Imagine living in a gigantic city; next, picture being a person who sees every place as too crowded, everyone on the subway as too loud, and imagine recoiling at the touch of someone standing too close for comfort. This is how someone with Asperger syndrome (AS) feels on a daily basis. All of those situations might seem perfectly ordinary, but to someone with AS, they are extremely overwhelming. AS is a disorder with many descriptions. Rebecca J. Frey, PH.D. and Kathleen A. Fergus, MS, define AS as a part of a group of childhood disorders known as the Autism Spectrum Disorders or the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (Frey & Fergus). This is general definition of the syndrome does not give much insight into what AS is, but it is a beginning.
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Temple Grandin, a PH.D. professor at CSU who is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), illustrates in the beginning of her book, “The Autistic Brain,” the progression of the diagnosis of ASD, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and AS. She continues to describe the many years and steps that were taken before ASD was recognized as its own diagnosis. As the new editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) came out, the definition of autism changed little by little. In 1952, autism was listed as a symptom of schizophrenia. But in the next progression, in 1980, autism was listed under PDD, and finally in 2000, the modern definition of ASD was listed in the manual. The DSM-IV-TR lists ASD as “a severe and pervasive impairment in social interaction and in verbal or nonverbal communication skills,” (9-18). The history of ASD shows the diagnosis to be very modern achievement, and due to this some things about ASD are still a mystery that scientists are working to unravel. The criteria used in the 1980s to diagnose patients with autism were primitive compared to modern standards, but even with scientists’ improved understanding of ASD, there are still many gray areas in what is known about …show more content…
There are different kinds of sensory therapies, and not all children will have the same reactions. Sensory therapy helps children relax and calm down when they are stressed and in meltdown moments. It is stated on a website of Temple Grandin that, “ Sensory therapies performed by an occupational therapist can help some children to be calmer, more attentive and may aid in speech development.” These therapies can be extremely useful for children in schools and at home in helping prevent a panic attack or tantrum. According to Grandin, some of the often used sensory therapies are “deep pressure for calming, slow swinging, heavy work activities, and the brushing method” (Temple Grandin). Deep pressure therapy is similar to a non-AS child wanting a tight hug from their parent; it can be comforting and soothing for a child. Seeing as it is common for children with AS to find an actual hug stressful, having a method to apply pressure can help relieve the child. The second method, Slow swinging, could involve having a child swing on a swingset or balancing on a ball. This method is a great way to help a child relax and calm down. The third method involves activities such as pushing or pulling objects, squeezing objects with their hands, or even chewing. For some children having a plush ball to squeeze in their hands can help relieve their frustration. Finally, the last method uses soft brushes to
Temple Grandin, a PH.D. professor at CSU who is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), illustrates in the beginning of her book, “The Autistic Brain,” the progression of the diagnosis of ASD, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and AS. She continues to describe the many years and steps that were taken before ASD was recognized as its own diagnosis. As the new editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) came out, the definition of autism changed little by little. In 1952, autism was listed as a symptom of schizophrenia. But in the next progression, in 1980, autism was listed under PDD, and finally in 2000, the modern definition of ASD was listed in the manual. The DSM-IV-TR lists ASD as “a severe and pervasive impairment in social interaction and in verbal or nonverbal communication skills,” (9-18). The history of ASD shows the diagnosis to be very modern achievement, and due to this some things about ASD are still a mystery that scientists are working to unravel. The criteria used in the 1980s to diagnose patients with autism were primitive compared to modern standards, but even with scientists’ improved understanding of ASD, there are still many gray areas in what is known about …show more content…
There are different kinds of sensory therapies, and not all children will have the same reactions. Sensory therapy helps children relax and calm down when they are stressed and in meltdown moments. It is stated on a website of Temple Grandin that, “ Sensory therapies performed by an occupational therapist can help some children to be calmer, more attentive and may aid in speech development.” These therapies can be extremely useful for children in schools and at home in helping prevent a panic attack or tantrum. According to Grandin, some of the often used sensory therapies are “deep pressure for calming, slow swinging, heavy work activities, and the brushing method” (Temple Grandin). Deep pressure therapy is similar to a non-AS child wanting a tight hug from their parent; it can be comforting and soothing for a child. Seeing as it is common for children with AS to find an actual hug stressful, having a method to apply pressure can help relieve the child. The second method, Slow swinging, could involve having a child swing on a swingset or balancing on a ball. This method is a great way to help a child relax and calm down. The third method involves activities such as pushing or pulling objects, squeezing objects with their hands, or even chewing. For some children having a plush ball to squeeze in their hands can help relieve their frustration. Finally, the last method uses soft brushes to