by Dannett Frey

Created on: December 17, 2008

I am not defective. I am different.

I will not sacrifice my self-worth for peer acceptance.

I am a good and interesting person.

I will take pride in myself.

I am capable of getting along with society.

I will ask for help when I need it.

I am a person who is worthy of others' respect and acceptance.

I will find a career interest that is well suited to my abilities and interests.

I will be patient with those who need time to understand me.

I am never going to give up on myself.

I will accept myself for who I am.

The above self-affirmation pledge of those with Asperger's syndrome was written by Liane Holliday Willey. She is an adult with an Asperger's diagnosis. It could be said that she has a better self-image than most adults without a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome.

Each person who is diagnosed with Asperger's is not disabled, handicapped or defective. They have a different way of thinking, and for their benefit they are included in the autism spectrum disorders. How can that be true? Each and every one of us need to see all those who have developmental disabilities in a new light. We need to see that they are differently abled than us. By having a classification in the American Psychiatric Association diagnostic criteria, persons who have a diagnosis of Asperger's can receive certain services to enhance their lives and allow them to live their lives in the most complete and full way possible.

Services that the child or adult is eligible for will assist them in the following areas.

KEY POINTS AND STRATEGIES

Stage One

*An adult trained in providing interventions can act as a friend to the child in order to train them on how a friend interacts

*Teach the child to take turns and ask for help.

*Organize a dress rehearsal with another child.

*Play pretend games with the child.

*Encourage the child to watch a video recording of children playing.

*Give encouragement to the child for being friendly.

*Write social stories to help the child understand specific social situations.

*Use 'social signals' activitiy to teach the social signs to prevent social accidents.

Stage Two

*Use role-play activities to provide practice in aspects of cooperative play.

*Provide a teacher assistant in the classroom and playground to offer guidance and feedback for the child and his or her friends.

*Encourage boys and girls to play with figures or dolls and read fiction.

*Seek shared interests with like-minded children.

*Help the child to develop a sense of humor.

*Use concentric circles to help the child to learn

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