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‘WHEN YOU’VE SEEN ONE STUDENT WITH
ASPERGER’S…….’
Student AffairsSummer Academy
July 22, 2008
Cathy Patus, Disability Resource Center
WHAT IS ASPERGER’S SYNDROME?
• A neurological disorder included in the spectrum of autism disorders
• As many as 1 in 150 individuals have an Autism Spectrum Disorder
• As many as 1 in 250 have Asperger’s
• The individual is typically verbal with normal or above normal IQ
• No known cause – will last lifetime
“TRIAD OF DEFICITS”
• Communication
• Socialization
• Focus on specific topic or interest/other topics may be viewed as irrelevant
COMMUNICATION
• May display impairments in both expressive and receptive communication
• May possess extensive vocabulary yet lack affect when speaking or use odd words and phrases
• Linear thinking – difficulty with abstract thought • Literal interpretation makes idiomatic phrases
difficult to understand • Subtle nuances of language – forget about it!
SOCIALIZATION
• Socialization difficulties may be the distinguishing trademark
• Inability to understand or respond to others thoughts and feelings
• Change of routine may cause difficulty
FOCUS ON SPECIFIC TOPIC OF INTEREST
• Lack of ability to plan, organize, change routines
• Rigid, inflexible, unwilling to change topics
• Preoccupation with specific topic can be a hindrance but can also be a strength
SENSORY INTEGRATION DYSFUNCTION
• Sensory distortions – the senses fail to provide accurate data
• Student may be overly stimulated by lights, music, noise
• Helps to explain tendency to remain with routines and familiar surroundings
TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE
• Student with AS may have IQ of 150 or above
• Admission to college is rarely the problem!
• Routine and structure of high school is replaced by the chaos of college life
• Parental support now minimal
CLASSROOM CONSIDERATIONS
• Correcting professors
• Helium hands
• Difficulty with group work
• Low tolerance for what is perceived as irrelevant
• Missing deadlines due to poor organizational skills
LIVING ON CAMPUS
• Forced interactions with others
• No comfort zone – no place to retreat
• Bathroom routines may be impossible due to community living
• Private room or bathroom??
• Furniture arrangement is important
DISCIPLINE ISSUES
• Classroom disruptions
• Stalking
• Roommate problems
ACADEMIC ADVISING/CAREER EXPLORATION
• Capiltalize on linear thinking when choosing a major
• Avoid social or human services’ careers
• Explore career fields that require high tolerance for tasks that most of us consider mundane and boring!
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
• Include family members whenever possible
• The student with AS needs them and so do we!
• Learn to love that hovering sound
STRATEGIES
• Brainstorming on specific strategies that could be employed in our specific areas within Student Affairs or the University in general
IN CONCLUSION
• When you’ve seen one student with Asperger’s Syndrome, you’ve seen one student with Asperger’s Syndrome
• “I know of nobody who is purely autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God has some autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin.” (Jerry Newport)
