Kathleen's Asperger syndrome page
I am "high-functioning" autistic, with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome. I was diagnosed in 1997, after living over three decades knowing I was very different from most people, but having no idea why. Of course, I could not have been diagnosed during childhood, because Asperger syndrome was not recognized here until 1994, but I do wish I had known much earlier.
Asperger syndrome is a relatively mild form of autism which is characterized by, among other traits, an inability to learn to interact intuitively in social situations. It also affects one's thinking processes, sensory perceptions, and use of language. While this causes difficulties in many life situations, there can be good things about having Asperger syndrome -- for example, exceptional memory and logic skills. AS is not a mental illness, nor is it a personality disorder; it is a developmental disorder of neurological origin and is thought to have a genetic component.
Albert Einstein almost certainly had Asperger syndrome (biographical accounts confirm his problems in social interactions as well as other characteristic traits). Interesting Einstein quote:
"The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible. My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a 'lone traveler' and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude..."
-- Albert Einstein |
- IRC: #asperger (Asperger syndrome IRC channel on StarLink-IRC)
- This is an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel only for those who have or may have autism or a related disorder. Those who are interested in autism but who are not themselves affected are asked to instead try the #autism IRC channel on StarLink-IRC (parents, professionals, and other interested individuals are welcome there).
- WebRing: AS People WebRing (currently a non-working link)
- WebRing: Ring of Autism (currently a non-working link)
The links here are rather unorganized and do not include many pages which I would like to include, if I ever go through my bookmark files. Someday I will work on this section.
- The National Autistic Society (UK) - What's it like to have autism or Asperger syndrome
- Dr. Tony Attwood's web site
- Asperger and Autism Information by MAAP Services, Inc. - The Autism Source - A Global Information and Support Network
- Autism/Asperger's Digest Magazine
- Judevine Center for Autism
- John Wobus' Autism Resources page
- Ooops... Wrong Planet! Syndrome - Autism Spectrum Resources
- Asperger Info: O.A.S.I.S. On-Line AS Info & Support -- very informative page -- *lots* of info.
- Center for the Study of Autism -- Asperger's Syndrome
- Asperger's Syndrome Support Network Homepage
- Autism: Getting the Truth Out
- This site is not what it first appears to be. If you are, at the beginning, offended by the "harsh realities of autism" message, keep reading. There is a reason that the pages start out that way, but that is certainly not the real message of this site.
Friends of mine from IRC who also have Asperger syndrome and who have AS-related links on their pages:
- Russell Wells -- All's Wells That Ends Wells (currently a non-working link)
- Martijn Dekker's home page
Recommended books about Asperger syndrome:
Uta Frith, ed. Autism and Asperger's Syndrome (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991). Also New York. Reprinted 1994. ISBN 0 521 38608 X. 247 pages.
Tony Attwood. Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1998). ISBN 1 85302 577 1. 224 pages. More info about this book here.
Individuals on the autism spectrum may have a higher-than-typical chance of also having certain other disorders. For example, I also have Tourette syndrome, obsessive-compulsive characteristics, and selective mutism. I have noticed that there is a tendency for professionals to dismiss symptoms of such disorders as being "part of" the autism spectrum disorder, but I have found that there are a lot of individuals on the autism spectrum who do not have the same co-existing disorders that I do. In addition, there are many individuals on the autism spectrum who have co-existing disorders that I do *not* have (for example, ADHD). Therefore, these are indeed separate disorders. I feel that there is some benefit to recognizing any co-existing disorder that is present for purposes of understanding, support, and learning to deal with the characteristics of the specific disorder.
Relevant links:
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