(CNN) — Last January after a fresh snowstorm, my 9-year-old son asked me to help him build a snowman. I told him that I would be out to help shortly.

A couple of minutes later he came running back yelling, “Dad, it’s melting!”

That got my attention. It was sub-30 outside, so how could a snowman be melting?

I followed him as he ran down the hall to his bedroom. In the middle of his room was a 4-foot tall snowman, melting away.

While I removed the snowman and cleaned the remaining slush and mud, I asked him why he did it. He said, in a very matter-of-fact-tone, “It’s cold outside.”

Growing up autistic

My son has Asperger’s syndrome. For him, building a snowman in his bedroom because it was cold outside was a logical solution to a problem.

Dave Wellman has managed several employees with Asperger’s syndrome. Because of my son, “Aspies” hold a special place in my heart. So whenever I hear someone in my industry talk about hiring an Aspie, I cringe just a little. Because in technology, saying you’ve hired an Aspie is like code to say that you’ve hired a machine.

It’s true that there are a lot of benefits in hiring someone with Asperger’s. Research from Harvard Business School shows the strengths of people with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism make them especially well-suited for software development and testing. They have the ability to focus for extended periods. They have very good memories and are often highly intelligent. Their strong analytical skills make them talented at technology work.

I have Asperger’s: I am just like you

But there is a lot more to Aspies than their focus, intelligence and determination. Aspies are human. Like anyone else, they have their highs and lows, and their good and bad days.

CNN Explains: Asperger’s As a manager, you should understand how to handle the unique opportunities and challenges that come with hiring an Aspie. Here are six things you should know:

1. Aspies are autistic

Asperger’s syndrome is a high-functioning variant of autism. People with Asperger’s are often exceptionally intelligent and verbally gifted, but they also can be socially awkward. They can react to stress differently and at times more emotionally than others not on the autism spectrum.

Many people with Asperger’s are challenged by large crowds, looking people in the eye and reading common social cues. When talking with an Aspie, don’t get offended if they look around or focus on an object in the room instead of looking directly at you. This is a coping skill that most Aspies develop over time. Listen to their words instead of focusing on their body language.

1. Aspies are intelligent — and independent

Aspies will question authority. They will never accept “no” for an answer without being told the reason for it. They almost never accept a fact simply because of who it comes from. They will only accept it as fact if the logic proves out.

For this reason, many inexperienced managers shy away from working with an Aspie. Don’t. You just need to be prepared to justify your decisions when they’ll have a direct impact on your Aspie employee.

1. Aspies think differently

Aspies frequently talk at length about small details instead of being brief and to the point. The reason is simple: It’s how they see the world. They hold complex mental models that include all those small interlocking details. To them, overlooking the details is ignoring part of the solution.

Be patient with them. It’s an Aspie’s way of getting it.

I have seen Aspies start reprogramming software in their head well before they get back to their desks and write the first line of code. Aspie testers will instantly see what is wrong with the software because it no longer fits their model.

All this “rewiring” has wonderfully positive results.

1. Aspies feel deeply

It’s easy to think that Aspies are less empathetic because of how they can act. They’re not. When people are unsure how to respond to a stressful or unfamiliar situation, we can act in strange ways. This goes for Aspies, too.

One the most challenging things for any autistic individual to deal with is the cacophony of emotions that can be triggered by seemingly mundane events. For example, the cancellation of a project may be a relief to most of your team, while an Aspie may see it as people not appreciating their hard work or allowing them to finish the job.

Be patient. Pull them aside beforehand to explain the situation and ask them for their feedback and insight. It will give them a chance to process the idea.

1. Aspies talk differently

In the most simple of terms: Aspies are blunt to a fault.

Aspies are known for being direct, speaking their mind and being honest and determined. Just be aware that an Aspie is interested primarily in significant contributions to conversation, preferring to avoid “small talk,” trivial statements and superficial conversation.

Aspies are not trying to be rude.

1. Aspies are successful

There is good reason that Asperger’s is called the successful disorder. Their focus and dedication leads many Aspies to great heights. I doubt you could find an entrepreneur who doesn’t have a few Aspie behaviors.

Asperger’s comes with challenges along with the great opportunities. Don’t shy away from Aspies because they have different mannerisms or behaviors. Be aware of them and understand how to respond to them. If you do, you will see Aspies as the invaluable people they are and afford them the respect they deserve.

(Source: aspergersissues)

aspergersissues:

Apr. 15, 2013 — People with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have trouble communicating and interacting with others because they process language, facial expressions and social cues differently. Previously, researchers found that propranolol, a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure, anxiety and panic, could improve the language abilities and social functioning of people with an ASD. Now, University of Missouri investigators say the prescription drug also could help improve the working memory abilities of individuals with autism.

