Understanding and Living with
Aspergers
Sarah Hare
Specialist Speech and Language
Therapist BCUHB East
Timetable for today's talk
The End!
In a nutshell…..
Children/young people (YP) with
Aspergers:
• Find it difficult to tell people how they
feel and what they need
• Find it difficult to meet other people and
with friendships
• Find it difficult to understand what
people think (empathy)
Aspergers Syndrome Info
Children/young people with Aspergers
might
• Think that people always mean what
they say (difficulty understanding jokes)
• Only talk about their favourite subject
• Be very interested in some things (eg
trains/the weather/Dr Who)
• Not understand how other people feel
Aspergers vs Autism
Aspergers is similar to Autism.
Aspergers usually have
• Average IQ/no learning difficulties
• Less problems with speaking/language
Aspergers may have
• other associated difficulties eg
dyspraxia, ADHD, mental health
problems (anxiety/depression)
People with Aspergers may
have
• A love of routines - to try and make the world
less confusing they may have routines/rituals
which they insist upon
• Special interests – they may develop an
intense/obsessive interest in a hobby or
collecting
• Sensory Issues – they may have sensory
difficulties; can occur in one/all of 5 senses
(sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
Sensory Issues
• Sight – some may not like bright
colours/lights, others may like them a lot
• Sound – some may not like loud noises,
others may like certain noises
• Smell – may not like some strong smells,
others may like a certain smell
• Taste – might like to eat the same food
everyday, might like a lot of different foods
• Touch – some may not like being touched,
others like being touched, some like feeling of
weight (eg weighted blankets)
Behaviour and Aspergers
• The world can sometimes be a bewildering, isolating
and frightening place for a child/young person with
Aspergers; they may sometimes exhibit
inappropriate, difficult or challenging behaviour.
• Difficult behaviour in a child or YP with Aspergers is
rarely just that and is often caused by their difficulties
with communication and social interaction – the
‘challenging’ behaviour can be their way of coping
with a difficult/stressful situation.
• When looking at behaviour it is important to think
about what the root cause or trigger is – this may give
us an answer as to how to help change the difficult
behaviour.
Behaviour and Aspergers
cont…
Common causes of ‘challenging’ behaviour
• Communication
• Sensory Issues
• Change
• Social Situations
• Unstructured times
An ABC chart or functional analysis of the child or
young persons behaviour can help identify causes or
triggers (see NAS website)
Role of the SLT with
children/young people with
Aspergers
• Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) help people
develop their communication skills.
• A SLT can assess a child/young person with
Aspergers to determine how best to support and
develop their communication skills.
• Therapy will be focused on the child/young persons
specific communication needs related to the triad of
impairment
• The SLT may visit the child/young person at home,
nursery or school dependent on their age/specific
difficulties
Role of the SLT with
children/young people with
Aspergers cont…
Therapy may focus on
• Language skills
• Social skills
Therapy may be delivered
• By programme (via a support worker/parent)
• 1:1
• Small group
• Embedded into the curriculum/classroom
practice
Role of the SLT with
children/young people with
Aspergers cont…
The SLT may also provide
• Support/advice/consultation to
parents/carers/school staff/other
professionals – eg re: behaviour issues.
• Training/awareness raising for
parents/carers, school staff, other
professionals.
To refer to SLT in your
area…
BCUHB SLT East - Wrexham/Flintshire
Speech and Language Therapy Service
Wrexham Child Health Centre
PO Box No. 2073
Wrexham Maelor Hospital
WREXHAM
LL13 7ZA
01978 727072 or 727073
Helpline 01978 727071 staffed Mon 9-10 and
Thurs 3:30-4:30
To refer to SLT in your
area…
BCUHB Central – Conwy and
Denbighshire
Speech and Language Therapy Dept
Royal Alexander Hospital
Marine Drive
Rhyl
LL18 3AS
Tel: 01745 443178
To refer to SLT in your area
BCUHB West – Gwynedd and Y Mon
Speech and Language Therapy Dept
Bodfan
Ysbyty Eryri
Caernarfon
Gwynedd
LL55 2YE
01286 662 759
Hints and Tips for living/working
with Aspergers
• Think and teach visually - many are visual
thinkers/learners
• Use an area of interest, a fixation or a special talent to connect with the child, improve attention/listening
and academic skills
• Be aware of environmental distractions - bright
lights/loud sounds/particular textures may interfere
with learning – consider their sensory needs
• Utilize technology E.g. TV, CDs, computers – many
are visual learners. Use of computer and keyboard
may help them record their ideas/work more
successfully than handwriting
• Keep language simple, reinforce with visuals
(symbols, photos, pictures)
Hints and Tips for living/working
with Aspergers cont…
• Use physical structure/TEACCH type approach –
organise the room, minimise distractions, reduce
sensory stimuli. E.g. using barriers to section off or
task and finish boxes/baskets.
