CA, jury
awarded L.K. damages for lost wages, lost benefits and mental
distress in the total amount of $299,402.88.

The jury concluded that the employer subjected its employee
with disability to disparate treatment, and that GCCCD failed to
timely engage in an ADA interactive process in good faith even
after US Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (DOE
OCR) intervention and request to comply with the law.

Lathe Gill, the plaintiff's attorney, comments on the jury verdict:

"The jury saw here a competent, dedicated individual with
Asperger's Syndrome whose needs and contributions were
discounted by her employer. And they held the employer
responsible. People with developmental disabilities take note,
there is a place for you in the workplace. Your skills and
intelligence and effort can make a dramatic difference at work.
Do not give up!"

Lathe Gill ( http://www.lathegill.com ) is a California-based
lawyer practicing law on behalf of people with disabilities.

Expert witness Cynthia Norall, Ph.D., an educational and
behavioral consultant, the founder and Clinical Director of
Comprehensive Autism Services and Education, Inc. (also
known as C.A.S.E., Inc. http://www.casefamily.com ) offered her
testimony and educated the court about Asperger's syndrome
and autism spectrum.

Dr. Norall, a licensed educational psychologist and a nationally
certified cognitive behavior therapist, consults and gives expert
testimony both locally, in California, and internationally. She's
worked with hundreds of clients on autism spectrum, and uses
many techniques valuable for teaching social understanding
skills that can easily be applied in the classroom and in the
workplace setting.

Among other educational methods, she offers through C.A.S.E.
social skills therapy groups, called Friends' Club®, as well as
Asperger's Syndrome support groups for young adults, and
develops appropriate educational programs. She and her team
of therapists meet with small groups of children/teens in a
clinical setting to teach social cognition skills. Her dissertation
included research in parent's perspectives regarding
educational resources for children with autism.

Dr. Norall comments, "CASE, Inc. is pleased with Mrs. K.'s
success in overcoming discrimination in the workplace. At
CASE, Inc. we celebrate people with Asperger's Syndrome for all
that they have contributed to who we are as a society. We hope
that the challenges Mrs. K. has overcome can lead to better
understanding and acceptance of people with Asperger's
Syndrome so that such discrimination never happens again."

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental condition
related to the autism spectrum. Affected individuals (usually of
normal or above average intelligence, capable of intense focus,
strong attention to detail, painstaking adherence to policies and
procedures, unorthodox problem-solving and high productivity in
the areas of their interests and aptitudes) are prone to motor
coordination impairments, sensory oversensitivities, have
difficulty interacting socially along "unwritten rules", reading
nonverbal language or navigating workplace politics, may prefer
solitary activities and are often viewed as eccentric. As a tragic
result, many end up un- or underemployed and on the receiving
end of prejudice, bullying, negative stereotyping, harassment
and discrimination.

This case and its outcome has resonated widely throughout
autism spectrum and anti-bullying communities, triggering an
international interest and a letter campaign from those
concerned about rights, dignity and well-being of citizens on
autism spectrum.

The jury verdict was met with the following comments:

"Sincere congratulations on winning. It's wonderful to know that
justice did prevail". - Julie, UK.

"Thanks to you for going the distance. I know it wasn't easy. I am
so glad! " – Gayle Fitzpatrick MEd, a professional educator,
advocate and a parent of two children with AS, Maine, USA.

"Just saw this and loudly cheered. That is a great result for
everyone". – Michelle Dawson, a renown Canadian autistic
advocate, http://www.sentex.net/~nexus23/naa_02.html

"We have all won because we need to stop this kind of behavior
rather then just allow people to be walked on". – Victoria Telep
from Michigan, USA, mother of an autistic child

"…We have done so much together haven't we? Who would have
thought we could have ever wielded such a power thru our
letters, our knowledge and determination?" – Lorelie Young,
grandmother of two autistic children, Oregon, USA

Minna Mettinen, an autistic advocate and a mother of two autistic
children from Ontario, Canada, wrote: "This is such good news -
for us all, (those of us who are still young enough to not have
worked yet, or are working, and now have a precedence set to
protect them also (hopefully) in the future. Thank you to all who
helped with this, by writing, by offering support personally, or
professionally, by keeping their eyes on these folks, and sending
them letters when it was time to do so…this is what Autistic
Advocacy should be about....thank you all who have helped."