Working memory represents individuals’ ability to hold and manipulate a small amount of information for a short period; it allows people to remember directions, complete puzzles and follow conversations. Neurologist David Beversdorf and research neuropsychologist Shawn Christ found that propranolol improves the working memory performance of people with an ASD.

“Seeing a tiger might signal a fight or flight response. Nowadays, a stressor such as taking an exam could generate the same response, which is not helpful,” said Beversdorf, an associate professor in the Departments of Radiology and Neurology in the MU School of Medicine. “Propranolol works by calming those nervous responses, which is why some people benefit from taking the drug to reduce anxiety.”

Propranolol increased working memory performance in a sample of 14 young adult patients of the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders but had little to no effect on a group of 13 study participants who do not have autism. The researchers do not recommend that doctors prescribe propranolol solely to improve working memory in individuals with an ASD, but patients who already take the prescription drug might benefit.

“People with an Autism Spectrum Disorder who are already being prescribed propranolol for a different reason, such as anxiety, might also see an improvement in working memory,” said Christ, an associate professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences in the MU College of Arts and Science.

Future research will incorporate clinical trials to assess further the relationship between cognitive and behavioral functioning and connectivity among various regions of the brain.

The study, “Noradrenergic Moderation of Working Memory Impairments in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” was published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. Kimberly Bodner, a psychological sciences doctoral student at MU, and Sanjida Saklayen from the Ohio State University College of Medicine co-authored the study.

Beversdorf also has an appointment in the MU Department of Psychological Sciences. Beversdorf and Christ conduct research at the Thompson Center. As the largest center in Missouri specializing in ASD and other developmental disorders, the Thompson Center is a national leader in confronting the challenges of autism and other developmental conditions through its collaborative programs that integrate research, clinical service delivery, education and public policy.

I’ve been using this medication for a year, now. It works wonders for my anxiety.

GIVE IT TO ME.

aspergersissues:

Children with autism are much more likely than other kids to consider taking their own lives, new research suggests.

In what’s believed to be the largest study to date looking at suicide and autism, researchers found that children with the developmental disorder were 28 times more likely than typically developing kids to contemplate or attempt suicide. Among those with autism, kids who were bullied or teased and those with depression or behavior problems were at highest risk.

The study published recently in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders looked at nearly 800 kids with autism, almost 200 without the developmental disorder and 35 kids with depression and no autism diagnosis, all between the ages of 1 and 16. Researchers reviewed interviews with the children’s mothers and looked at clinical data on the kids.

Among those with autism, 14 percent had talked about harming or killing themselves or had attempted suicide. The severity of their diagnosis and IQ score did not appear to impact whether or not a child was at risk, but certain demographic factors did. Children with autism who were male, black or Hispanic, age 10 or older and those with lower socioeconomic status did appear to be more likely to have thought about suicide.

“That was probably the most important piece of the study,” said Angela Gorman of the Penn State College of Medicine who was one of the researchers behind the report. “If you fell into any of those categories and were rated to be autistic by a parent, the more categories you were a part of increased your chances for experiencing suicidal ideation or attempts.”

Despite the increased suicide risk for those with autism, such children were still three times less likely to consider taking their own lives than kids with depression alone, the study found.

Researchers said that the findings highlight the need for children with autism to be screened for suicide risk.

Ha! I just noticed my ponify add on for Chrome sometimes catches articles I send to Instapaper. Sorry about that “foal” part at the beginning. :)

Mar. 13, 2013 — Newly released findings from Bradley Hospital published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry have found that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect the brain activity of children and adults differently.

In the study, titled “Developmental Meta-Analysis of the Functional Neural Correlates of Autism Spectrum Disorders,” Daniel Dickstein, M.D., FAAP, director of the Pediatric Mood, Imaging and Neurodevelopment Program at Bradley Hospital, found that autism-related changes in brain activity continue into adulthood.

“Our study was innovative because we used a new technique to directly compare the brain activity in children with autism versus adults with autism,” said Dickstein. “We found that brain activity changes associated with autism do not just happen in childhood, and then stop. Instead, our study suggests that they continue to develop, as we found brain activity differences in children with autism compared to adults with autism. This is the first study to show that.”

This new technique, a meta-analysis, which is a study that compiles pre-existing studies, provided researchers with a powerful way to look at potential differences between children and adults with autism.

Dickstein conducted the research through Bradley Hospital’s PediMIND Program. Started in 2007, this program seeks to identify biological and behavioral markers — scans and tests — that will ultimately improve how children and adolescents are diagnosed and treated for psychiatric conditions. Using special computer games and brain scans, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Dickstein hopes to one day make the diagnosis and treatment of autism and other disorders more specific and more effective.

