Quote From: liatsunami I have a strange theory about these types of conditions. AS, and certain other neurological conditions that are characterized by well above average intelligence quotients and savant like abilities tend to cause abnormal brain patterns. The way I figure it works is your brain is like a giant electircal circuit and when it's hyper active in certain sectors it just overloads and causes erratic behavior. That's the best explaination I can figure.
I felt so bad for your family, it was hard to watch how much Alex seems to hate the way he behaves. It's like he feels guilt and shame for being the way he was born. I felt so bad that you and your husband suffer so much along with him. You all definately need help managing Alex's illness.
I just want you to know that you should NEVER blame yourself for his condition. You didn't wish it on him, you didn't ask for it. It just happened, and like most parents you weren't expecting it so you weren't as prepared as you wish you had been. That's okay. It isn't too late. I think you and your husband have done the best you could with the tools you had available. Other than his behavioral outburts due to his condition your son seemed like a good kid. So you should pat yourselves on the back for that.
I hope in the future your family will gain insight into Alex's condition and that you'll all find better coping strategies for yourselves and your family. Good luck in the future :)
Your theory isn't far from what a lot of the researchers are beginning to believe. Many of these disorders are accompanied with enhanced abilities in other areas of funcitoning. From what I understand since these things happen in the brain early on in development they create a differently organized brain. With this change comes enhancements to other areas of the brain.
As one researcher said about dyslexia, "With this different brain comes special abilities. If you change the brain so the person learns normally you loose the special abilities." What is needed is to find a way for people with these differences to contribute within their own abilities.
It's only a disability if we permit it to be. Many people have a lot to offer the world but they are required to do it within such a rigidly confined spectrum called "NORMAL" that they never succeed. By changing this expectation a whole new world could be opened up to them and the rest of the world.