Jack Sleeth, Jr, one of the attorneys representing GCCCD,
intends to appeal the jury decision. According to the following
publications, Mr. Sleeth has previously taken a stance against at
least two other individuals on autism spectrum:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/04/14/news/inland/23_41_
064_13_05.txt
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/05/06/news/inland/23_28_
495_5_05.prt >>

DANDA London ~ Central London Monthly Social Night

STOP PRESS: At our November 22 meeting, the BBC are coming to film the group.
They are working for a program called 'Outsiders' to be shown on BBC3. One of
our members, Clifford Silverman, is being followed by them. They are showing how
he has a regular job, a fulfilling social life and can participate in society
like anyone else. Please come along, this will be good publicity for DANDA.

We are particularly looking for more females with dyspraxia and AD(H)D to
attend.

If you would like to be on TV then this is your chance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE FILMED: You can only be on camera if you
explicitly sign a form giving your consent, even if it was for just a few
seconds in the background. If you do not wish to appear on TV, there will be
another contingent upstairs until the cameramen leave.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The filming will only be taking place between 7pm and 9.30 pm.

For more information please contact Mary Colley:
Email: mary.colley@...
Phone: 0207 4317895

Any queries on the day
ring the group facilitator on 0700-5-97-65-65

For more information and directions, please visit the website
http://www.danda.org.uk/pages/group_danda_london.html

http://tinyurl.com/cbctp is a wonderful article about autism. Part of
the article touches on a photo essay about autism, an essay that
is reaching its intended audience with the impact intended by its
creator.  See for yourself at http://www.gettingthetruthout.org

In the article itself, I like this part especially:
> Because there is no objective biochemical test for autism, one
suggestion is that many of those previously diagnosed as
'mental retards' are now diagnosed as autistic.
> Links for further reading and information
> http://www.gettingthetruthout.org aims to show the reality
behind stereotypical images of autism.
> http://www.autismandcomputing.org.uk is Mike and Dinah's
site. It 'aims to explore ways of minimising the effects of a
disabling society on people disposed to monotropism'.
> http://www.nas.org.uk is the UK National Autistic Society's
website. It 'exists to champion the rights and interests of all
people with autism and to ensure that they and their families
receive quality services'
-----
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1639392,
00.html

http://www.autismlink.com/index.shtml
Brought to you by AutismLink <http://www.autismlink.com/>
------------------------------
Editor's Note: Although this was published in an Oregon
Newspaper, we thought it might benefit a national audience. It
explains how hard it is to be different -- with Asperger Syndrome.
It is written by a high school student.
------------------------------
When it's hard to fit in
By Bryce Hubbard
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2005/11/07/tw.aspergers.11
07.p1.php?section=20below

20Below News Team
Published: Monday, November 7, 2005

People can become social outcasts for lots of reasons. Such as,
people get labeled as geeks or nerds when they're smart or
good at something.

Doesn't seem fair, but that's reality.

Have you ever heard of someone being a social disaster
because of too much imagination? There is such a thing.

It's called Asperger's syndrome.

This form of high-functioning autism causes social problems
that can't entirely be overcome, because the problem is not with
the individual's personality. It's in the wiring of the brain.

I should know. I suffer from this disorder.

Here's an example of the difference between a neurotypical
(among the 99.9percent of the people on the planet without
Asperger's) and an Asper: Person A and Person B look up and
see the same cloud. Person A sees a bunny rabbit. Person B
has AS and sees a geometric shape, and several other things
as well.

Person A begins to talk about the rabbit, thinking that Person B
sees the same thing. Person B is puzzled and unable to follow
the conversation, because he doesn't see the rabbit.

That's a little idea of what it feels like to have Asperger's.

I say "little" because the only real way to understand Asperger's
is to be afflicted with it. Sometimes, those of us with Asperger's
have other disorders. I have dysgraphia and dyscalculia, which
means I haven't the ability to organize or calculate numbers very
well.

The worst part of having Asperger's is the lack of peer bonding.

