Curing Asperger's Syndrome.

[Dakarne]

Should it be done?

I personally think that it depends on the severity of the Asperger's Syndrome and in which way it affects the person.

Of course, I just don't want my Neural Pathways altered.

[Firefox]

If a treatment or cure is developed, I don't see a problem making it easily available to those who need it.

[Surlethe]

Should it be done?

I personally think that it depends on the severity of the Asperger's Syndrome and in which way it affects the person.

Of course, I just don't want my Neural Pathways altered.

Yes. Asperger's Syndrome is not only harmful to the prospects of those who suffer from it, but also to those around the victim.

[Aaron]

What exactly is Aspergers Syndrome?

[SirNitram]

What exactly is Aspergers Syndrome?

The simple version I heard when I was informed I have it is a super-lite Autism.

[Dakarne]

Yes. Asperger's Syndrome is not only harmful to the prospects of those who suffer from it, but also to those around the victim.

I think it should be up to the person, like I've stated many, many, many times in many, many, many different places.

I wouldn't personally let them cure me. Asperger's CAN be harmful, but its effects vary from person to person.

I think I'm actually better off with it, than without it.

[Aaron]

The simple version I heard when I was informed I have it is a super-lite Autism.

So elents of the higher functioning without the social retardation aspect then?

[Aaron]

Dammnit! That should say: So elements of the higher functioning without the social retardation aspect then?

[Surlethe]

Yes. Asperger's Syndrome is not only harmful to the prospects of those who suffer from it, but also to those around the victim.

I think it should be up to the person, like I've stated many, many, many times in many, many, many different places.

I wouldn't personally let them cure me. Asperger's CAN be harmful, but its effects vary from person to person.

I think I'm actually better off with it, than without it.

Yes, of course implementation should be up to the person, if he is 18 or older; however, if a person is a minor, then I think parents should be inclined, and so advised, to treat the disease.

This is, of course, presuming no major side effects from the treatment.

[Dakarne]

Yes, of course implementation should be up to the person, if he is 18 or older; however, if a person is a minor, then I think parents should be inclined, and so advised, to treat the disease.

So I'd have little choice then? I'm only 17 years old (albeit more mature than your average 17 yr old.)

You seem to forget that people with Asperger's Syndrome can make sometimes more mature decisions than they're supposed to be able to...

I think that the choice should be given at ages of around 10-12 years old.

This is, of course, presuming no major side effects from the treatment.

That is the main reason why I don't want Asperger's to be cured...

It would affect the person's personality, Asperger's people think differently, their thought processes are completely different.

It affects everything in your mind, including personality, which, along with life experiences, is the one and only thing that makes you unique.

Read into that what you will... I await more feedback.

[LadyTevar]

Dammnit! That should say: So elements of the higher functioning without the social retardation aspect then?

Would you suspect that Nitram was retarded in any way, seeing him on this board?

Asperger children are often highly intelligent, but socially withdrawn. In person, Nit wouldn't say a word to you unless forced for the first meeting. In crowds, he prefers to retreat. In groups over 10, he starts getting headaches from too many people.
Which is why he hates my family reunions I think it's because there's too many visual/social cues for him to keep track of in large groups/crowds. He simply states "it's just Too Many People."

There are other things that could be considered 'retardation'. Nitram's fine motor control is poor. This affects his writing especially. I don't know if his memory problems are part of the Aspergers or from his encephalitis as a child, but his short-term memory is short-circuited, leading him to forget things like 'did I pay that bill' or 'where did I put (that) down?'.

[Broomstick]

Can't help but think of something Temple Grandin said once - wish I had the direct quote, but I don't so I'll have to paraphrase as best I can. Dr. Grandin (who has a PhD, among other achievements) has not Asperger's but genuine autism.

What doctor Grandin said, basically, was that even if it was possible to be cured of autism, she wouldn't want to be because autism was part of who and what she was, and if she wasn't autistic, she'd be someone else.

