General Information

Education & Classroom Accommodations

Michigan Resources, Support Groups, Listservs & Websites

National Resources & Websites

Articles Related to this Disability

Medical Information

Personal Home Pages

Books and Videos

Asperger Syndrome Experts Endorse New Peer Awareness Video (PDF)
Some of the country’s leading experts in Asperger Syndrome have endorsed a new video designed to help classmates accept and befriend students with AS, who are now frequently subjected to teasing, harassment and isolation. The video is titled, "INTRICATE MINDS: Understanding Classmates With Asperger Syndrome."

Featured Website: Asperger Society of Michigan

The Asperger Society of Michigan and this website are designed to provide support and information for parents, children and adults affected by Asperger Syndrome. The society is comprised of parents and professionals who are committed to expanding opportunities and support for children and adults with Asperger Syndrome within and beyond the borders of Michigan.

Studies from Brenda Myles - Participation Requested (Ages 8-18)

Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D. and her colleagues at the University of Kansas are undertaking two large-scale studies to better understand children and youth with Asperger Syndrome in order to plan effective interventions. The first study will involve completion of surveys and interviews via phone by parents and children/adolescents. Brenda and her colleagues will assist in these tasks. In the second study, children/adolescents with Asperger Syndrome will be provided with a software program that teaches emotions and will be asked to use it for 2 hours per week for 10 weeks. Parents who have children with Asperger Syndrome (ages 8 to 18) who are interested in learning more about the study are asked to contact Brenda at asdresearch@ku.edu.

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Special Needs for School-Age Children: Asperger Syndrome: First Steps Toward Understanding

Autism, Asperger Syndrome and Siblings - During the past seven months, my wife and I have met an amazing group of people. In producing two videos about brothers and sisters of kids on the autism spectrum, we’ve conducted 57 interviews with siblings and parents. People were incredibly open about their lives.  About their hopes, fears, and challenges.  Most of all, about the ways they’ve found to make things better for their families.  We went into these videos looking for “best practices” about siblings that we could share with other families.  We got that and more.

Suspect Asperger's?  If you suspect Asperger's, ask to have these tests done on your child: Gilliam Asperger's Disorder Scale (GADS), Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale ASDS, and for speech and language, do the Test of Problem Solving (preferably the first edition of this test). This language test is sensitive to the language deficits common to Asperger's Syndrome. While children with Asperger's may be highly verbal, they may also control the topic of conversation, talk about their own interests, and be socially inept. This test helps uncover those issues.
 

Asperger's Syndrome: Guidelines for Treatment and Intervention by Ami Klin, Ph.D., and Fred R. Volkmar, M.D., Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut. Includes: Introduction, Securing and Implementing Services, General Intervention Setting, General Intervention Strategies, General Strategies for Communication Intervention, and Social Skills Training, General Guidelines for Behavior Management, Academic Curriculum, Vocational Training, Self-Support, Pharmacotherapy, and Psychotherapy.

Getting Started: Introducing Your Child to His or Her Diagnosis of Autism or Asperger Syndrome - Who, what, when, where, how, and why are all important questions parents ask themselves when problem solving and making decisions about issues in the lives of their children. Discussing an autism or Asperger Syndrome diagnosis with your child is a very important issue and one for which many parents seek advice. This brief article will focus on aspects of explaining your child's diagnosis to him or her, and about resources that can assist and guide you.
 

Driver's Education Q and A: Are there any driver's ed schools that work well with kids who have Asperger's and High Functioning Autism?  Click here for the answer.

Asperger Syndrome

By Rosalyn Lord

Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder falling within the autistic spectrum affecting two-way social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and a reluctance to accept change, inflexibility of thought and to have all absorbing narrow areas of interest. Individuals are usually extremely good on rote memory skills (facts, figures, dates, times etc.) many excel in math and science. There is a range of severity of symptoms within the syndrome, the very mildly affected child often goes undiagnosed and may just appear odd or eccentric.

 

While Asperger Syndrome is much more common than Autism it is still a rare condition and few people, including professionals, will know about it much less have experience of it. It seems to affect more boys than girls. In general terms they find making friends difficult, not understanding the subtle clues needed to do so. They often use language in a slightly odd way and take literal meanings from what is read or heard. They are happiest with routines and a structured environment, finding it difficult to decide what to do they fall back on to their preferred activities. They love praise, winning and being first, but find loosing, imperfection and criticism very difficult to take. Bad behavior often stems from an inability to communicate their frustrations and anxieties. They need love, tenderness, care, patience and understanding. Within this framework they seem to flourish.

Read more... http://www.asperger.org/asperger/asperger_as.htm

Asperger's Syndrome
Written by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D., Center for the Study of Autism, Salem, Oregon
http://www.autism.org/asperger.html
Asperger's syndrome was first described by a German doctor, Hans Asperger, in 1944 (one year after Leo Kanner's first paper on autism).

