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Janice Talley

Professor Reynolds

ENG 1201

15 November 2020

How is your brain better than mine?

Autism has many spectrums and can be a serious mental health condition attached to myths

and stigma; however, with care from a medical doctor, therapy, and education, a person with

Autism is just like everyone else.

Let us look at infants and toddlers; regular pediatrician visit is crucial to child wellbeing.

Children are screen and vaccinated during this time of their growth. "The American Academy of

Pediatrics now recommends that the 18- and 24-month well check-ups also include

developmental screening for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) for all children." (Peacock &

Aldridge, 2009). Pediatricians look for developmental skills during a child visit; that way, they

can tell if they are learning necessary fundamentals skills. During the visit, doctors talk to

parents and look for developmental signs or a lack of developmental signs, such as how they

respond to touch, talk, and behavior. Parents should observe a child's development. If a child is

not developing significantly for the child's age group, inform the child's pediatrician and not

ignore the stigma "They just slow" because the earlier ASD detected, the child will reach their

expectations. Easy things parents should look for in child development are child speech, such as

saying bye-bye associated with waving and attempting to walk. Believing in paternal instincts

and trusting the child pediatrician will help parents recognize growing concerns. These are a few

concerns regarding child development within the child's first year. The child does not smile or
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laugh, is not interested in toddler games like peek-a-boo, does not express words, or shows no

curiosity for objects around the home. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

has developed a campaign called "Learn the Signs. Act Early." (www.cdc.gov/actearly)."

(Peacock & Aldridge, 2009).

(Shuttershock, Child development infographic images 2003-2020 Child development infographic

images)

Comparing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder with normal neurodevelopment, children

with ASD, begin to walk much later, which is a preliminary indication. A child with ASD

walking is a terrific milestone for them as well as a parent; however, while normal

growth development a child will begin walking at 12 months a child with ASD will begin around

16 months.

Having Asperger's syndrome is like thinking and perceiving the outside world

differently but a person who is diagnosed with ASD there thinking perfectly normal. Asperger

syndrome originated from "Dr. Hans Asperger, a Viennese pediatrician, who, in 1944, noticed

that some of the children referred to his clinic had very similar personality characteristics and

behavior." (Attwood, 2014). Dr. Asperger was intrigued by children to diagnose with Asperger's
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and studied the children's abilities, behavior, and growth. Dr. Aspersers was the first to study

children with Asperger's social skills and communication. Even though the children with

Asperger's did not have any friends; it was special about them. Asperger's syndrome disorder is

a combination of neurological, psychological, and genetic. Genetics plays a role in Asperger's if

a parent also mental health illness has, which would explain them being high strung and overly

emotional.

The Special Education System in the past few years has avoided the desegregation policy for

students with special needs educated alongside their peers. This shift is to move society into

equality, which includes children with special needs civil rights. The diagnosis of Asperger's

Syndrome Disorder was revised by the "World Health Organization's International Classification

of Diseases in 2004 and American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

Mental Disorder in 2000." (Coyle). The study of ASD increased the diagnosis requirements by

adding criteria, tedious displays in behavior, constrict interests, decreased non-verbal

communication with eye contact and signals, talked with extensive detail and advance speech,

and signs of clumsiness and odd walking pattern. This study took a different approach, including

teachers who have taught students with special education needs (SEN). The questions the

teachers were asked about, including students with SEN factors highlighted, were the difficulties

with inputting the idea of inclusion.

The special needs association and teachers are concerned with how severe the disability must

include or not-include students into mainstream classrooms. Also, the teacher informed the

research that they do not have specialist training. The need for a well-rounded approach for

SEN, including communication and distributing expertise, is essential to a comprehensive

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process and spending time planning. The teacher recommended a positive feature and the social

and academic benefit of the students with SEN. They concluded that students with SEN gave

disability awareness to their peers and developed better with their peers. (Coyle).