It's rather like people who are Deaf (that is, both deaf in the sense of not hearing and also part of the "deaf" culture) refusing cochlear implants that could allow them to hear - they've accomodated to who and what they are, and to change them that drastically, even with their "best interests" in mind, is too much a change for them to contemplate without fear, dread, or other strongly negative emotions.

[Lord of the Abyss]

I wouldn't want to be "cured", side effects or not. I am what I am, and I don't want someone else reaching inside my head and altering me. And, yes I have Asperger's - in fact, LadyTevar's description of SirNitram sounds like a slightly more extreme version of my problems.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

I've had horrific memory problems as well manifest recently, so that would imply Asperger's is at fault.

Personally, I think it's a bit over-diagnosed, but then again, it's hard to tell over the internet. I myself am perfectly fluent through a text medium; catch me off-guard in person and it's plain as day I have some dysfunction.


For those not in the know: Asperger's is an autism-spectrum disorder and is generally classified as a type of "high-functioning autism," that is, exhibits a lot of the problems typical in true autism but not severe or numerous enough to render the person completely helpless in social or emotional situations.

Every case is supposedly different, but typically symptoms include:

• Severe introversion, to the point where dealing with small groups of people for even short periods of time is physically demanding.
• Very poor motor control and development. For example, I could not catch a thrown object if my life depended on it. Little League baseball was a blast when I was 8, let me tell you.
• Poor spatial awareness and balance. I wobble around when I walk quite a bit and hit things accidentally on a daily basis.
• Slow rate of maturity and general development. It's not uncommon for Asperger's kids to "live in their mom's basement," (as the stereotype goes...) well into their 20s.
• Difficulty or outright inability to cope with abstractions and 'artsy' things... including language. Just to help get this point across, I'm squinting in concentration right now as I type this trying to find the adequate words to convey what I mean. Even describing this deficiency is mentally taxing, and I'm still not sure if I've made it clear.
  
  Poetry and art in particular are difficult things to understand, let alone appreciate. I still despise poetry in all forms and it's only recently that I've begun to understand the attraction in a scenic overlook.
• Intense obsession with particular things, to the point where it is more important to the individual than basic life necessities. Computers have been a common one in the past decade, but it can be anything, and in my case it seems to change around every few years.
• Roundabout or irrational thought process. This one's pretty vague, and it's difficult for me to describe for several reasons. I won't even try.
• Plenty more, which I forget. See memory issue above.

As you may have gathered, many of these these can be overcome or understood with time, or worked around with sheer IQ.

[SirNitram]

Would I cure Aspergers.

Hrm. Tough call.

As this has brought out, I am one of those with Aspergers. Probably pretty heavy to be still Aspergers and not outright Autistic. But I'm functional for the most part.

Unlike the example of Broomstick, I don't identify myself by part of it. I don't identify myself with the memory problems, the social introversion, the obsessions, the dysgraphia. It's one of those things I decided back when I was diagnosed.

Despite being, oh, elementary school age and being the kid everyone picked on, I was arrogant enough to decide I wasn't going to make excuses. It took alot to convince me to go to a school for those with Learning Disabilities when I hit Highschool and found I just couldn't hack it anymore.

Let's not discuss college. Memory + obsession problems....

So. Let's take our miracle cure. One wave of your magic stem cells and I get my braincells back. I'm wired properly. My analyticals will likely take a hit but I'll be able to operate better.

I honestly don't know. I'm still arrogant enough to beleive I might be able to function fully on my own.

[genkkov]

"What exactly is Asperger's syndrome?"

Asperger syndrome is sometimes also known as high functioning autism. It's usually not picked up until later in life, as there's not the pervasive developmental delay associated with full blown autism, but there are definite serious problems with social interactions and relationships. Those with Asperger usually do quite well in classwork, as they tend to focus their entire minds on one or two specific subjects, but tend to not be able to keep jobs, as the social impairment makes this quite impossible.