NINDS Asperger Syndrome Information Page
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/asperger_doc.htm
From The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Asperger Syndrome
By Stephen Bauer, MD, MPH

http://www.asperger.org/asperger/asperger_bauer.htm

Asperger syndrome (also called Asperger disorder) is a relatively new category of developmental disorder, the term having only come into more general use over the past fifteen years. Although a group of children with this clinical picture was originally and very accurately described in the 1940ís by a Viennese pediatrician, Hans Asperger, Asperger syndrome (AS) was "officially" recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for the first time in the fourth edition published in 1994.

Autism and Asperger syndrome

The National Autistic Society

http://www.nas.org.uk/pubs/asd/

What are autism & Asperger syndrome?

What is Asperger's syndrome?

http://nd.essortment.com/whatisasperger_rhcv.htm

Asperger’s Syndrome is a neurological disorder that is often described as a milder variant of autistic disorder, and both conditions are grouped under the broad diagnostic category of autistic spectrum disorders, or pervasive developmental disorders.

OASIS

O nline A sperger S yndrome I nformation & S upport

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/

As parents of children who are diagnosed with AS, we understand how essential is it that families of children diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and related disorders, educators who teach children with AS,  professionals  working with individuals diagnosed with AS,  and individuals with AS who are seeking support, have access to information.

Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Sorting It Out
Pediatric Neurological Associates
http://www.pediatricneurology.com/autism.htm
A comprehensive guide to autism spectrum disorders.

Asperger
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/1360/asd.html
This was written by Rosalyn Lord on behalf of CASSEL a support group in East Lancashire. It's aim is to give a parent's perspective on Asperger syndrome with ideas on how to help and understand our special children. It draws on many years of personal, practical experience and the desire to help guide newly diagnosed families to a better understanding of the problem, without the use of difficult terminology and jargon.

Asperger Syndrome: Some Common Questions
http://www.asperger.org/asperger/asperger_questions.htm

• Do Girls Have A Different Expression Of The Syndrome?

• How do you get a school system to pay attention to a child with AS when his/her academic functioning is at least normal, and often advanced?

• Should the child be placed in school based on their academic level, or their chronological level?

• How do you discipline a child with AS?

• What about the child who says no to every proposed appointment - medical, dental, eye, even school at times - as well as to most proposed family outings. Should we force him, persuade him, give up, leave him home alone?

• What is the best way to handle meltdowns and temper tantrums with youngsters?

Autism and Autistic-like Conditions: Subclasses among Disorders of Empathy

By: Christopher L. Gillberg

http://www.asperger.org/asperger/related_gilberg.htm

Recent autism and autism-related research from Gothenburg is surveyed. In indigenous families, typical autism seems no more common now than 10 years ago. Genetic factors play a part in causing autism and Asperger syndrome. Certain medical syndromes carry a relatively high risk of concomitant autistic symptoms. Evidence for nonspecific brain dysfunction is often found in autism and autistic-like conditions. The search for the underlying clue to the riddle of autism may be futile. Autism might be best conceptualized as a behavioral syndrome reflecting underlying brain dysfunction which shades into other clinical syndromes. A new class of disorders of empathy is proposed.

Asperger Syndrome

The ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education (ERIC EC), The Council for Exceptional Children

http://ericec.org/faq/asperger.html

FAQ's about Asperger's Sydrome.

The Epidemiology of Asperger Syndrome: A Total Population Study
By Stephan Ehlers and Christopher Gillberg

http://www.asperger.org/asperger/asperger_epidemiology.htm

This paper describes a total population study of Asperger syndrome using a two-stage procedure.

Autism Asperger Resource Center (AARC)

http://www.autismasperger.org/

The Purpose of the Autism Asperger Resource Center (AARC) is to foster the behavioral, academic, and social development of persons with Autism, Asperger's Disorder, and related exceptionalities by offering a variety of services to individuals and support networks.

ASPERGER'S DISORDER HOMEPAGE

by R. Kaan Ozbayrak, MD

http://www.aspergers.com/

Welcome to AS - IF

http://www.aspergerinformation.net/

A Directory for Asperger Syndrome

http://www.kandi.org/aspergers/

This directory hopes to help you find the information you need by categorizing links available for Asperger Syndrome.

Especially for Grandparents of Children With Asperger Syndrome
By Nancy Mucklow
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/grandparents.html
If your grandchild has been newly diagnosed, then welcome to the world of Asperger Syndrome. It is a mysterious and sometimes overwhelming world, but it is not one to be afraid of. Even if you are saddened, disappointed or angry about the diagnosis, keep in mind that it’s for the best. The earlier the diagnosis, the earlier the intervention, and the better the prognosis in the long run.

"Asperger's Syndrome Characteristics"
by Roger Meyer
http://www.aspergerinfo.org/ASCharacteristics.htm
A list of Asperger’s Syndrome characteristics.

