Children with Aspergers Syndrome - Essay Example

Aspergers Syndrome Abstract In 1944 an Austrian health professional named Hans Asperger found out a problem which was faced by children in the society. These children had problems of behavior and social interaction together. Later on it was found out many children faced from the same problem and the name Asperger’s was named after Hans Asperger. Asperger’s Syndrome belongs to the autism spectrum disorders in which the children face difficulties when interacting with other individuals and have deficient learning capabilities. The diagnosis of Asperger’s is quite difficult these days as even the normal children can face some difficulties when adjusting with environments. However its diagnostic criteria lies in the primary factors of discrete or impaired social interactions, different activities from normal children, delayed cognitive abilities and lack of interest in the daily life routine. Asperger’s Syndrome is a genetic disorder which cannot be cured completely but it can be treated so as to improve the abilities of the child. Schools can prove to be of great importance when it comes to treating these children and this essay would particularly emphasize on the school setting for these children. Teachers are the primary caregivers in school and thus they are specifically mentioned in this essay (Ehlers et al 2006;). Introduction Autism is a congenital disorder which is caused because of neuronal impairment. It leads to lack of social interaction and communication in the individuals who suffer from it. The signs of autism can include repetitive behavior in children, lack of communication, lack of understanding and lack of self esteem or confidence. These signs can be seen in a child when he is nearly 3 years old and it can be easily diagnosed by the parents. Autism can be further classified into Aspergers Syndrome and high functioning autism. Individuals who suffer from autism cannot survive without a caregiver in the society and face difficulties when entering a relationship. All these above mentioned factors clearly show that autism is a disorder which needs to be cured to have a better society. For this purpose several cures have been proposed which involve early intervention programs for the children. The question now arises as to if Asperger’s syndrome can be cured somehow through school intervention or not. This question would be addressed in this essay. (Wray et al 2005 & Dorothea 2009). Aspergers Syndrome Overview Aspergers Syndrome is a disorder which is widely prevalent throughout the world. It is seen that the number of cases of Aspergers have increased lately. In the United States it is seen that the prevalence rate of Aspergers Syndrome in the year 2007 was nearly 30000. This increased rate of the prevalence of Aspergers Syndrome is considered to be because of its diagnosis in the recent years. Previously the disease could not be diagnosed and thus it could not be established as to what an individual was suffering from. Following graph shows the cumulative growth in the cases of Aspergers Syndrome in United States of America (Fighting Autism) Children suffering from Aspergers Syndrome need to have a clear view about whatever they are doing as these children are unaware about all the social aspects of the society. Thus to cure these children and to make the capable of knowing these norms of society one has to provide them with the proper guidance. This guidance includes the programs which should either be promoted by the parents or organizations such as schools. Pre school programs and other diverse programs have clearly shown to be very helpful when curing children with Aspergers. These programs include behavioral interventions which make the children use all their capabilities so that they can get normal like the other children in the society. These children are asked to use their visual skills because of which they are instructed by their parents or staff members of the organization. However this is not the only program which can help the child to become better but there are other programs also which help the child to cope up with the society. These include discrete trial teaching, music therapy, occupational therapy, dietary intervention and vision therapy. All these behavioral interventions can help the children to learn and adjust to the social functioning aspect of the brain. It can be seen that many organizations all over the world are promoting these programs so that the individuals suffering from Aspergers Syndrome can be cured (Wray et al 2005; Prior 2003). Effect of School on the Aspergers children Aspergers Syndrome is a disorder because of which the social cognitive abilities of the children do not develop properly but the disorder is not lethal enough to cause death in these children or individuals. In order to help these children cope up with the increased pressure in life school systems can prove to be really helpful in curing them. It has been reported that kids with Asperger’s Syndrome are more prone to being bullied in the schools than their counterparts. The reason for this can be attributed to the fact that their cognitive abilities are less to converse or sort out the bullies (Donvan et al 2007). Early Intervention for Aspergers Early intervention is said to be of great use when it comes to curing these individuals. This early intervention can be provided by the parents of the children or by the school authorities. As it is quoted in a government paper ‘Together from the start’ “Effective early intervention and support can produce improvements in children’s health, social and cognitive development and help tackle some of the many social and physical barriers families of disabled children face to full participation in society.” Moreover it is also said that intervention for autistic children is necessary so that children do not develop further behavioral problems. And similarly at another instance the National Autistic Society states “Early intervention for children, as soon as possible after a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder, is considered essential and the involvement of parents has been shown to have a positive influence on outcomes. Although early intervention cannot cure autism, it can minimise the build up of secondary behavioural problems. Early intervention bridges the gap between diagnosis and school placement.” (Dorothea 2009). Intervention by School authorities School authorities or teachers can make several accommodations to make the classroom a better environment for these children. The teachers who are dealing with these special children should make the environment or routine of the class as easy as they can so that the students can easily manage themselves. Children suffering from Asperger’s are known to concentrate on their specific areas of interest and this can be promoted by the teachers. The teachers can take into view these special interests of the students and then reward them accordingly for doing well in these areas. This would help in building up the interest of the children in all related areas of education. These individuals face difficulties when understanding and implementing certain things. To help improve their understanding the teachers can make the subject simple and easy to understand. These children lack the aspect of incidental learning because of which they need to be taught directly without any remarks of humor in between the lectures. The teachers should be using a clear and direct language so that these children do not get diverted during the lectures. Instructions should be repeated in the class as these students do not tend to understand the instructions at the very first instance. Visuals and presentations have a positive effect on the children suffering from Aspergers. Hence these visuals can be used in school so that the children can learn easily and process these visual events according to their nature of study. Bullying as mentioned above is a factor which lowers the morale of children with Aspergers. Hence the teachers ensure that these students are not bullied within the school (National Conference 1996; Bauer 1996; Donvan et al 2007). The teachers have to play an affectionate role towards the students suffering from Aspergers so that they do not get de-motivated. Any sign of anxiety should be noticed by these teachers as it may be because of the hindrances faced by the student in the school. Interpretation of the actions and behaviors of these children is important as it may reflect as to what the child really wants. The teachers should always be encouraging the students to take part in social activities which would help the students to build up a social cognitive base. School can act as a primary factor to elevate the children’s morale in accordance to the disorder they are facing (Prior 2003). Conclusion Schools play a very important role in forming up the personality of one individual. If one does not get proper schooling then it is possible that he will face problems in his future. Same is the case for children who are suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. These children have to be dealt with specific techniques in schools so that they can cope up with the growing tension in their lives. It is important that their needs are met by the teacher and the above written techniques followed to help these children to cope up with life (Prior 2003; Bauer 1996) References Top of Form Bauer, 1996, S. (1996). Asperger Syndrome. Retrieved November 14 2010, from Aspergers Syndrome (Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support) Web site: Benaron, Lisa Dorothea. Autism. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2009. Ehlers, S., Gillberg, C., & National Autistic Society. (2006).Asperger syndrome: An overview. London: National Autistic Society. Fighting Autism Accessed on 17th November 2010 Kids With Asperger's Syndrome: 'Bullied on a Daily Basis'. John Donvan, Caren Zucker and Eric Johnson. 2007. ABC News. Bottom of ForTop of ForBottom of FormTop of FormNational conference; 2nd. Australian Early Intervention Association. 1996. Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Prior, M. R. (2003). Learning and behavior problems in Asperger syndrome. New York: Guilford Press. Bottom of Form Wray J, N Silove, and H Knott. "7. Language Disorders and Autism." The Medical Journal of Australia. 182. 7 (2005): 354-60. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More