I would definitely recommend treating this as far as is possible at this point. There's not much pharmacotherapy available, unfortuately, and recent studies have shown some older therapies to be of dubious value. Antipsychotics work ok, but have bad side effects. New atypical antipsychotics and SSRI's are in trials right now. Behavioual therapy, social support and treating any comorbidities are really the mainstay of treatment at this point, which I don't think that many people would object to.

[felineki]

No thanks. I'm fine the way I am.

[FSTargetDrone]

How should this hypothetical be different from any other disease or condition or whatever? If a condition can be corrected and you are dealing with a minor, or at least someone who cannot make an informed decision, then yes, in general I would go with a cure or treatment. Sure, there are deaf people who prefer not to have hearing aids so they can be part of "deaf culture" or whatever. Just as there are doubtless some amputees who prefer to use a wheelchair rather than prosthetics or any other situation where X condition can be cured or addressed by Y method and said individual abstains for some reason.

In my own case, I have rather extreme shortsightedness and literally cannot see clearly beyond a few inches in front of me. When I was a young child and my parents noticed I had trouble seeing clearly, they took me to get eyeglasses fitted. They didn't wait around and let me bump into walls or struggle in school, just to see if I wanted to decide yes or no to get eyeglasses when I was able to make a informed choice.

25 years later and I still wear glasses, even though I could get Lasik or even contacts. I don't want to take the risk with the Lasik and can't be bothered with contacts, so I have decided to just wear glasses. if tomorrow I could use some wonder eyedrops or some other perfect, no-risk cure to improve my vision, I'd go for it. But as it stands now I don't want to bother with it.

It shouldn't be a case where we "wait" to see if the child wants the treatment unless the child can make the decision without some careful though (if that's possible, depending on the individuals's age, etc.). Mental illness, developmental disorders or whathave you, they are all conditions that should absolutely be corrected in young children, especially if it's a health concern, but also a quality-of-life decision, taking into consideration any side-effects. And that's one parents or a guardian should make.

[Stark]

If this had come up before the end of my first postgrad semester I'd still be convinced I was fine, and that it didn't negatively affect my life in any tangible way. I've spent most of my life since high school convincing myself and everyone else there isn't 'really' anything wrong with me, and that it was just those crazy mental health professionals making work for themselves.

But there is. I'm sure everyone's different, but I can see what my life would be like without this issue, and it's pretty damn rosy. I want it gone - ten years ago.

Then again, I guess my attitude hasn't really changed: I would never put anyone else through this life, so I'm never having children.

[Dakarne]

I don't see Asperger's as an illness, because if it were an Illness it would make the person in question unable to function... there's no miracle cure, and I personally wouldn't take it if there was one.

Behavioual therapy, social support and treating any comorbidities are really the mainstay of treatment at this point, which I don't think that many people would object to.

Behavioural Therapy isn't what I want... Social Acceptance for who I am is what I want. I can adapt to living with Asperger's (albeit a lesser version) and so, I can adapt to life.

Every case is supposedly different

Every case IS different...

Severe introversion, to the point where dealing with small groups of people for even short periods of time is physically demanding.

I can handle this part, sort of, I'm improving at least... which is clear evidence that the only cure is willpower.

Very poor motor control and development. For example, I could not catch a thrown object if my life depended on it. Little League baseball was a blast when I was 8, let me tell you.

Yep... a blast it was. I can catch the odd one or two things... but I'm naturally clumsy from being built like a brick shed.

Poor spatial awareness and balance. I wobble around when I walk quite a bit and hit things accidentally on a daily basis.

This doesn't affect me to the point where I will injure myself, I guess the worst thing I've done is stub my toe... which bloody hurts.

Slow rate of maturity and general development. It's not uncommon for Asperger's kids to "live in their mom's basement," (as the stereotype goes...) well into their 20s.

Ironically... I could hold a conversation at 1 year old. It's not uncommon for some Asperger's children to develop faster.