Asperger Syndrome
http://www.geocities.com/aspergifted/
Website with excellent links to autism and Asperger Syndrome related websites and personal stories.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Asperger Syndrome
eMedicine
http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic147.htm
Asperger disorder is a form of pervasive developmental disorder characterized by severe persistent impairment in social interactions, repetitive behavior patterns, and restricted interests. Unlike an autistic disorder, no significant delay occurs in language development or cognitive development. Asperger disorder generally is evident in children older than 3 years and primarily occurs in boys.

How is Social Anxiety Different Than... Asperger's Disorder?
http://www.socialanxietyinstitute.org/asperger.html
Social anxiety disorder is markedly different than Asperger's Disorder in that Asperger's is a pervasive developmental disorder (also called a milder version of autism) and that people with social anxiety disorder do not display the patterns of behavior expected in definitions A and B.

Avoiding Unfortunate Situations
By Dennis Debbaudt
http://policeandautism.cjb.net/
As a parent of a young man with autism and reporter/researcher on this topic since 1991, I hope to bring you useful information about autism and the law enforcement community.

Attacking Asperger's Syndrome: Practical Parenting
http://www.linktoaustin.com/as/
Attacking Asperger's Syndrome: Practical Parenting Solutions is a Web-Book written by Lainey Melnick, the mother of a 13 year old son diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum.

The Asperger's Connection Home
http://www.ddleadership.org/aspergers/
The Asperger's Connection is an inter-active web site that allows individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, their families and anyone with an interest in Asperger's to interact and support one another as well as share ideas and problem solving strategies and suggestions. The web site is also intended to create access for professionals and public policy makers so they can learn directly from primary and secondary consumers.

Ask any question! Category: Autism

http://www.allexperts.com/getExpert.asp?Category=1010

Allexperts.com is the oldest & largest free Q&A service on the Internet.

Asperger's Syndrome: A Developmental Puzzle
by Michael McCroskery
http://www.ldaca.org/gram/croskery.htm
Cognitive and social skills, which shape personality and character, develop throughout life. However, genetic or environmental obstacles can obstruct development, especially early in life. One such obstacle is Asperger's Syndrome (AS).

AUTISM ASSISTANCE DOG

http://www.4pawsforability.org/autismdogs.htm

Autism Assistance Dogs are dogs that provide security for the child and for the parents. In some cases the dogs are merely placed for emotional, therapeutic reasons. These dogs become the child’s friend. It is becoming well known, that children with Autism may develop an emotional relationship with an animal, even when they have never done so with a human. 

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MD Gaithersburg School Tailors Teaching To Help Students Cope With Asperger’s - Alex was a capable child with superior intelligence -- and no end of eccentricities. He would flee noisy school assemblies. He couldn't bear the smell of the cafeteria. By the end of first grade, his mother was spending much of the day at Alex's side. On Thursday, Alex, 10, finished fourth grade at one of the nation's few public schools with a program tailored to children with Asperger's. He is popular and well-adjusted, and spends more and more of his school days in regular classes. The program at Diamond Elementary addresses one of the most vexing problems in special education: What to do with a child who is disabled but who has average to above-average intelligence and is capable of work at or above grade level? James Ball, who has consulted nationally on autism, said the Montgomery County effort "should be looked at as a model program" for teaching children with Asperger's, "because they are a unique breed of kids, and they do respond to a variety of unique teaching strategies."

School, Public System Form Partnership to Serve Pupils With Asperger Syndrome - Merril Oliver's son, now in seventh grade, could read at a third-grade level when he was 3 years old. His favorite bedtime story when he was 4 was his mother's college astronomy book. Now, he is one several students with Asperger Syndrome who have enrolled at the Norbel School as part of a new partnership between the county school system and the private school in Elkridge, which teaches youngsters in prekindergarten through grade 12 who have learning and/or language disabilities.

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Choosing College Courses - Are you helping a student with an Autism Spectrum Disorder prepare for their freshman year of college?

Teaching Kids With Asperger Syndrome For The First Time - You're a teacher. You've just found out that you're going to have a student with Asperger Syndrome (AS) in class this year. You're in for an interesting year. And that's not coded language for "brace yourself." It's a real-life perspective that teaching a child with AS often gives you as many opportunities as challenges.

20 Ways To Ensure the Successful Inclusion of Asperger Child in the General Education Classroom - Children with Asperger syndrome (AS) have a variety of issues that must be addressed on a daily basis. Because these children tend to be high-functioning, many are placed in general education classrooms in order to receive the best education possible. Teachers working with children with AS may not be aware of how to provide the best inclusive environment. The following are strategies and tips that can be incorporated to help these children adjust and become successful in the general education classroom.
 

