Aspergers Syndrome

Social stories are available from various authors and can be researched through any bookstore or online.   Creating your own social stories will save you money, and allow you to address specific situations unique to your child.

Social stories should be written from the perspective of the child and be in first person.   Use vocabulary and wording for their level.  It should resemble the form and level of books they currently read or have read to them.   It should address motivation for specific behavior and why other behaviors are not appropriate.  Identify a specific problems (crying, fighting, tantrums, screaming, not sharing, etc.)  Also identify what may be causing these specific actions and what steps can be taken by them as well as those around them to fix the situation.  You now have the base for your story.

When writing be descriptive and provide as much detail about the situation as possible.  Try to give the prespective of others who may be involved so they can better understand how others see and react to their actions.  Make sure it includes the setting, problem, others reactions, and a solution.  Using pictures and illistrations can help also. 

Depending on the skill to be learned books should be reviewed often.  Daily if necessary until you see results.  Always praise even simple results. 

 We tried the “Help Me Be Good” series by Joy Wilt Berry.  We had purchased these while our daughter was a toddler and before she was diagnosed with Aspergers.  They became a very good tool once we realized her social skills problems.  Today at age eleven she still reads these books.  Each book has a specific topic such as teasing, fighting, lying, stealing, etc.  Each follows these same steps for explaining the situation, giving the perspective of others, and solutions.  Another popular author of social skills books and videos is Carol Gray with the Gray Center. 

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