Among autism’s most disabling symptoms is a disruption in social skills, so it is noteworthy that this study found significantly less brain activity in autistic children than autistic adults during social tasks, such as looking at faces. This was true in brain regions including the right hippocampus and superior temporal gyrus — two brain regions associated with memory and other functions.

Dickstein noted, “Brain changes in the hippocampus in children with autism have been found in studies using other types of brain scan, suggesting that this might be an important target for brain-based treatments, including both therapy and medication that might improve how this brain area works.”

Rowland Barrett, Ph.D., chief psychologist at Bradley Hospital and chief-of-service for The Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities was also part of the team leading the study.

“Autism spectrum disorders, including autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), are among the most common and impairing psychiatric conditions affecting children and adolescents today,” said Barrett. “If we can identify the shift in the parts of the brain that autism affects as we age, then we can better target treatments for patients with ASD.”

(Source: aspergersissues)

Last week Nick’s science teacher mentioned in an email that he was concerned that Nick is isolating himself socially. The other kids don’t know that he’s autistic, and they wonder about his odd behavior and lack of social reciprocation. There appears to be a general atmosphere of acceptance in his science classes, and I am not pressuring Nick to disclose his autism. Still, something seemed lacking in his teacher’s view, because school is seen as a social place and not just an academic place. A child who doesn’t even try to make friends is cause for concern to his teachers no matter how good his grades are.

I told his teacher that there should continue to be zero pressure on Nick to connect socially in school. Nick uses school for academics only. Everything that does not lead to him getting a diploma we have eliminated—no homeroom, no assemblies, no pep rallies, no non-required electives. His custom school day uses up way fewer tokens than a regular day would, which allows him to thrive at school and get his education. If we added in social expectations, he would be overwhelmed.

That’s not to say that we don’t want him to have a social life. Nick craves social contact to a certain degree, so we look for appropriate ways to meet that need. At Karla’s monthly teen/mentor meetings, Nick is outspoken and supportive. He engages regularly with his siblings. He has neighborhood friends who have known him since he was four and accept him as he is.

Yesterday we were in Vernonia, a small town about an hour’s drive from home with a lake that has just been stocked with 3,000 trout. Nick had been planning this day for weeks, and while we waited for Karla to meet up with us, Nick connected with a handful of boys who were out here for the same reason. They talked about the best spots on the lake to fish, what kind of bait they were using, and who had caught what so far. None of them knew each other but they were instant fishing buddies. The old coots who are always around advised the young ones, and the young ones heeded them with respect. I watched him interact and wondered if his science teacher would even recognize him. The awkward, seemingly antisocial kid who ignores his classmates was demonstrating stellar social skills to anyone holding a fishing rod. This happens every time he goes fishing and there are other people around.

So what’s going on here? Does my autistic son lack social skills or does he not? The answer is that context matters. Socializing costs a lot of tokens. When Nick is in a situation that is already difficult for him, he won’t have those tokens to spare. He will need to focus on what really matters to succeed in that situation (in science class, success = learning science). When he’s engaged in a special interest like fishing, he is rebuilding his token supply, so he has plenty to spare for non-necessities like socializing. Because he does crave social contact, connecting with his fellow fishermen at the lake is a priority, unlike making friends in school.

At his last fencing tournament, I noticed the same thing. Fencing is a different kind of special interest for Nick because it does cost him tokens due to the stress of competing and the sensory input. But he is rebuilding tokens while he spends them because he gets so much satisfaction from fencing, so he can generally participate in the social aspects of practice and competition. In Seattle two weeks ago, Nick chatted with his teammates, cheered them on, listened carefully to his coach, and even talked to fencers from other teams. Again, I suspect his science teacher would have been surprised to see how social Nick can be in that context.

(By the way, for anyone who knows fencing, Nick earned his first rating at that tournament: E2013. He’s not just a good fencer despite his challenges. He’s a good fencer, period.)

Karla often says that autistic people need to “find their peeps” as she did in the high-tech industry and among people who share her special interests. Nick’s peeps are at the lakes and rivers; they’re at fencing clubs, campgrounds, and reptile expos. Those are the places where he shines. School is a tool he is using to gain himself more options for how he wants to live his life. It’s not a place where he should be judged by his social skills. Nick is thriving in school: getting straight A’s, making the honor roll, and learning eagerly. If a teacher doesn’t see that as thriving in the absence of making friends, I am here to show him a different perspective.

Parenting, you’re doing it right.

Also of note for the use of the phrase “spending tokens” to denote functional/coping capacity.

(Source: aspergersissues)

GPOY to the whole bloody thing.