People with Asperger's have trouble with conversation skills and difficulty explaining

themselves, which increases their anxiety and high sensory perception. During adolescence,

children with Asperger's are picked on, made fun of, and bullied, which leads to severe

depression. While most adolescents fit in with their peers, adolescents with Asperger's are being

rejected and are learning that they are different from their peers. Teens with Asperger's develop

"Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder" (Attwood, 2014), which is very typical for them, and

are not concerned with criticizing others, only criticizing themselves. Teenagers with Asperger's

are afraid of making mistakes. A clinically depressed adolescent with Asperger's syndrome

disorder feels as if they do not belong, and their depression will socially withdraw.

It is hard enough for a teen to struggle with

depression; teens with ASD face other trials

because it is harder for ASD teens to

communicate and difficulty expressing emotions.

Because teens with ASD see things as they are

and exact.

(Young, 2014)

"According to the National Autism Society, 65% (1 in 15 teens) of those on the spectrum suffer

from depression or anxiety during late teen and early adulthood" (Young, 2014).
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Asperger s Syndrome Disorder adolescents will look at suicide as ending emotional pain.

Unlike other teens, teens with ASD will experience a "'suicide attack,' a spur-of-the-moment

decision to make a dramatic end to life." (Attwood, 2014). However, modern high schools

provide the student with ASD personal therapist and educate using CBT skills. Spectrum teens

will seek higher education and professional careers.

Adults with Asperger's Syndrome Disorder do seek higher education and trade school.

"Asperger's syndrome, first listed in the American Psychiatric Association's manual of mental

disorders in 1994, affects two to six of every 1,000 Americans, according to the National

Institutes of Health." (Hughes, 2009). A person with ASD has difficulty communicating, both

verbal and nonverbal. People diagnosed with ASD may seem different; however, most have a

high IQ in a specific area. Adults with ASD pay above-average attention to detail, and many

apply to college. Students with ASD have challenges when attending colleges, such as social

interaction and adjusting. They will overthink and become quickly overwhelmed and misread

the fast past around them. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires colleges to meet

students' needs with Asperger's; however, some students with ASD do not request special needs

services because of stigma. Unfortunately, college students with ASD do not have a curriculum

arranged around their program nor IEP like in high school. The only arrangement is extra time

on tests or tutoring. Families with college students should make sure the child reports to the

college's disability office for support and resources. A college with disability staff members can

help students with ASD manage their time not to get overwhelmed and discouraged. It is as

simple as educating them on how to program their cell phones. Students should also begin with a

part-time course schedule during their freshman year. Suppose the Instructor is aware of a

student that is diagnosed with ASD. In that case, the Instructor can also help by allowing
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students with ASD to submit an assignment via email, suggest they use a computer to type

assignments and exams that required much writing, handout classwork in the smaller portions,

and assign a mentor.

A freshman college student named Adam talks about having Asperger's Syndrome Disorder

(ASD) in the YouTube video. Ordinary people speak a different language than a person with

ASD whit can be overwhelming and emotionally draining and getting plenty of rest is how

Adam recharges. Connecting with other students is problematic because of feeling unrelatable.

Like any other teenager feeling that one may not fit in with peers may be paranoid. Adam states

that he tries to hide his ASD every day because people with ASD tend to rock, talk loudly to

themselves, or flap their hands around when they become excited. Adam started a YouTube

channel when he was younger to discuss how he deals with ASD, a pretty smart kid, huh?

People with ASD get frightened by loud noises, which is the subject of being teased and

unmasculine. People with ASD do not participate in normal peer activities such as playing jokes

or wrestling. These activities can become overwhelming for a person with ASD. Adam states,

"Asperger's is an outdated term because the new Diagnostic Service Manual now puts Asperger's

under an umbrella." (Seiff). Adam referred to say asperges instead of Autism because of the

stigma associated with Autism, such as nonverbal communication and inability to care for

oneself. Adam says that he would not change if he could. (Seiff).

When colleges become educated on assisting students with ASD, it will decrease their mental

frustration and increase graduation. (Hughes, 2009). A research was conducted with Asperger's

Syndrome Disorder adult college students regarding physical health.

