Parenting Autism & Aspergers Newsletter June Edition
This is Dave Angel and Welcome to the twentieth edition of “The Parenting Autism & Aspergers Newsletter”…
Inside this edition you will find:
1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Gamers Show Asperger’s Traits
2. In the News – John Schneider Promotes Asperger’s Syndrome Awareness
3. Parenting Tips – Use an Exercise Ball!
4. Prominent People Linked with ASD – Carl Sagan, Astronomer
Thanks
Dave
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1. Hot Topic of Discussion – Gamers Show Asperger’s Traits
In an article written by Gary Bland, he states that people who spend hours and hours playing video games exhibit many of the same personality traits as people with Asperger’s syndrome, according to researchers. The UK research creates concerns that video games could further alienate players from peers and increase mental health problems like depression.
In a research study, Dr. John Charlton, of the University of Bolton, studied 400 gamers, asking how much time they spent playing video games. These were not people with diagnosed Asperger’s Syndrome. But, he found that the more time a person spent playing video games, the more likely the person was to show three specific traits: neuroticism, a lack of extroversion, and a lack of agreeableness. He states that people with Asperger’s may be more likely to become addicted to playing video games, although playing them does not cause Asperger’s.
He feels that since those with Asperger’s find social interactions stressful, they may turn to video games to fill time not used in spending time with peers. Unfortunately, video games do not encourage social skill development or the reduction of repetitive behaviours, which is not good for Aspies.
To read the full article please got to: http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/04/23/2225382.htm
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2. In the News – John Schneider Promotes Asperger’s Syndrome Awareness
In this article by John Morgan, Spotlight Health, with medical adviser Stephen A. Shoop, M.D., they discuss the fact that John Schneider, who plays the father of teenager Clark Kent on Smallville, is in real life, dad to an 11-year-old son, who has incredible abilities. “My son has Asperger’s Syndrome, which is part of the autism spectrum,” says Schneider, best known for starring on the Dukes of Hazzard. “It’s likely Albert Einstein had Asperger’s, and so did Thomas Jefferson. Bill Gates I’m certain has it. With many highly motivated successful people that have done something in an obscure area, you’re going to find an ‘odd bird’ now and then.” “Ask Chasen just about anything about baseball, and he can rattle off names, dates, statistics, you name it,” Schneider explains. “He just consumes everything he can about baseball. It’s his thing.”
To read the article go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlighthealth/2003-04-15-schneider_x.htm
John Schneider’s statements above are solely his and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher of this newsletter. People mentioned above as having Asperger’s may or may not have actually been diagnosed with it.
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3. Parenting Tips – Use an Exercise Ball!
On May 25, 2008, Lorrie posted this tip on our website.
“My son has been diagnosed within the autism spectrum disorder,he is 10 and loves being on the computer, but finds it hard to just sit on a chair and sit still. He will twirl the chair on one leg, rock back and forth, and whatever else he can find to do with it. We have gone through a couple of chairs. I came up with the solution to two problems. My son is also on medication that has made him gain some weight which he is struggling with. I was looking to buy an exercise ball for myself at my computer, because I had read that by doing that you will strengthen your inner core muscles. So I thought it would be great for me, but then before I even got to use it I thought what a great idea for a chair for my son. And it has worked out wonderful{ly}. He can roll back and forth in the living room, the chair can move all the time and not break anything and he is also getting some great exercise and has lost a couple pounds just having the ball for a month. I don’t know why I never thought of this before but I sure wish I would have. So anyway, that’s what’s worked for me to get rid of some of that excess energy that my son has.”
Thanks for a great tip Lorrie.
Please post any tips that you have and I will publish them.
http://parentingaspergers.com/blog/parenting-tips-wanted/
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4. Prominent People Linked with ASD – Carl Sagan, Astronomer
Carl Sagan, astromomer, (1934-1996), was rumored to have had Asperger’s Syndrome. Carl,an American of Jewish heritage, was an astro-biologist, as well as an astromomer. He made science popular with the mainstream and advocated a humanist/scientific philosophy of life. His most famous phrase was, “Billions and billions of stars.” He won a number of awards including an Emmy and a Pulitzer Prize. Carl was married three times and hosted a well-liked science documentary, Cosmos, on television.
There’s a fascinating book by Norm Ledgin called “Asperger’s and Self Esteem: Insight and Hope Through Famous Role Models”. Ledgin discusses 12 historical figures and celebrities and traits they had that are now identified with Asperger’s Syndrome. People profiled include Orson Welles, Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
It’s important to remember that the people mentioned in this newsletter, as well as those in the book, may or may not have had Asperger’s Syndrome. Ledgin states that “because these figures are all dead, we can never know whether all would have met the classic definition of Asperger Syndrome.” The most important message of the book is that these people exhibited behaviors different from the mainstream, but succeeded in
life in spite of the challenges they faced.
To read the news article on Carl Sagan go to:
http://incorrectpleasures.blogspot.com/2006/09/referenced-list-of-famous-or-important.html
and http://www.aspergeratlanta.com/dan16.htm
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I hope the articles in this edition have given you much to think about.
The next edition of the newsletter should be due in mid-July.
And as ever … please send in any inspirational stories that you know of, any questions that you would like our team of experts to answer, any topics that you wish to be discussed and news stories that you want to share VIA THE BLOG.
We will publish as many as we can.
Until next month………
Best Wishes
Dave Angel