Appropriate Educational Placements for Children with Asperger’s Syndrome
For more information on Dr. Tony Attwood or to check out his many publications and resources, visit http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/. "The child with Asperger’s Syndrome does not have the behavioral and learning profile of a child with classic autism, and schools or units for such children may not be an appropriate option. The child is also not acutely disturbed and psychiatric services can be reluctant to provide services for someone with a developmental disorder. The child may have specific learning problems but not be considered eligible for services for the intellectually disabled. Thus the conventional government services often have few resources, services and policies for people with this syndrome."

Social Communication and Language Characteristics Associated with High Functioning, Verbal Children and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder from the Indiana Resource Center for Autism: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/communication/socialcomm.html

University Students With Autism And Asperger's Syndrome

http://www.users.dircon.co.uk./~cns/index.html

This site provides first-person accounts and an extensive list of resources for students on the Autism spectrum.

Asperger's Syndrome - Educational Management Issues
Prepared by Susan Jackel B.Ed.

http://www.familyautism.com/Asperger's%20Syndrome%20Educational%20Management%20Issues.htm

This paper is a synthesis of a number of documents relating to the educational issues confronting children with Asperger's Syndrome, Autism or a Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS) in the Autism spectrum. It is written as a document for teacher information and is equally useful for anyone who cares for children with the condition.

Asperger's Syndrome: Useful Information for Teachers

http://www.kusd.edu/favorite/bookmarks/asperger.html

Asperger's Syndrome, or sometimes called Asperger's Disorder, is one of a group of diagnoses included under the general term "Pervasive Developmental Disorders". It is sometimes compared to high-functioning Autistic Disorder. In general, Asperger's Syndrome is used to describe persons with severe deficits in social interaction and who display repetitive, stereotyped behaviors without significant delays in the acquisition of language or in cognitive functioning.

Asperger's Syndrome Guide for Teachers

Written by the parents of OASIS Asperger Syndrome Forum, Compiled and Edited by Elly Tucker

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/teachers%5Fguide.html

The following guide was prepared so that families could have a short description of AS and its behaviors to share with their children's teachers.

Understanding the Student With Asperger's Syndrome: Guidelines for Teachers

Karen Williams, University of Michigan Medical Center, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/karen_williams_guidelines.html

Children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome present a special challenge in the educational milieu. This article provides teachers with descriptions of seven defining characteristics of Asperger syndrome, in addition to suggestions and strategies for addressing these symptoms in the classroom. Behavioral and academic interventions based on the author's teaching experiences with children with Asperger syndrome are offered.

Educational Implications:   Ideas For Classroom Management

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/education.html

General Intervention Setting

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/astreatments.html#setting

The applicable educational ideology as well as quality of available services vary enormously from school district to school district, across the country as well as within the various states, and sometimes across time for the same school district. It is very important that parents become well acquainted with the following factors involved in securing appropriate placement and programming for their child.

General Intervention Strategies

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/astreatments.html#strategies

Specific interventions, e.g. teaching practices and approaches, behavioral management techniques, strategies for emotional support, and activities intended to foster social and communication competence, should be conceived and implemented in a thoughtful, consistent (across settings, staff members, and situations), and individualized manner.

General Strategies for Communication Intervention and Social Skills Training

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/astreatments.html#general

For most individuals with AS, the most important item of the educational curriculum and treatment strategy involves the need to enhance communication and social competence. This emphasis does not reflect a societal pressure for conformity or an attempt to stifle individuality and uniqueness. Rather, this emphasis reflects the clinical fact that most individuals with AS are not loners by choice, and that there is a tendency, as children develop towards adolescence, for despondency, negativism, and sometimes, clinical depression, as a result of the individual's increasing awareness of personal inadequacy in social situations, and repeated experiences of failure to make and/or maintain relationships.

General Guidelines for Behavior Management

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/astreatments.html#behavior

Individuals with AS often exhibit different forms of challenging behavior. It is crucial that these behaviors are not seen as willful or malicious; rather, they should be viewed as connected to the individual's disability and treated as such by means of thoughtful, therapeutic, and educational strategies, rather than by simplistic and inconsistent punishment or other disciplinary measures that imply the assumption of deliberate misconduct.

Academic Curriculum

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/astreatments.html#academic

The curriculum content should be decided based on long-term goals, so that the utility of each item is evaluated in terms of its long-term benefits for the individual's socialization skills, vocational potential, and quality of life.

Asperger Syndrome Guide for Teachers - Letter of Introduction

http://www.pattyrbashe.com/LetterofIntroduction.htm

Specially Designed Instructions for Educators: IEP Modification/Adaptations/Support Checklist
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/IEP_Modif_Checklist.html
The basic format for this document was taken from the Technical Assistance Manual on Autism for Kentucky Schools by Nancy Dalrymple and Lisa Ruble. However, this form has been revised to more accurately describe the modifications and adaptations necessary for a child who is on the higher functioning end of the autism spectrum.

