different and unique, and how to avoid
“pushing his buttons”.
• School can be a challenging
environment for AS children. They
are overwhelmed and worn out by the
social interaction demanded of them.
When they get home from school, give
them the space and time to recover.
• Ask direct and specific questions,
rather than open-ended questions.
“Was there a time you felt angry or
frustrated today?” in place of, “How
was school today?” Similarly, give
precise instructions. When you ask a
child to tidy their room, specify what
you mean by “tidy”.
• Rehearse social encounters and
reinforce these as often as possible.
Robert says his mother continuously
reminded him to shake hands or kiss
goodbye at social functions. He adds,
“Certain things should be taught when
you are young. I learnt expected social
reflexes because it was drilled into me
at an early age.”
• Use their obsession on a topic
to motivate other activities. If rocks
are your child’s favourite things then
consider science projects or maths
exercises that involve rocks.
Awareness in the classroom
The US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) estimates
that one in 88 children in the United
States has been identified as having
an autism spectrum disorder, which
means that a teacher there will likely
meet at least one ASD child in a
three-year period. Dr Attwood says
the formative years set the foundation
for success. “Choose the teacher and
not the school. If the teacher is not
empathetic to your child, there is an
increased likelihood that he will be
bullied by his peers.”
Dr Attwood suggests raising
awareness of autism and Asperger’s
syndrome at school by incorporating
literature about AS into the
curriculum. Books such as
The Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
;
All
Cats Have Asperger Syndrome
; and
My
Brother is Different
provide a glimpse
into an AS child’s world.
Explain to kids the advantages of
having AS, and their unique talent to
think in patterns and pictures. Show
them examples of the fascinating
artwork of Stephen Wiltshire or the
musical talent of Derek Paravicini.
As autism advocate Temple Grandin
famously said, “The really social
people did not invent the first stone
spear. It was probably invented by
an Aspie who chipped away at rocks
while the other people socialised
around the campfire. Without autism
traits we might still be living in caves.”
Dr Attwood also recommends
experiential role-playing, where
classmates try to understand what it
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