• Use clear short instructions and avoid abstract
language (many are very literal), break tasks into
clearly defined steps
• Be aware of difficulties generalising skills to different
areas/locations – will often associate a skill/behaviour
with a specific location
• Stick to a routine - they need routine to feel secure
because of their lack of understanding of the world.
Visual timetable useful; prepares children in advance
for any changes e.g. visitors/school trips
Hints and Tips for living/working
with Aspergers cont…
• Use repetition to modify behaviour, teach new skills
and improve communication - Children with ASD
learn and retain information more easily when given
that information repeatedly and in a variety of settings
• Use modelling to improve social skills - Model what
you want them to learn (i.e. appropriate ways of
greeting others) in a real life setting if possible
• Praise – praise the positive – even if it takes you all
day to find the one incidence of them demonstrating
good listening! Rewards and praise are very
motivating! Rewards need to be concrete, immediate
and tangible.
Hints and Tips for living/working
with Aspergers cont…
• Tackle one problem at a time when addressing
behaviours, use ABC or functional analysis chart (NAS
website). Rate behaviours in order of importance/severity
and work on that one until it reaches an acceptable level
• A child/young person with Aspergers lack of empathy can
be difficult to deal with from a neurotypical point of view.
Try and explain how people may feel in different situations
eg when watching TV programmes, using real life
scenarios as examples (eg brother upset, sister excited,
mum cross)
• Children/young people with Aspergers generally prefer
quiet, calm unstimulating environments, especially when
stressed/upset – opportunities for time out in a quiet area
can help with many aspects of challenging behaviour.
Support for children/young
people with Aspergers and their
families
National Autistic Society
•
•
•
•
•
excellent website – www.autism.org.uk
NAS Campaigns – You Need to Know (Mental Health), Great
Expectations (SEN/Education)
NAS Autism Services Directory - for NAS local groups and other
services that may be of use to children, young people with autism and
their parents/carers
Specific info about behaviour: www.autism.org.uk/19044
www.autism.org.uk/behaviourfaq
Autism Helpline (NAS)
Call 0808 800 4104
Lines are open 10am-4pm,
Monday to Friday (free from landlines and most mobiles)
impartial, confidential information, advice and support to people on the
autism spectrum, their families, professionals, researchers and
students.
Support for children/young
people with Aspergers and their
families continued….
•
•
•
•
•
Autism Cymru www.awares.org
CAMHS – mental health issues and diagnosis
Physiotherapy – co-ordination difficulties
Occupational Therapy – sensory issues
Association of Voluntary Organisations Wrexham
www.avow.org
• Dynamic Youth Groups www.dynamicwrexham.com
• Talk for Talk – parent support groups for Wrexham,
contact Jill McMinn 01978 317655
• North East Wales Carers and Information Service
NEWCIS (via www.carers.org – search for your local
centre – Flintshire and Denbighshire)
Support for children/young
people with Aspergers and their
families continued….
• Parent Partnership (various locations across North Wales)
www.parentpartnership.org.uk/find_your_local_pps/wales.aspx
• Daffodils
Tel: 01352 751605
A support group for disabled children and young people up to 25
years old. Cater for children's special recreational needs and
provide for their social integration through sibling involvement
and encouraging family friendships. They also run a very wide
range of social activities at venues throughout Flintshire.
• Gwynedd and Anglesey Asperger/Autism Support Group
Tel: 01248 364015
Meet monthly at The Committee Room, Ysbyty Gwynedd,
Bangor, 7-9pm. Arrange activities for the children such as
outings, parties and fun days and also have a library of books
and videos on ASD.
• Carers outreach service for North West Wales (Gwynedd,
Conwy and Anglesey www.carersoutreach.co.uk
Further reading/viewing
• Temple Grandin film
• House Rules, Jodi Picoult (2010)
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Night Time, Mark Haddon (2003)
• NAS website www.autism.org.uk
• Autism Cymru website
Any questions…….?
The End!!
Sarah Hare
BSc Hons PG Cert Aspergers Syndrome
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
(Autism)
Tel: 01978 727072
Email: sarah.hare@wales.nhs.uk