Home schooling and Autistic Spectrum Disorder

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jorghahaq/hsas.htm

Just because you are not homeschooling does not mean that there isn't anything on these pages that won't help you!

Five Survival Strategies To Help Children With Asperger’s Syndrome Overcome Inertia

George T. Lynn, M.A., M.P.A., L.M.H.C.

http://www.childspirit.com/5Aspergers.htm

The Asperger’s (AS) child may have a powerful predisposition to inertia especially when he is stressed or tired. This profound lack of energy or ability to initiate action is seen in the child’s school, home, and social life.

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Click here for information on Social Skills Builders Classes - Social Skills Builders offers a series of peer group programs for early childhood through adolescent aged children, who demonstrate difficulties with social skill awareness, social interactions and social behaviors.

The Friendship Club: A free service provided by: The Autism Society of America-Oakland County Chapter (Michigan) The Friendship Club is a list of children and young adults with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism or Pervasive Development Disorder. The primary goal of the club is to provide parents with opportunities to locate others with similar interests and abilities who may wish to become friends, set up play dates or create social formal training groups. Casual family activities and meetings will also be arranged for all participants to meet in person. The group is not limited to Oakland County residents, however, members should be within driving distance of Oakland County.  There is no fee.

Asperger's Syndrome Support Group for parents of children with Asperger's meets the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Turner Senior Resource Center, 2401 Plymouth Rd., Suite C, Ann Arbor, MI - All parents welcome to this confidential support group which will include discussion and speakers. Group seeks to focus on Asperger's, not the total autism spectrum. For information, call Mary Rumman at 734-439-8613 or e-mail at mrumman@umich.edu  

The Macomb and St. Clair Autism Society of America Support Group:  Held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, St. Ephram's Church at 17 Mi. and Dodge Park (near VanDyke) in Sterling Heights.  For more information email lindaob725@aol.com.
 

Asperger's Michigan

http://aspergersmichigan.com/

Michigan Asperger's Support Groups

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/suppMI.html

Located in Ann Arbor and Midland.

Autism Society of Michigan

http://www.autism-mi.org

The Autism Society of Michigan is committed to empowering individuals with autism and their families by offering educational resources and materials, workshops, seminars and other services.

Autism Society of America / Oakland County Chapter

http://www.asaoakland.org/index.htm

The Mission of the Autism Society of America, Oakland County Chapter is to foster knowledge, promote awareness, provide information and opportunities related to educational, medical, social and life skills issues for families and individuals with autism spectrum disorders, and to promote awareness to the general public in and around Oakland County.

Macomb County Chapter / Autism Society of America

http://www.macombasa.org/

The mission of the Autism Society of America (ASA) is to promote lifelong access and opportunities for persons within the autism spectrum and their families, to be fully included, participating members of their communities through advocacy, public awareness, education, and research related to autism.

University of Michigan 
Autism and Communication Disorders Center

http://www.umich.edu/~umacc/

The University of Michigan Autism and Related Communication Disorders Center (UMACC) is committed to the integration of research, training, and clinical service.

Aspergers/Special Needs Network

http://northville.lib.mi.us/community/groups/asnn.htm

Parents of children with Aspergers Syndrome or similar behavioral and/or emotional problems; We meet to share resources and information, especially in regard to school and social issues. Located in Northville.

The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding

http://www.thegraycenter.org/

Dedicated to individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and those who work alongside them to improve mutual understanding. Located in Grand Rapids.

asperger-syndrome Listserv

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/asperger-syndrome/

This Michigan-based list is for families who think their child might have aspergar syndrome or families who have recently been diagnosed with aspergar syndrome.

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U.K. Different Worlds - Basingstoke, Hants - We are a group of parents, carers, friends and relatives with a common link. We all have personal experience of Aspergers Syndrome or other Autistic Spectrum Disorders. We meet monthly and invite ‘Guest Speakers’ along to the meetings. We have had visits from Social Services, the Local Education Authority, Alternative Therapists re. dietary advice etc. We have write ups, photos, poetry, diagnosis criteria, and much more on our Site, and we actively encourage both adults and children to write for us.

Asperger Syndrome Education Network (ASPEN) - ASPEN® is a New Jersey based non-profit organization providing support and information to families and individuals whose lives are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-NOS, High Functioning Autism), and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities including: Education about the issues surrounding the disorders. Support in knowing that they are not alone, and in helping individuals with ASD's and NLD achieve their maximum potential. Advocacy in areas of appropriate educational programs, medical research funding, adult issues and increased public awareness and understanding.