When I got to high school, my social disabilities really made
themselves apparent. It was difficult to fit in - not that I wanted to
be a part of a clichéd stereotype of any group (I'm of the opinion
that stereotypes are one of humanity's worst habits).

Often, Aspers are unable to cope with the casual cruelties that
other less understanding students inflict upon them. I know one
easily agitated student with Asperger's who is routinely picked
on by others who just want to set him off.

And these cruel students wouldn't be described as your typical
bullies.

High school is a difficult place for Aspers. I have maybe one or
two good friends with whom I can be myself. The rest of the time
I must put on a social face to at least pretend I fit other students'
definition of normal.

At least that's what I used to do. Now, after years of pretending to
be a neurotypical, I rarely hide how fundamentally different I am.

History has shown that creativity, unusual thinking and
imagination can lead to incredible success.

In fact, people with Asperger's typically have normal to high IQs.
Many significant figures throughout history have been suggested
as possibly having the disorder, including Thomas Jefferson
and Albert Einstein.

For some reason, however, people would rather label others as
social outcasts than appreciate their potential.

I've been told that I started using several words when I was less
than a year old, and I began speaking in sentences shortly after
that. I have heard of many Aspers with extraordinary abilities,
including one who could recall the details of her birth.

But most people don't know anything about or understand
Asperger's, which makes progression through our education
system difficult for those with the disorder. It makes you wonder
how some of us get by. The truth is, some of us don't.

Only through the support of my family and few friends do I
manage in high school. I am constantly reminded of my social
dysfunction when someone asks my opinion on a subject, and I
offer a view that is almost completely different from everyone
else's.

But that doesn't mean I hate being different - not at all. I enjoy it. A
lot of people talk about not wanting to be stereotyped, yet they
seek acceptance by being a part of a larger group.

I know I'm actually a unique individual, unlike so many who claim
to be.

Bryce Hubbard is a senior at South Eugene High.
He can be reached at 20Below@...

Autism Poem: The Grid

A black and yellow spider hangs motionless in its web,
and my son, who is eleven and doesn't talk, sits
on a patch of grass by the perennial border, watching.

What does he see in his world, where geometry
is more beautiful than a human face?

Given chalk, he draws shapes on the driveway:
pentagons, hexagons, rectangles, squares.

The spider's web is a grid,
transecting the garden in equal parts.
Sometimes he stares through the mesh on a screen.
He loves things that are perforated:
toilet paper, graham crackers, coupons
in magazines, loves the order of the tiny holes,
the way the boundaries are defined. And in real life
is messy and vague. He shrinks back to a stare,
switches off his hearing. And my heart,
not cleanly cut like a valentine, but irregular
and many-chambered, expands and contracts,
contracts and expands.
-----
"Autism Poem: The Grid" by Barbara Crooker
from Radiance © Word Press

If you, like I, do not fit the 'triad of impairments' dx, you may be
pleased to know that there are alternative diagnostic criteria:
http://www.autismandcomputing.org.uk/monotropism.en.html
http://www.autismandcomputing.org.uk/wrongplanetsyndrom.en.
html   or    http://tinyurl.com/b5ruw
See also the links on this page:
http://www.autismandcomputing.org.uk/index.en.html

--- In Aspies-Anon#302, "zer92780" <zer92780@y...> wrote:
> http://www.as-if.org.uk/downloads.htm#Free%20Lealfet offers
a free leaflet to download and print out.  Explains Asperger's in
simple language.  What a nifty idea, to help in seeking support
from any who might be part of your current life.
> Triad of impairments?  Ah, probably a good idea to elaborate
on that, since I'm puzzled. -Zer
>
> http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp explains it...