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Participants had to keep track of how many times they participated in physical activity such as

running, walking, or playing a sport. The participants also had to document when they did not

do a strenuous exercising example, golf, water aerobics, or golf; they also had to document little

yoga or fishing exercises. All three categories were measured and scored with groups of up to 50

applicants. The study found that adults without ASD did that same amount of physical exercise

and did adults with ASD; however, most agreed that they should exercise more frequently.

Comparing Asperger Syndrome Disorder and the other group, physical fitness was more

important to the other group because of pressure and expectations for being competitive.

However, with the ASD group, physical activity was not as important because there are no

expectations, especially if other people's thoughts and emotions are unnoticeable. The difference

between competing can also be due to the difficulty of showing social norm behavior. A person

with a disability being in control of their own life is vital to them, but stigmas control their right

to make their own choices. The negativity that is displayed towards someone with a disability

could explain the lower physical activity. People with ASD display more excellent intentions

than their peers, "22 points lower" (Hillier p.g.885). This shows the need to understand an

individual with ASD when comparing them to their peers' physical fitness. Along with research

regarding people with Asperger's Syndrome Disorder physical fitness, there is also regarding

employment.

There is a large scale of adults working with Asperger's Syndrome Disorder (ASD). An

individual with ASD faces drawbacks with employment and nonexistence management support.

Adults with ASD undergo tasks getting to maintain professional jobs. They are more likely not

to get jobs when they are adults or obtain employment without using their skills or experience.

Most of the difficulties that people with ASD face when looking for a job is not being able to
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multitask, trouble concentrating during employment, socializing, communicating with co-

workers, and managing sensory sensitivities. Individuals may not handle jobs with fast handlings

like a factory, emergency room, and restaurants. However, people with ASD are more high

functioning than their peers in jobs that require precision, organize information, or visual

thinking, such as graphic design. Still stereotyping the abilities of employable adults with ASD

are employed in a comprehensive array of jobs regardless of what social norms may think.

(Baldwin)

Individuals with ASD mind are creative in sales, theatre, and the military. An individual with

ASD is self-advocating for their rights to enlist in the United States Military.

"Army applicants with autism spectrum disorders are

automatically disqualified, per Defense Department

accession policy, though sometimes medical enlistment

waivers are granted after a visit to a DoD behavioral

health consultant, according to Ferguson. "All waivers are

considered on a case-by-case basis, but generally speaking, autism is not something normally

waived if the diagnosis was appropriately given," Ferguson said." (Rempfer).

Autism has many spectrums and can be a severe mental health condition attached to myths

and stigma; however, with care from a medical doctor, therapy, and education, a person with

Autism is just like everyone else. With the proper support and resources to thrive, individuals

diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome Disorder can detach themselves from the stigma and myths

concerning mental health. An individual can develop beginning with infancy, become educated,
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and obtain employment. "Everyone is a genius but, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a

tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid" (Einstein).
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Works Cited

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by Christine Watkins, Greenhaven Press, 2014. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010026237/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=66592934. Accessed 5 Nov. 2020. Originally published

in The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome, vol. 12, 2007.

Autism and ADHA. Pinterest. Comp. Albert Einstein.

https://images.app.goo.gl/nDtryYKMwg69hbwi8

Baldwin, Susanna, et al. "Employment Activities and Experiences of Adults with High-

Functioning Autism and Asperger's Disorder." Journal of Autism & Developmental

Disorders, vol. 44, no. 10, Oct. 2014, pp. 2440–2449. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10803-

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Coyle, Angela. "The Inclusion of a Pupil with Asperger Syndrome in a Mainstream Primary

School." Reach, vol. 24, no. 2, Jan. 2011, pp. 96–110. EBSCOhost,

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Hillier, Ashleigh, et al. "Physical Activity Among Adults With Autism: Participation, Attitudes,

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Hughes, Jennifer Lynn. "Higher Education and Asperger's Syndrome." The Chronicle of Higher

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army/2019/09/05/army-launches-inquiry-into-how-teen-with-autism-and-arm-disorders-

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