Parent Sharing: Autism-related Resources for Teens & Pre-Teens w/High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome "A couple of books that I've heard are helpful: "Teaching Your Child the Language of Social Success" by Marshall and Nowicki and "I Can Problem Solve" by Myrna Shure. There is also a yahoo group for girls with autism. I've heard they have discussions about the onset of puberty and middle school topics quite a bit. It's called Autism_in_Girls. You can find information about the group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Autism_in_Girls." - Barb B., Ann Arbor, MI

Autism Society of America

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 2 to 6 in 1,000 individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2001). Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not affect the chance of autism's occurrence.

The Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S., Inc.

http://www.asperger.org/index_asc.html

The Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S. is a national nonprofit organization committed to providing the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on
Asperger Syndrome and related conditions.

National Autistic Society (NAS)

http://www.nas.org.uk/index.html

Initially working out of Helen Green Allison's back room, with a handful of members and little funding, the NAS has come a long way in 39 years. Today, the Society has grown into the UK's foremost organisation for people with autism and those who care for them, spearheading national and international initiatives and providing a strong voice for autism.

Asperger Syndrome Australian Information Centre
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rbmitch/Asperger.htm
An online support service for those involved with Asperger Syndrome in Australia.

AIPL · Asperger Intervention and Program List (AIPL)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AIPL/

For professionals and support workers to discuss the topic of Interventions and Programs for people with Asperger Syndrome.

ASPIRES

Asperger Syndrome Partners & Individuals Resources, Encouragement & Support

www.aspires-relationships.com

ASPIRES is an on-line resource for spouses and family members of adults diagnosed or suspected to be on the autistic spectrum.  Our approach to one another and towards our "significant others" is directed towards solving problems in our relationship with a spectrum-sitting spouse.

FAAAS, Inc.^™

Families of Adults Afflicted with Asperger's Syndrome

http://www.faaas.org/

Our mission is to offer support to the family members of adult individuals afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome.  Our goal is to educate the public to the existence of Asperger’s Syndrome in the ADULT population and to bring awareness of this neurological disorder and its ramifications on the ‘whole’ family to the medical communities who are directly or indirectly involved.  Another key aspect to our work is to give the families a measure of reassurance so they can validate their concerns and frustrations as concrete issues rather than simple ‘family problems’.

Asperger's Syndrome Support Network (Queensland) Inc.

http://www.asperger.asn.au/

The ASSN (Qld) Inc provides support to parents, families, careers, and siblings as well as to children, adolescents and adults with Asperger Syndrome.

SFTAH. UK. ^®Society For The Autistically Handicapped

http://www.autismuk.com/

The Society exists to increase awareness of autism, together with well established and newly developed approaches in the diagnosis, assessment, education and treatment. The main goal is to improve the quality of life for persons with Autism. 

The autistics.org website

http://quartz.autistics.org/

The purpose of the autistics.org project is to connect autistic people with the services we need to live whole and happy lives. The immediate goal of autistics.org is to build a global database of information and resources by and for persons on the autistic spectrum.

Aspergers Support Listserv

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AspergersSupport/

A support list for parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome or HFA.

AIPL - Asperger Intervention and Program Listserv

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AIPL/

For professionals and support workers to discuss the topic of Interventions and Programs for people with Asperger Syndrome.

Aspergers Circle Listserv

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AspergersCircle/

A community of persons with, or affected by, Asperger's Syndrome. A place to share information, receive support, ask questions.

ASPERGER is primarily a resource for parents of AS/PDD/high functioning autistic kids, but it has a vibrant and active contingent of AS adults as well, some of whom are themselves parents of AS/PDD/HFA kids. ASPERGER is a private list. Contact the list owners at ASPERGER-request@maelst rom.stjohns.edu to subscribe. ASPERGER was formerly known as AS-Support@UDel.edu , and was maintained at the University of Delaware by its founder, Barb Kirby, until its move to St. John's University in March 1997.

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Stacking the Deck for Family Holidays - It’s family holiday gatherings season. So, do you feel anticipation or anxiety? If you have a child with an autism spectrum disorder, you might feel a bit of both.

Who's To Know? Disclosing Asperger Syndrome - Your son or daughter has Asperger Syndrome. Who do you tell? Who do they tell? This can be a tough decision. There are definitely two sides to disclosure issues. Personally, I'm in favor of being as open as possible with people who are going to have routine contact with your child - and that includes other kids. But it's an individual and family decision.

Discovering Asperger Syndrome - Getting a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome for your child is sort of like getting hit by a slow freight train. Usually, you know something's wrong. Maybe you got worried. Maybe teachers or others urged you to get your child checked out. Maybe, like my wife and I, you went through several other diagnoses first. But even though you knew something was coming, you still feel the impact when you get the official word.

Bestseller Helps Parents Fight Accusations of Child Abuse - Books: Novel has shed light on Asperger's Syndrome but families still find themselves under investigation.