http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/techcol/063097techcol.html
describes precisely what I experience when I connect online with
someone -- and what happens when I meet face-to-face with the
nicest people I know, who are still too difficult for me to be with
for more than a brief period.  Ah, I'm not alone out here! -Zer
-----
>...In cyberspace, many of the United States' autistics are doing
the very thing the syndrome supposedly deters them from doing
-- communicating -- often in celebration of the medium that
enables them to do so.  "Long live the Internet," one autistic
recently exulted in an online discussion, where "people can see
the real me, not just how I interact superficially with other
people."  Another explained why she prefers online to
face-to-face interaction: "Ordinarily," she wrote to other members
of her e-mail forum, "the giving of support involves being with
someone, and that's always draining for me. If someone does
give me support in person, I will have to spend some time
recovering from the experience of receiving that support."
> Both writers subscribe to Independent Living, a suite of e-mail
forums created by and almost exclusively for autistics....
-----
Independent Living: http://www.inlv.demon.nl/

http://www.inlv.demon.nl/ offers a chance for Aspies and others
to exchange ideas on independent living.  Looks exciting!  -Zer

http://www.as-if.org.uk/downloads.htm#Free%20Lealfet offers a
leaflet to download and print out.  Explains Asperger's in simple
language.  What a nifty idea, to help in seeking support from any
who might be part of your current life.  Triad of impairments?  Ah,
probably a good idea to elaborate on that, since I'm puzzled. -Zer

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp explains it thus:
> Asperger Syndrome is a condition which forms part of the
Autistic Spectrum, it is caused by a biological brain dysfunction.
In order for there to be a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder,
there have to be impairments in three main areas:-
> i. Communication - concrete understanding of language and
formal, monologue type use of speech and a distinct difficulty in
interpreting non-verbal forms of communication.
> ii. Social interaction - difficulty in relating on a social level to
others, inability to read the thoughts and feelings of others;
forming relationships is a problem area.
> iii. Imagination - rigid and inflexible ways of thinking associated
with obsessions and stereotyped behaviours and a resistance
to change. Alongside this is poor motor co-ordination which may
appear as a physical clumsiness.

> Characteristics specific to Asperger syndrome
(as opposed to other areas of the autistic spectrum) are:
> * Language peculiarities - including overly dull speech,
speaking in a monotone, hyper-correct use of grammar and
vocabulary, semantic pragmatic problems (i.e. although
vocabulary may appear quite advanced, it may be used in
inappropriate situations, and may also be quite 'empty', i.e. the
individual does not always have a thorough comprehension of
the words they are using)
> * Imposition of rules and routines - obsessional insistence on
sameness, that is also imposed on others. Can sometimes
lead to phobias and avoidance behaviour.
> * Non-verbal communication problems - may include blank
facial expressions, limited eye contact, lack of understanding of
sarcasm or irony (as the Asperger individual takes language very
literally, when a tone of voice or a raised eyebrow can completely
change the meaning of seemingly genuine words, they will not
interpret these visual, non verbal cues and therefore will miss
the intended meaning of the conversation)
> * Clumsiness - may include poor gross motor skills, poor
co-ordination, ungainly movement, trouble learning certain
activities (e.g. riding a bike), or performing certain tasks (e.g.
balancing on one leg to put on shoes etc.)
> * Problems with social relationships - there will be problems
with making friends in the first instance, and then in maintaining
the relationship. This is not a phase the person is going through;
there will always be problems interacting with peers. As a child
the individual may have preferred the company of adults, or may
have sought out younger playmates (whose social skills were
less complex and therefore easier to understand).
> * An overriding, all pervasive single (and usually odd) interest -
this is not just a hobby or a normal fad, it is more far reaching
and obsessional in nature. ....
---
Source: http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp

Yet more is revealed, as I google on Brain Gym... -Zer
-----
http://www.specialchild.com/archives/ia-052.html  An example of
a Brain Gym movement from the Energy Exercises is called the
"thinking cap." Prior to doing it, however, I invite you (right now) to
turn your head to the left and see how far you can look and notice
if there is any tension in your neck. Now turn your head to the
right and notice how far you can look and if there's any tension in
your neck. Massage your ears by unrolling the fold of them by
beginning at the top and going all the way to the bottom. Do this
three times. (In Brain Gym, we call this the "thinking cap.") Now,
turn your head to the left and notice how far you can look and if
there is any tension in your neck; and repeat with your head
towards the right. Most of you (98%) will notice a very positive
difference in your ability to turn your head. You've just relaxed
your mind/body system so that you are better able to organize
yourself as witnessed by your body's ability to subconsciously
organize itself so that turning your head is easier. This is how
simple, yet profound the Brain Gym movements are. As we
experience this gentle, non-invasive techniques for stimulating
the brain, imagine how the child might feel.

