The Differences between Asperger and Autism

Although the similarities between autism and Asperger are very evident, some differences can also be highlighted.

Asperger and autism are similar, but not the same. In the past, children with Asperger's Syndrome were also known as “high-functioning autistic,” to differentiate them from the others and to indicate that they can lead a relatively normal and independent life.

On the other hand, there are detractors of this union who think that classifying Asperger's Syndrome as a subtype of autism can cause those children to lose the support and specific services they need to learn and develop.

Differences between Asperger and Autism

In autism, the alterations of the development are very evident from the first three years of life. Meanwhile, Asperger's Syndrome is diagnosed when the child is older, around seven years of age, or even in adolescence.

Another notable difference is the cognitive development. While autism is accompanied by some intellectual deterioration, Asperger's Syndrome doesn’t show evidence of cognitive delay, they may even develop great intelligence.

Language area

Children with autism have an evident language delay, and their vocabulary is very poor (around 25% of children diagnosed with autism are nonverbal).

Children with Asperger's Syndrome have a vocabulary appropriate to their age and can even become very “cultured.”

Children with autism usually present movements such as fluttering of the hands or swinging, but these movements are unusual in children with Asperger's Syndrome.

In both, autism and in Asperger's Syndrome, there’s an insufficient and obsessive area of ​​interest. Children with Asperger Syndrome show high-level interests that can lead them to excel in certain fields of science, such as mathematics or physics.

One of the great differences between both disorders is an area of limited and obsessive interest.

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DSM-5: A Manual of Mental Disorders

This is a book that explains each of the developmental disorders children and adults suffer, and the criteria of each.

Mental health is one of the most complex and still misunderstood fields of medicine. Illnesses that affect our psyche are relatively invisible, as most of the time they don’t have any physical symptoms and there’s still a general lack of knowledge surrounding them. What constitutes a mental disorder? Which is the right way to diagnose it? And what’s the correct treatment for it? Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals have been trying to answer these and many other questions for decades. The DSM-5 is an attempt to answer them.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the main guide to diagnosis for mental health professionals. The American Psychiatric Association released it for the first time in 1952, and it’s been updated and revised several times ever since. The current version, DSM-5, was published in 2013. It contains detailed information regarding the criteria required for mental affections diagnosis and reviews of each disorder.

13 years passed until the manual was finally updated from its former version, DSM-4. Many things have changed over the course of the years, including our understanding of mental health and disorders. This manual is divided into three sections: one section explaining how it works and how it must be applied, the second section for diagnosis' criteria and codes, and the third section for emerging measures and models (concepts that need to be revised and investigated further).

Changes regarding autism

One of the most significant and controversial changes in the last manual are encapsulated in the definition of autism. Autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and Asperger’s syndrome were fused into a new term called autism spectrum disorder. The DSM-5 work group did this with the purpose of reducing diagnosis rates by 10%, making them more precise. In this sense, an individual is considered autistic only when the characteristic social communication deficits are accompanied by excessively repetitive behaviors, restricted interests, and insistence on sameness.

Although deficits in social communication are often diagnosed as a symptom of autism, other probable diagnoses must also be taken into consideration, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, social anxiety disorder, and intellectual developmental disorder.

Even though nowadays many psychologists and psychiatrists are worried and remain skeptic about DSM-5's effectiveness in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, it’s a very detailed and complete guide to start understanding the world of mental health. It’s a step closer in the road to understand our autistic children and learn how to help them so they can be both happy and safe.

As parents and caretakers, we must stay as updated as we can with new definitions and changes on criteria. Children will always need someone to explain their condition to them, and we need to communicate with them as clearly as we can. Mental health providers will help on this journey, but we should always seize every valuable resource or piece of information.

This book has suffered many changes over time. Most of them due to the improvement of technologies and diagnosis.

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Mathematics and Special Needs Children

Teaching the basics to your kids can be hard at first, but special needs children catch on quick. 

There are necessary signatures taught in the pre-kindergarten that are the pillars for the growth of children. From interactive games to assisted learning, the spectrum these tools cover is determinant for the kids' development in their future. Ensuring quality learning environments is essential for the preparation of children as they reach elementary school.

As they reach school, the difficulty and demands increase with the addition of new subjects like science, reading, spelling activities and social studies. The pressure increases progressively as the children reach higher grades than before. Mathematics are present from the very first class for children.

Math comes off as an easy task for autistic children as they focus on their spatial skills. When facing a math problem, certain patterns of their brains activate, specifically in the region used for face processing. Their way of processing those challenges is more sophisticated than their peers.

In their process of solving mathematical problems, most of them just use the conventional procedures for solving the problems, but some children use a strategy known as decomposition, a complicated process to solve math problems by breaking the problem into a set of easier arithmetic questions.

There’s also a misconception related to the IQs of special needs children, mostly because they show average results in the test, and these results are not compared to their capabilities. The mistake of those results is because children with autism have a different way of using their brain, and most of the requirements of an IQ test are based on verbal comprehension and reasoning.