Practicing Social Skills - When's the last time you got frustrated because you told your child not to do something, and two minutes later he or she is doing it again? I think of this as "Teflon Shelf Syndrome." If you consider the brain as a storehouse with shelves, some kids seem to have some shelves that are coated with Teflon - and are tilted so things slide off easily. So...maybe it's not your son's fault that his finger strays to his nostril. It's not your daughter's fault she doesn't make eye contact when you speak to her. Maybe it’s the way their brains work.

Autism and the Pew Lady - I'm writing on behalf of the mother of a five-year old girl with autism - and for me and my son. If you're not familiar with autism and you've ever wondered what you might do to help, here's a heads up. I ran into the mother I mentioned at the Autism Society of North Carolina annual conference in Raleigh. She described how her autistic daughter had become upset in church and caused a small disturbance.

Asperger Syndrome: Classroom Success Next Year - Do you want next year to be different? If you want the coming school year to be better for your child with Asperger Syndrome, whip out a sheet of paper. Now, let's do a review of what worked this year and what you'd like to see carried over into next year. What did Jimmy like about school? What did Mary do best in? What did the teachers do that worked? What did you and your child do that worked? What do you want to make sure you capture and repeat next year?

Asperger Syndrome: Put Those Kids To Work! - We’d do anything for our kids with Asperger Syndrome. Is that always a good thing? Hmmmmmm. Hard to say. It’s good if we can figure out what we need to do for our kids versus what they need to do for themselves. And that’s not always easy.
 

Asperger Syndrome and Mom's Secret Weapon (A Mother's Day Reflection) - Want to be more effective in helping your child? Want to give him the best possible training to deal with AS and succeed? Then you need to access a secret weapon. You. Your immediate reaction may be, "Yeah, right! I'm already doing everything I can. More than I can! In fact, I'm so stressed that just the thought of doing more threatens to shut me down."

IN 'Unlimited Potential' Program Offers Hope - Alex Harvey is a little preoccupied and logical to the point of irritation. A typical gifted child. In truth, the 10-year-old Munster boy has Asperger's disorder. Many cases of this syndrome go undiagnosed because it is assumed that a child with a high IQ is bound to act differently. According to the American Psychiatric Association, Asperger's is one of five disorders that fit under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs). Others include autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and Rett's disorder. While the association classifies Asperger's as a separate disorder from autism, many professionals still consider it to be a less severe form of autism.

Asperger's Syndrome: The Invisible Disability - "You could teach a child the theory of relativity once and he'd get it. But you'd have to tell him the rules for lining up for recess 500 times."

A Life Out of Sync: Asperger Syndrome - High-functioning autism. People with this disorder don't get the joke, or most other interpersonal cues that society takes for granted. They have difficulty with communication and social skills, and can become preoccupied with one narrow subject. But they are typically bright and often excel in math, science and high-tech. Unrecognized and untreated until recently, the disorder is now the focus of research, classes and hope.
 

Newsweek: Girls, Boys and Autism - Is this mysterious and sometimes devastating condition just an extreme version of normal male intelligence? That’s one provocative new theory. Behind autism’s gender gap.

The ARC: What is a Positive Behavior Plan? - View Sample Plans and Download Training Materials.

Autism's little brother - For kids like Ben, leading a normal childhood becomes a wrenching struggle, due to Asperger’s Syndrome. And it isn’t easy on the neighbors.
 

TN LOVE UNLEASHED: 4-legged therapist helps teen learn to socialize, verbalize - Jim and Laurie Bond say they owe a lot to their dog, TJ. The couple credit the golden retriever with bringing their 14-year-old son Jeb out of a shell, transforming him from a loner who seldom communicated into a more social, active teen.

Pain, Waste, and the Hope for a Better Future: "Invisible Disabilities" in the Educational System by Margi Nowak, Ph.D.

The Geek Syndrome

By Steve Silberman

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers_pr.html

Autism - and its milder cousin Asperger's syndrome - is surging among the children of Silicon Valley. Are math-and-tech genes to blame?

LHS Maumee Youth Center for Asperger’s Disorder Opens (Toledo, OH)

Asperger Syndrome: Writer's Corner - What The DSM IV means to me....
by A Woman With AS
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/asmeans1.html
Several people have asked me what it's like to have Asperger's Syndrome and have also asked for a better understanding of the DSM criteria. I pulled out some letters and articles that I've written and grouped them with my understanding of the diagnostic criteria.

Making the Transition from the World of School into the World of Work
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Colorado State University
http://www.autism.org/temple/transition.html
During my travels to many autism conferences I have observed many sad cases of people with autism who have successfully completed high school or college but have been unable to make the transition into the world of work. Some have become perpetual students because they thrive on the intellectual stimulation of college. For many able people with autism college years were their happiest (Szatmari et al., 1989).

