My husband and Asperger's

Is it 'The Reason I Jump' Jen? I have seen it on a colleague's desk, but don't know the author. As you say, it was written by a 13 year old boy.

The book is called "Living is a battle": growing up with autism by 13 year old Naoki Higashida.

Quote "why do you ask the same questions over and over ?"

Answer ".........it lets us play with words. We aren't good at conversation and however we try, we'll never speak as effortlessly as you do. The big exception ,however, is words or phrases we're very familiar with. Repeating these is great fun. It's like a game of catch.............repeating questions we know the answers to can be a pleasure -it's playing with sound and rhythm."

Sorry, same book but wrong title on my part. In my haste I mis-read it. It is indeed called "The Reason I Jump"

Yes, that's it.

My grandson is 11. While I was reading the book, I kept thinking yes, that's him, every other page.
www.autism.org.uk has lots of information on it about adults with autism.
It's worrying to think that only 15% of adults with ASD are in full time work.

I have only read extracts in The Guardian but what he describes is exactly like my grandson. The author also deals with the question why some people with autism speak so loudly and why they repeatedly misbehave when they have been told not to do something. More understanding is necessary for those attending mainstream schools ,I believe, and even more for those who have not been diagnosed.

Yes, some illuminating posts here.
One of the big problems with all these neuro conditions/spectrums is that there is a big social factor in them. Many in e.g. the dyslexia/ADHD/ADD world hate the medical model as it is a deficit model & prefer the more positive social model which regards the problems as one for society not the individual. They also prefer the term neuro-diverse to describe themselves. I think we are all on some spectrum or other but society decides which ones, & how far along them, are acceptable.

Personally, I believe you need a socio & medical model as most have no option but to live in this current Society which won't change fast.
I think a reason why there are so many more diagnoses now is that society now (in our culture at least) is less willing to accommodate difference & there's a demand to fit standard behaviours & performance. Those who do get by now without a diagnosis have often found a niche where they can succeed or have good support around them.
Re schools - I know of one where they asked parents to make sure to tell them if their child had any kind of condition because it would bring them in more money!
There's a national ADHD conference on in Liverpool at present. My S-i-L is there & we had fun imagining what it would be like given their particular behaviours. Amazingly he didn't end up in Penzance though he only just got his train because of inevitable confusions.

Thank you Sue for your article.
One of my grandchildren has recently been ' labelled' Aspergers. At seven she is a delightful companion, her eccentricities are part of family life, and her intelligence and concern for others make her a joy.
I can see that living with her may be complicated when she is an adult, but so far so good.
I hope and pray she meets a partner with the tolerance and sense of humour of yourself.
Loved the cadaver story !

I was pondering in the bath last night about labels & the apparent increase in labelling people. It strikes me that people with these neuro conditions have always been labelled but instead of medical labels they were usually of the moral & personal judgmental kinds - like stupid, lazy, odd, simpleton, crazy, peculiar, genius akin to madness etc etc ....

Interesting but understandable that it took so long to diagnose.

We had a lovely but very eccentric friend who said to me a couple of years ago 'I think I have contracted Aspergers Syndrome. I replied that I had always thought he had Aspergers.

His often inappropriate comments, lack of empathy a thousand other reasons.

He was funny, honest to the point of being rude but we miss him so much and his funny little quirks like not being able to pass a garden of iris without planning how to sneak back after dark and in disguise to steal it.

He was a Methodist Minister for years but lost his job, probably because of some inappropriate behaviour or comment.

Differences are what makes this World and acceptance of differences should be the norm.

gadabout I fully understand where you are coming from with the idea of the problem of how society sees an individual with the condition.

I have to say though that in my personal experience of a partner with a long list of very typical symptoms it is very hard indeed and no fun at all.

I am sorry to be so negative but I get the impression that some of those affected who say that it is a problem for society not themselves are, as a result of the very nature of the syndrome itself, less able than most people to empathise with the feelings of others.
I have not put that very elegantly I know. Sorry to be blunt, please do not take that as a sweeping generalisation.

Nelliemoser, I think anyone living alongside these conditions deserves a medal - I don't find it any fun & I realise how much SiLs condition rules all our lives. I could not have stood it for long and really admire my daughter for her patience and understanding. I think people can use & misuse their condition to gain power over others, sink into helplessness or manipulate situations, though I can also understand why they might do this after years of being misunderstood. And I agree there is usually an inability to empathise. I argue with SiL (& some academics) over the 'its all society's fault' stance as I think this ignores the reality that 'society' is slow to change & the person has also to take responsibility for dealing with their condition - I feel SiL does sometimes use it as an excuse, especially when he hasn't taken his medication or stuck to his routines. But then I argue with Mr Gad who feels it is always used as an excuse for bad behaviour. So I suppose I take a middle view.

One very good reason for early diagnosis of Aspergers (or high-functioning ASD) apart from better support with school etc, is that it's possible to start early preparing a child for life in the real world in a way they can work with, using their intelligence and reasoning abilities to improve their self-awareness and help them make beneficial choices. Most children really want to please their close adults and to be liked by their peers, and supportive, loving guidance can help them fit in as best they can, as they will need to do to lead a happy life. But it has to be done in the way they can understand and work with, and until an assessment is made, that's difficult to do.