Children with autism might lack certain skills non-autistic children have, but this doesn’t mean they don’t excel in other areas. They are accomplished by developing and improving their behavior with the effort and support from their parents. Autism Soccer is aware of the capabilities special needs children have; their goal is to make them grow while teaching them fundamental soccer skills. Contact them to get assisted by this team of experts.

Mathematics develop rationality and logic reasoning in children.

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Autism and Semantics: People-first Language

Children with autism need help from professors, therapists and parents to change the world to a people-first language.

Language is the most powerful way to reach others and communicate. Communication demands that verbal and nonverbal expressions are in equilibrium to ensure the successful delivery of the message to those who are listening. People-first language has been a matter of debate on the subject of autism. “individual with ASD,” “person with autism,” “person who has autism” are examples of people-first, but why is it used? And what does autistic self-advocates think of it? Let’s start by explaining what it means to use this language in general.

People-first language is, in essence, a way to emphasize the value of the person beyond the condition itself. It means that the individual is more important than any condition that could have. This language respectfully puts the person before the disability in a way people can relate to them without the disabilities getting all the attention.

But as it is widely used, it is also criticized by several autistic self-advocates and members of the autism community, who prefer using “autistic,” “autistic individual” or “autistic person,” as a form of acceptance of the condition as a necessary part of autistics’ identity. The stigma behind these terms is that it feels insulting to parents when people use these terminologies to refer to their children.

All terminologies stated above are widely used in most autistic communities in an attempt to identify children and individuals in society. The debate resides in how people perceive autism: with people-first language focusing on the person-not-the-disability vs. those who claim it’s offensive to deny the condition itself.

It’s understandable to feel the need to protect your children from harm, but you need to keep in mind that your kids' condition is something that they should relate and identify with and not a title to be looked down upon by others. The moment you deny what they are in essence, your children could feel just as bad as you do.

Which choice is better then? It depends on the context: if you’re in a community of autistic self-advocates, people-first might be inappropriate. Nonetheless, if you’re in a group of parents or communities of people without autism, consider using people-first language.

Hopefully, there’ll be a way to find a point in between these two, for the sake of both sides. From understanding comes closeness, further turning into more support for the cause. Search a way to communicate properly, and if your intentions are pure, your message will reach those who need it.

This a oreferred terminology and an initiative present in most of the institutions that work with people with autism.

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Quiet Hour: A Great Initiative

For people with autism, noises can cause a great deal of distress.

There have been many initiatives on the rise over the last years. While the majority of them were just awareness campaigns (social media and educational campaigns), there’s also been an increase of call-to-action movements. This year’s awareness month, for example, was filled with not only online but local events, activities, and many other things to raise understanding. But the end of awareness month doesn’t mean the labor has ended. The National Autistic Society decided to make a Quiet Hour Initiative to help those with autism to enjoy the outdoors without complications.

Starting October 2nd, the UK will have its first nationwide quiet hour. This time would consist of turning down the music and all those overwhelming noises that autistic people hate and that make them feel discouraged to be around shops and shopping centers. Also, these stores have been asked to dim their lights, as it causes them distress as well.

Most stores and shops will be providing information about autism to help spread the awareness message among the citizens. Also, the Too Much Information campaign, which will provide much more knowledge about autism, will be shared in that period.

This initiative kicks off on October 2nd and will last about a week or more. All shops and centers will be able to choose an hour each day to support the cause. The goal of the National Autistic Society is to create the first massive participation for autistic people to enjoy a nice time with their families. Perhaps it may seem like a little time, but it’s a good start to promote other initiatives like these in the UK.

Check your schedule and start making plans for October, you’ll have the chance to take your children for a marvelous outdoor experience! Don’t be afraid. You’ll discover that there will be places for them to enjoy their day! In the meantime, why not put them to play some sports? Autism Soccer is open for your children to train and learn the basics of football. On the other hand, if you wish to support this initiative, you could always leave a donation on their website!

Institutions and locals around the world are creating a trigger-free day for people within the autism spectrum.

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The Autism Soccer Experience: Oscar Amuz Talks

"They are born with a purpose and they're the ones that should be in charge of the world. They're geniuses". - Oscar Amuz

The work done by communities for the awareness has proven to be a tool in the support for children with autism. All the initiatives made it cause an impact on the people who didn't understand this disorder and are now supporters of the cause.

Oscar Amuz, the mind behind the organization of Autism Soccer is aware of the need for initiatives and support for children with this disorder. This blog post will be mostly about his opinions about autism in the society and the needs kids have in early stages of growth.

When asked about the amount of time he spends working he says “I work non-stop, almost 20 hours a day”. There's another important point of its work, as a non-profit organization, he doesn't earn a cent of it. “This is not about the money; it's about the feeling of being helpful to the kids who need it,” he says. “I hate asking for money, I accept people's donations, but I'm no beggar.” Mr. Oscar is a firm believer of the fact that special needs children were sent to this world to make it better. “Autism is not an issue nor a problem; it's a gift from God to save the planet.”