The Little Professor Syndrome
By LAWRENCE OSBORNE, The New York Times Magazine
http://www.aspergernyc.com/little_professor_syndrome.htm
Scholars have retroactively applied the Asperger's label to oddball intellectuals ranging from Vladimir Nabokov to Béla Bartok to Ludwig Wittgenstein.

When A Child Can't Relate: Asperger's in Parade Magazine
by Sheryl Flatow
http://www.aspergernyc.com/asperger-parade.htm
When Tyler Douglass was 18 months old, he was so articulate that people thought he might be gifted. But, as he grew, his mother saw a very different child.  

Asperger's syndrome
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/a-b/1166811.stm
Asperger's syndrome is one of a range of autism-like disorders which often manifests in "eccentric" behaviour rather than pronounced and obvious disability.

Asperger's Syndrome presents challenges to an Iowa family
Jessica Tarbox, digital iowa staff reporter, Drake University
http://www.drake.edu/journalism/digitaliowa/aspergers.html
Katie Roberts, an Iowa child, has often been lumped together with learning-disabled children in school, linking her, in the minds of her peers and teachers, to children who struggle in classes due to learning disabilities.

Boy wonder
The Sunday Times
http://www.times-archive.co.uk/news/pages/sti/1998/07/12/stirevnws01004.html
Rana Kabbani always knew her son Alexander was different. Only when she found he had Asperger syndrome did she understand his talents as well as his troubles.

The lost boy
Guardian Unlimited
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3883045,00.html
Lewis bites, swears and bullies; he always has. His mother sought professional help, his school opted for permanent exclusion. Yet in all the years of trauma, no one suggested autism. Jill Dawson describes the battle to understand her son.

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Take the interactive empathy quotient test or take the interactive systemizing quotient test.

Diagnostic Criteria

http://www.users.dircon.co.uk./~cns/faq.html#diagnostic

These are the official diagnostic criteria (taken from DSM-IV, the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) for the "pervasive developmental disorders", including autism and AS.

Making any diagnosis requires attention to weaknesses, the observation and interpretation of signs and symptoms that vary from typical development or health.

Categorical Definition and Clinical Description

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/asdiagnosis.html#definition

As defined in DSM-IV (the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 1994), the tentative criteria for AS follow the same format, and in fact overlap to some degree, the criteria for autism.

Related Diagnostic Concepts

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/asdiagnosis.html#concepts

Several similar diagnostic concepts originating from adult psychiatry, neuropsychology, neurology, and other disciplines share, to a great degree, the phenomenological aspects of AS.

Qualitative Impairments in Reciprocal Social Interaction & Communication

http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/asdiagnosis.html#interaction

Although the social criteria for AS and autism are identical, the former condition usually involves fewer symptoms and has a generally different presentation than does the latter.

Validity and Neuropsychological Characterization of Asperger Syndrome: Convergence with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Syndrome

By A. Klin, F. R. Volkmar, S. S. Sparrow, D. V. Cicchetti, and B. P. Rourke

http://www.asperger.org/asperger/related_klin.htm

Although autism has been widely recognized as the prototypic pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), various other diagnostic concepts with features somewhat similar to autism have been described (Klin & Volkmar, 1995).

Motor Clumsiness
By Tony Attwood

http://www.asperger.org/asperger/asperger_motor.htm

One of the first indicators of motor clumsiness is that some children with Asperger's syndrome learn to walk a few months later than one would expect (Manjiviona and Prior 1995).

Girls With Social Deficits and Learning Problems: Autism, Atypical Asperger Syndrome or a Variant of These Conditions
By Svenny Kopp and Christopher Gillberg

http://www.asperger.org/asperger/related_kopp.htm

In our center, for many years now, we have come across girls who have severe social and communication impairments – and restrictions in their behavioral repertoire – but who do not clinically present with the picture usually associated with autism.

Child Diagnosis Procedure

http://www.as-if.org.uk/diagnosis.htm#Child Diagnosis Procedure

In recent years there has been an explosion in the diagnosis of childhood developmental and communication disorders.

Adult Diagnosis Procedure

http://www.as-if.org.uk/diagnosis.htm#Adult Diagnosis Procedure

A study by the National Autistic Society suggested that 46 per cent of people with Asperger's Syndrome were not diagnosed until after the age of 16.

Using the Vineland to predict Autism and Asperger Syndrome
http://www.agsnet.com/vineland/sparrow.asp

The following article is from the Assessment Information Exchange (AIE) , Spring 2001 Newsletter.

Asperger's Syndrome: Guidelines for Assesment and Diagnosis

by Ami Klin, Ph.D., and Fred R. Volkmar, M.D., Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Ct.

http://www.aspennj.org/guide.html

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a severe developmental disorder characterized by major difficulties in social interaction, and restricted and unusual patterns of interest and behavior.

Take The AQ Test
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Center have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults.

Surveys & Studies

AHA/AS/PDD

http://www.lightlink.com/schissel/aap/fr/surveys.html

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