Difficulty or outright inability to cope with abstractions and 'artsy' things... including language. Just to help get this point across, I'm squinting in concentration right now as I type this trying to find the adequate words to convey what I mean. Even describing this deficiency is mentally taxing, and I'm still not sure if I've made it clear.

This is one thing I definitely don't have, I appreciate art, and some poetry... I can't stand Shakespeare as a matter of princible though, bloody Playwright.

Poetry and art in particular are difficult things to understand, let alone appreciate. I still despise poetry in all forms and it's only recently that I've begun to understand the attraction in a scenic overlook.

I like art (depends on the painting/Sculpture/other obscure piece of artwork), if only I were actually gifted at it.

Intense obsession with particular things, to the point where it is more important to the individual than basic life necessities. Computers have been a common one in the past decade, but it can be anything, and in my case it seems to change around every few years.

Now this is one thing I DO have a problem with, but I'm overcoming Social problems, I can probably overcome this one too.

Roundabout or irrational thought process. This one's pretty vague, and it's difficult for me to describe for several reasons. I won't even try.

This one is the primary reason I don't want asperger's cured... It directly affects our personalities.

As you may have gathered, many of these these can be overcome or understood with time, or worked around with sheer IQ.

Aha! there's another one you remembered... Intelligence, people with Asperger's become very, very, very bloody intelligent. My own IQ is 148 (roundabout here, not sure prescisely) and I qualify for MENSA apparently (I just don't care about it.)

[Tiger Ace]

Reading peoples discriptions of it here makes me think I have Asperger's syndrome.

Regarding curing it...depends how early in life, the latest at teenager years, after that, its too much a part of someone, the person would be completly changed.

However, during childhood, hell yes, the kid still hasn't fully developed himself, hes not losing alot and hes gaining alot more.

[WyrdNyrd]

Reading peoples discriptions of it here makes me think I have Asperger's syndrome.

Well, don't assume anything until a qualified psycholgist/psychiatrist diagnoses you. Self analysis is utterly unreliable, and especially so with Asperger's, which is over-self-diagnosed.

Have a look at the Wikepedia article, specifically the section A gift and a curse about the prevalence of mistaken self-diagnosis.

[Dakarne]

Whereas I was diagnosed by a professional... (that makes it sound like an illness when it's more of a Neural Disorder)

[Andrew J.]

Hell no. Without Asperger's, I wouldn't have a convenient excuse to be antisocial.

[Surlethe]

Yes, of course implementation should be up to the person, if he is 18 or older; however, if a person is a minor, then I think parents should be inclined, and so advised, to treat the disease.

So I'd have little choice then? I'm only 17 years old (albeit more mature than your average 17 yr old.)

That is correct. Legally, you are not an adult. Thus, your parents make medical, financial, and other decisions for you.

You seem to forget that people with Asperger's Syndrome can make sometimes more mature decisions than they're supposed to be able to...

And, in my experience, they sometimes make decisions far more immature than their peers', just like every other human being. There is an excellent reason children under 18 don't make decisions for themselves legally: mental disorder or not, they're not mature enough to do so.

I think that the choice should be given at ages of around 10-12 years old.

I don't think so. Ten or twelve is far too young to make any medical decision, let alone a major life-altering one. While, when I was ten, I might have felt I could make a good decision, but I was too immature. The same goes for the child with Asberger's I knew when I was in middle school. Socially, he would make extremely incompetent decisions, act on his emotions, etc., to the pont of threatening to bomb the school. That level of maturity is certainly not the level required to make a major medical decision.

This is, of course, presuming no major side effects from the treatment.

That is the main reason why I don't want Asperger's to be cured...

It would affect the person's personality, Asperger's people think differently, their thought processes are completely different.

Naturally: that would be the reason to cure the syndrome. They think differently, therefore they act differently, especially in social circumstances.

It affects everything in your mind, including personality, which, along with life experiences, is the one and only thing that makes you unique.

That is the purpose of the cure. Afterward, you would still be unique, just not in the same ways.