Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose symptoms begin to appear in early childhood. In recent studies, it is mentioned that this disorder occurs as a result of the interaction of both genetic and environmental factors. Among the most important symptoms of autism are inadequate communication skills, reluctance/inability to relate and interact with people, and repetitive behaviors. Asperger’s syndrome is thought to be one of the types of high-functioning autism. Although the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome are similar to those of other autism disorders, the symptoms are usually milder.
Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome have been observed to have average or above-average language and intelligence abilities. For this reason, a child with Asperger’s syndrome may not be noticed by their families at an early age as autism, which often has severe symptoms due to well-developed aspects.
What qualities do individuals with Asperger’s syndrome have?
The cognitive levels of these individuals are generally normal or bright; Some of them have very special abilities.
Unlike most autistic people, they are enthusiastic about human relations, but mostly want to establish relationships in line with their own interests.
Most of them learn to make close friends at a late age, not being able to read the feelings of the other person, difficulty in understanding their intentions, fatigue and avoidance in intense social environments.
They have good verbal skills and a particularly strong knowledge of their interests, but have difficulty understanding even simple suggestive words or simple conversations necessary for basic social norms.
They adhere to their own routines and rituals and often have developed interests.
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Low or high sensitivity is seen in sensory areas.
So how can parents support their children with asperger’s syndrome?
As a parent, consistency is a top priority. Parents should be consistent in both their attitudes and behaviors and in keeping with the family routine and schedule. Making household chores consistent, routine and predictable reduces the child’s confusion and anxiety and facilitates positive behavior.
Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome have a strong memory and the capacity to follow rules. These features make them successful in implementing routines. Routines such as daily program and morning program can be created by making use of visual elements, especially at a young age.
The implementation of the routines and rules applied at home in other environments and by individuals will facilitate the establishment of some social rules.
If your child is confused and cannot understand a situation, you can divide the work into parts, explain the steps by simplifying them again, or you can make the child’s practice easier by providing visual support for the work to be done.
You can leave the environments where your child is overwhelmed and overstimulated, or you can shorten the time spent there. If this is not possible, you can avoid more stimulating situations in the environment (for example, staying away from the sound area).
If your child wants to get closer with their peers, it can be arranged to get together with others for smaller, one-on-one or certain preferred activities primarily to support social skills.
There is no definite cure for Asperger’s syndrome. In most individuals, with early intervention and appropriate guidance for relational, communicative, emotional and behavioral problems, it is possible to gain skills and prevent emotional and behavioral problems, and positive developments are observed.
However, learning social skills takes time, so it may be beneficial for the development of the child to be patient and get support from a mental health professional working in this field.
Resources
Autism from Infancy to Adult
Beyond Diagnosis Asperger’s and Autism