If you were to do some Lengthening Activities with your child, the
brain will respond and he/she will become more able to focus.
For example, in Brain Gym we have a movement called the "calf
pump." It is similar to the "runners' stretch." Extend your right leg
behind you and as the heel is touching the floor, hold it down for
approximately 8 seconds and release. Repeat 7-8 times and
then repeat with the other leg. This should take about one
minute on each leg. This movement stimulates the brain by
using the body and subsequently the neurological flow
increases and we are able to comprehend our task with greater
ease.

To improve communication between one side of the body and
the other (or one person and another), we can do a Midline
Movement. For example, we can do a cross crawl. This
movement is done standing, sitting or lying down by taking your
left arm and crossing over the midline of your body to touch your
right knee, and vice versa. Do this for approximately one minute,
as slowly as possible, because the more slowly we go, the more
the brain is able to absorb or use the information. When we do
this movement, the hemispheres of the brain are activated and
we are better able to communicate. After doing these
movements and activities, the brain is stimulated and the rest of
the body is more relaxed. Through this preparatory experience,
we are then able to engage in the learning that is at hand.
-----
Wow, isn't it interesting to find out how AWAKE a body can feel
after just a few of these awareness exercises stimulate both
sides of the brain and increase circulation, oxygen, to the brain?
Well, I'm just starting to learn about Brain Gym's approach to all
of this.  Hope you are finding this as interesting as I am!  -Zer

As I cruise various Aspie sites to learn about my own late-life dx
at 60, I am often struck by how useful the approach to a child can
be for me as I'm learning to re-parent my own Self in Aspie
awareness that was not part of my own childhood.  Here is a
series of exercises offered as part of Brain Gym exercises that a
parent or teacher might use with a child whose focus drifts a bit.

Perhaps you too will find these exercises useful to get in touch
with your own brain, to center yourself.  I think they might do the
trick for me, when I'm feeling a bit scattered or out of touch.
-----
This summary offered by a parent from her experience in using it
with her own Aspie child, to a parent anticipating using it for her
own young Aspie at home.  This is a quick summary.  For more
info, see site info at end of this post.  -Zer (celebraing my own
Aspie dx, which has brought such peace into my own life)
-----
P>A>C>E is a series of 4 brain gym activities that sort out the
brain to get ready for learning and to help make things more
peaceful around your home. It is magical stuff.

P stands for positive. Take a mouthful of water and hold it in your
mouth. This is to rehydrate the body. Most of us are dehydrated
and water is the best thing to make the brain work well. Holding
it in the mouth is the fastest way for it to be absorbed into the
body. Remember that if you go have a heart attack the way they
give you your medicine is in a tablet under the tongue for fastest
uptake.  Count to at least 20 with the water in your mouth.

A stands for active. Do some cross crawl. Lift the right knee and
tap it with your left elbow, then left knee to right elbow. Count to at
least 20 while doing this. This makes both sides of the brain
work together at the same time which helps with everything from
reading and writing to thinking and speaking.

C stands for clear. Brain buttons is the exercise. Place one hand
on your belly button. Put the other on the lumpy bones at the
base of your neck. Pointer finger on one side, thumb on the
other. Slide your hand down until they slide into a hollow. Now
rub gently. If it is tender you absolutely have the right spot. If it is
too tender to touch then rub the air above.

E stands for energetic. Cross your feet at the ankles. Hold your
hands straight out in front of you, backs of hands touching
together and palms facing out. Now holding hands in this
position lift the left hand and cross it over the right so that wrists
are crossed over and palms are touching. Link fingers together
then pull your hands downward and toward your body till they roll
over and hands point toward sky. Hold this position until you sigh
or yawn or until you decide you have had enough (up to 2
minutes may be necessary).  This is a really good calming
exercise. If you can't twist the arms up like a pretzel then you can
just tuck your hands into your opposite armpit and hug yourself.
-----
If you feel this might work for you, see http://www.braingym.org/
for more info on...
> Educational Kinesiology ~ We are a worldwide network
dedicated to enhancing living and learning through the science
of movement. For more than 30 years and in over 80 countries,
we have been helping children, adults, and seniors to...
> Learn ANYTHING faster and more easily...
> Perform better at sports...
> Be more focused and organized...
> Start and finish projects with ease...
> Overcome learning challenges...

