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Topic: Daughter Just Diagnoised with Aspergers Syndrome

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Subject: Daughter Just Diagnoised with Aspergers Syndrome
Date Posted: 3/10/2010 9:26 PM ET
Member Since: 11/12/2005
Posts: 1,378
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She was also diagnoised with inattentive ADHD.  Are there any sites/books that anyone can recommend for parents that are just starting out on this road?  I would like to learn all I can, but don't know where to begin.

Thanks,

Theresa

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Date Posted: 4/9/2010 4:41 PM ET
Member Since: 1/17/2010
Posts: 400
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Most of the sites I know wouldn't be of any help to you (psych jargon, history of psych/theories and such) so the only thing I can suggest is that you put in a search engine the words Asperger's Syndrome.  That should give you some good links.  About.com used to have some good sites for many different areas, I used to visit them in the ADD forum.  You could check that out.

I have a friend who's son has Asperger's and while it can be rough at times, you can learn the different ways to deal with your daughter.  They can not be "taught" or "corrected" as you would a "normal" child (there really isn't such as a thing as normal, as we are all different in many ways). 

Inattentive ADD means that she will not be able to focus; more common in girls than in boys.  They are generally the young girl who seems to be seen as looking at nothing and dreaming away. 

You didn't say what her age is, and that is a factor in how you approach the new methods of teaching her and yourself how to handle this challenging condition.

Do you have a therapist to help you?  Is she going to be on medication?  Will a general doctor or a psychiatrist be prescribing them?  Has the school done a (can't remember the name of it) on her to see what her needs are?  If not, request it be done, because without it, the school doesn't have to provide any help for her.  Such as something as simple as sitting up front in the class so the teacher can get her attention to keep her on tract.  Or giving her written assignments instead of telling the class and expecting her to remember them.

Hope you can find the info needed to help, and do check out some support groups on line, as they can be a godsend at times. My son, who is now an adult, was diagnosed as ADHD, Social Anxiety with agoraphobic tendencies, Bipolar 1 rapid cycler, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (he was, and still is to some extent, ritualistic, things have to be done in a certain order) and has learned coping skills to help him function in life.  So you are not alone and there are plenty of groups who can help you with your very special daughter.

Janette

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Subject: Tony Atwood
Date Posted: 7/14/2010 11:34 AM ET
Member Since: 12/29/2007
Posts: 12
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The book that is considered the best by professionals is Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Atwood.    Hope this helps.