The world is becoming hard to live in, and things seem to be going out of control. Oscar Amuz thinks that if people helped each other more, the world would be different. “How nice would it be that just half the world's population helped those in need, you could help almost every single person living in it.”

His opinion about himself: “I always tell people that I'm nobody, I consider myself a little ant, but I have the heart of Goliath,” is only an example of how great his intentions are for children who are in need. Kids he considers to be the protectors of the earth.

Autism Soccer has been working hard for almost five years now and is continuously growing. This organization is the living proof that children can develop skills through soccer and become the future of society. If you're willing to help, access their website and donate. Every cent counts.

"How great would it be that half of the people in the world helped just one person in need?" for Oscar Amuz children with autism are the key for this change.

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5 Books Your Children Should Be Reading

In the process of growing up, children need to get the proper help in order to improve their imagination and further development of skills.

The development of children is something very delicate, and three important things should be present to assure their proper growth. No matter the condition or place they’re born in, these important aspects should be: the love parents give to them, teaching the proper values and manners for them to grow as responsible adults and help them develop imagination, as it is even more important than knowledge itself.

Both special needs children or not can get a lot of benefits from imagination, as it creates a door to knowledge and intellectual development in their brains. Reading in early stages of growth is highly beneficial for kids: you can check the benefits by reading here.

As the title says, here are the five books your children should be reading now, they will love reading them and will also improve their imagination:

The Harry Potter Series, by J. K Rowling

Not mentioning this series of books would be a mistake. Joanne “Jo” Rowling managed to create a magical world of wonders around a little boy who discovers he is a wizard. There’s no doubt these books will be excellent for your children. Keep in mind that the first books are for kids between 6-9 years.

The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This book, first published in 1943, is a beautiful short novel and a classic among readers from all ages. The Little Prince is a tale about a young prince who lives in a tiny asteroid, who decides to leave in search for answers. This book is so unique that both you and your children can learn from reading this book.

A Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne

The title itself says it all. Most of Jules Verne’s books have been adapted to movies, and there’s a reason for that: he created such fictional and yet successful stories, making him so popular among young readers. This book has been adapted for children, and there are many illustrative versions of it for kids who are just starting to read.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

Commonly known as Alice in Wonderland, this is also another timeless classic book. The story is about a girl named Alice, a girl who falls through a rabbit hole to end up in a fantasy world. This book stimulates children positively, immersing them in this beautiful fantasy book.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

There’s a reason for this book to be on almost every list that adults read as being children: the story of a kid who lives in poverty that manages to win a ticket to visit the wondrous Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. This book is both a lesson in humility and love with a unique story for children to fantasize with, so it's a must.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, imagination is “the act of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.” With the help of books, this can be easily achieved, and you just have to choose the one that fits your children the most. With cognitive growth, there should also be physical development to compensate and stimulate that first process. Autism Soccer offers the best alternative for growth in special needs children, so get in touch with them to start playing in the best environment for them.

Reading also creates a positive habit for children, creating interest and a positive opening towards books.

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Applications to Help Children in the Disorder

These apps are made just for children and most of them are oriented in helping them improve their cognitive and communicational skills.

The Internet has made almost everything easier for everyone, and there’s no way to deny it. The benefits internet offers to users are very diverse, and even though most of them use it for leisure and distraction, others use it as a way to stay updated and informed about what’s going on.

The topic of internet and children has been discussed many times, being criticized as children expose themselves to a world filled with inappropriate information for them. There are cases where the internet jeopardizes children. But in the end, if you monitor and control its use, your kids are going to get a useful tool for their development.

The following list will show some applications ideal for children on the autism disorder:

• E-Mintza: This is a fully customizable application designed for developing communication skills using your pictures. It’s bilingual as well, allowing them to develop language growth further.
• Pictello: An easy, interactive way to create stories with visual and sound effects in every page. Perfect to teach social skills, this application creates books for children with special needs and adapts to them quickly.
• Learn With Rufus: The perfect app to teach your kids about facial expressions that are associated with certain emotions, and how to identify and differentiate each one. Children with autism have a hard time to decipher other’s emotions, but with its child-friendly interface, Learn with Rufus becomes an easy way to learn while playing.
• Pop Math: This app features necessary addition activities, and it’s adapted to children, so they enjoy the process. Kids need to pop the pairs of bubbles to keep advancing in the many different levels.

The improvement of technologies allows us to have a wide variety of choices when it comes down to helping children in their development. Check for the application that adapts to your kids, depending on which skills they lack. Do not forget about the real world as well, let your children experience being outdoors: put them to play sports if you can, the best choice would be with Autism Soccer as they are better prepared to take care of your children. Contact them to let your children begin this soccer experience.

Children on the disorder have different types of developmental problems, look for what your children lacks and search for a proper app that adaps to them.

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