> For information about Brain Gym® ... edukfd@...
[earthlink.net] phone: (800) 356-2109 or (805) 658-7942

Brain Gym® International
1575 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 204B
Ventura, CA 93001

Sometimes I wonder if anyone is listening as my febrile fingers
thwack out msgs to me from the ends of my arms.  Hello?  -Zer

The reason I'm celebrating my late-life dx at 60 is that it helps me
stop beating myself up for failing to mesh with people, for being
out of step with family and friends and co-workers for so long.

Now I understand why I march to a different beat, to the squeals
of a bagpiper with a tin ear who fingers a melody that speaks to
me in a way that the rhythmic thump of the herd's heartbeat does
not. I get stomped by herds, by people who find my thinking is
not like theirs and who find me suspect for that reason. Even in a
so-called high I.Q. society my approach to life is threatening so
that I am called disingenuous by people who cannot follow my
thinking, who will not introspect and share the results with others
online -- and who distrust my intent in doing so.

Ah, but now I know that I am Aspie. I'm not just a broken thing, a
lost soul, a foundling left behind by visitors from another planet.
I'm Aspie.  Oh, happy day.  O frabjous day; callou, callay! Yay!

If you too are a late-life dx, feel free to join me in celebrating. -Zer
(happily Aspie, after three-score years of wandering alone!)

Cognitive dissonance refers to mixed signals in communication,
such as Aspies offer to those experienced in picking up info from
body language.  If we do not send appropriate signals, gestures
and facial movement that support our words, we send a mixed
message.  Mixed messages signal trouble.  My words are often
discounted by people who see that my body language seems to
contradict my stated intent.  My words do not carry as much
weight as my communication of internal tension or indifference,
as my Aspie mien/manner tends to be dispassionate even when
I'm attempting to convey emotion.

Have you ever been told that your presentation was not
compatible with the situation?  I have.  My late-life Aspie dx helps
me better understand how it is dismaying to observers that my
face does not reflect inner turmoil or despair. This
INCONGRUITY raises doubts as to my honesty or
trustworthiness with those who are accustomed to picking up
body language signals instead of trusting words.  Physical
signals account for 90% of communication, with NTs. Failing to
read such signals -- and failing to send such signals myself in a
way that reinforces what I'm saying -- is part of my Aspie life of
mishaps and failed relationships at work and in personal life
(such as it is).

incongruity
* noun: the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and
inappropriate

incongruous
* adjective: lacking in harmony or compatibility or
appropriateness
(Example: "A plan incongruous with reason")
... or an UNreasonable plan...

congruent
* adjective: coinciding when superimposed
... or matching precisely...
* adjective: corresponding in character or kind
...or being like someone/thing as contrasted with being unlike
someone or something, as Aspies are viewed and are treated
as being different or less-than those who think alike.

What is your experience with this aspect of being Aspie?  How
have you done in recognizing instances and working around
Aspie traits to circumvent the dire consequences of being judged
to be false or disingenuous as you try to communicate?  Has
this affected your personal or professional life?  If so, how do you
plan to compensate for that initial Aspie response?  Can we do
this?  Can we learn (or UN-learn) a habit we formed early in life?
I hope I can. -Zer

http://www.auties.org is a site created by Donna Williams who
bills herself as "ever the naughty autie" as well as an author,
artist, eccentric.  Sounds like my kind of people!  What say you?
=====
[Donna] > if you haven't been to visit our employment site for
people on the autistic spectrum (and autie-friendly businesses),
then its worth popping over as we've just updated it making it
easier than ever. We have only been going for 2 weeks now
[Oct.14,2005] and need all the support we can get. Its all free and
not for profit and totally to help build a more autie-friendly world.
So if you know of anyone interested in what working autie
spectrum people do, wonder what you yourself might be able to
do, wonder what your children might grow up to do or just want to
make this world more autie friendly then please do drop in and
visit us. We're at http://www.auties.org
=====
Let's support this effort, shall we?  I say LET'S!  -Zer