[boomoo]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

My best mate at school had mild aspergers. She was just a bit..strange :/

Like, she would randomly sit in puddles when we were out if she fancied it, and once jumped off durham bridge to 'swim with the ducks'

She wasn't too good in social situations though, she would be extremely quiet in groups, but was fine one to one, or in a group of people she knew well.

How strange. 'extremely quiet in groups but fine one to one' I must have had asperger's syndrome all my life but undiagnosed. We called it shy.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by boomoo

How strange. 'extremely quiet in groups but fine one to one' I must have had asperger's syndrome all my life but undiagnosed. We called it shy.

So...you think people with aspergers are just shy? Or you think shy people all have aspergers?

[boomoo]

Originally Posted by DanaC

So...you think people with aspergers are just shy? Or you think shy people all have aspergers?

Not at all. Just wondered how I would have been diagnosed today.
I think too many children are being diagnosed as autistic or asperger's. I began teaching 50 years ago and I never came across a child who could not communicate with me. There were plenty of children who were afraid of a teacher and could not speak to them. The child did not have a problem the teacher did.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by boomoo

Not at all. Just wondered how I would have been diagnosed today.
I think too many children are being diagnosed as autistic or asperger's. I began teaching 50 years ago and I never came across a child who could not communicate with me. There were plenty of children who were afraid of a teacher and could not speak to them. The child did not have a problem the teacher did.

From what I have heard from parents of children with aspergers or autism, or indeed other cognitive issues, like dyslexia or dyspraxia, it is quite difficult to get a diagnosis, and even more difficult to translate that into meaningful in-school assistance (such as learning assistants).

Back when I was teaching adult lit, we had a number of students with developmental disorders of various kinds. Most of them had gone through their schooling without any kind of diagnosis or recognition of what was going on in their brains that was different to the other kids. They were just seen as awkward, particularly those on the autistic spectrum. Awkward and insolent, even rude (that literal view of the world and lack of social grace). Some were probably thought of as shy, or nervous.

If they exhibit only mild signals these can easily be misread. And however they manage at primary school, most of them seem to have found secondary school a much harder trial.

Maybe you have had kids come through your class that were on the autistic spectrum, but only exhibiting mild and easily misread signs. And in the intimacy of a primary school class, with a teacher they trusted, they may well learn to cope with that setting quite quickly (I assume you are talking about primary school age kids?). Those same children who coped ok in primary school may not then fare so well in the less intimate setting of secondary school.

Often, the people I was working with had begun to have early issues at primary school, in terms of falling behind and feeling different, but it was often the move to secondary school that signalled a break down in their schooling.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by boomoo

Not at all. Just wondered how I would have been diagnosed today.
I think too many children are being diagnosed as autistic or asperger's. I began teaching 50 years ago and I never came across a child who could not communicate with me. There were plenty of children who were afraid of a teacher and could not speak to them. The child did not have a problem the teacher did.

Wow. I work in a special school and to qualify for the higher rate of disability allowance you need to fit into one of the following..



1. You are unable to walk.
2. You are virtually unable to walk.
3. The exertion required to walk would constitute a danger to your life or would be likely to lead to a serious deterioration in your health.
4. You have no legs or feet (from birth or through amputation).
5. You are both deaf and blind.
6. You are entitled to the highest rate care component and you are severely mentally impaired with extremely disruptive and dangerous behavioural problems.

Which of the above do you think parents fake so they can get a free car?

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Blue Cadillac

Well, what do you want to know, exactly? Never professed to be a doctor, by the way, just offering my opinion in relation to my personal experience.

Opinion is fine. Judgement about someone's medical diagnosis with no possible way of knowing the facts is not.

Originally Posted by Conzors

when i was unemployed i did voluntary work with autistic/aspergers children and he has definitely not got it.

Wow, todays doctors are wasting buckets of money and ****loads of time in medical schools. If only they just took a few weeks voluntary work.

[Blue Cadillac]

[QUOTE=08marsh;6338906]Opinion is fine. Judgement about someone's medical diagnosis with no possible way of knowing the facts is not.


Which is why I'm reserving judgement at the moment, as previously stated, if you'd care to read my posts with any diligence.

However, getting back to the point, my opinion is that Abz needn't have broadcast his alleged Asperger's on national tv - I'm not sure that was necessary, other than to possibly create a wave of sympathy. And my original point was that I felt it was unusual for a person with Asperger's to want to be so acutely in the public eye. Not impossible - just unusual.

Neither you, I nor anyone else frequenting this forum knows anything solid about Abz's 'medical diagnosis', and so it is supposition and speculation on all of our parts.

[Roy Mars III]

[QUOTE=Blue Cadillac;6339694]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

Opinion is fine. Judgement about someone's medical diagnosis with no possible way of knowing the facts is not.


Which is why I'm reserving judgement at the moment, as previously stated, if you'd care to read my posts with any diligence.

However, getting back to the point, my opinion is that Abz needn't have broadcast his alleged Asperger's on national tv - I'm not sure that was necessary, other than to possibly create a wave of sympathy. And my original point was that I felt it was unusual for a person with Asperger's to want to be so acutely in the public eye. Not impossible - just unusual.

Neither you, I nor anyone else frequenting this forum knows anything solid about Abz's 'medical diagnosis', and so it is supposition and speculation on all of our parts.

because he is trying to explain why he may not be as involved with others in the house. As many people will Asperger's he may find it hard to get on well socially with the other housemates, esp. with small conversation.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Blue Cadillac

Neither you, I nor anyone else frequenting this forum knows anything solid about Abz's 'medical diagnosis', and so it is supposition and speculation on all of our parts.

I never claimed to know anything about his medical condition or diagnosis. I'm merely commenting on those who seem to believe they do.