I Thought Asperger's Meant You Didnt Care About Other's Feelings: Boy Was I Wrong
Written by Craig Rogers, Posted on , in Section Embracing Our Uniqueness
Before I had a child with asperger's, I always thought that this condition made a person cold and standoffish. This couldn't have been further from the truth. My son was born 14 years ago, and was diagnosed with Asperger's early in life. When my wife and I received this information, we expected our son to be quiet, reluctant to engage with others, and indifferent to emotions. Our experience was at the complete other end of the spectrum. My son wasn't emotionless, but rather he just had difficulty reading some social cues. Despite this, he was constantly trying to understand the emotions others were experiencing and developed into an extremely empathetic individual. It is important for parents of children with asperger's to understand the difficulties their child might have dealing with these emotions and seek to help guide them through the development of increased social skills. This can make a huge difference in the overall happiness, success, and independence your child will be able to achieve.
Asperger's May Actually Intensify Emotions
A recent study has suggested that what many parents of children with asperger's already knew, that this disorder actually intensifies many of the feelings that a person has. This is in stark contrast to the sterotypical understanding of these individuals as being almost completely emotionless. This intensified level of emotion and empathy can have a huge impact on the ability of an individual to function in everyday life. What seems to give people the impression of a lack of emotion and empathy in people with asperger's is actually their difficulty in reading social cues. In any given situation, difficulty understanding the correct way to behave can make an individual with asperger's fearful and reluctant to engage. It is not that they are unemotional or uninterested, they simply have a heightened fear response to this confusing environment.
Seek Out Help For Asperger's
If you have a loved one who is struggling with asperger's syndrome, then it is important to consider the potential treatement options you have available. The right program can make a big difference for someone with this condition. New Directions has had incredible success in this area, change hundreds of lives. If you are in need of our help or additional information about the services we provide, we encourage you to contact us today at 877-705-7841.
