Aspergers Syndrome

Many people with Aspergers have one or many specific interests they devote almost all their time and energy to.  They become so involved that they can almost be a personal encyclopedia with their knowledge of this specific interest.   This can often been stressful on parents who are overwhelmed with the ongoing information flow as well as obsessive nature of their actions.

 We personally have gone through many such interests that have gotten to be overwhelming.  Rocks has been one that has never gone away with our daughter.  She wants to be a geologist.  She collects rocks.  Lots of rocks.  Infact many days she comes home with just pockets full of dirt!  We find them in her backpack.  We find them in the laundry.  Even when we try to limit her to only a few per day we still find rocks everywhere.  We are beginning to think there are no rocks left at her school because they are all at our home!  We had a small battle for about a year dealing with frogs.  Frogs came home from school and in from the backyard.  We were constantly having to track down loose frogs in the house.  We finally were able to rationalize the need to stop and leave them outside because we explained the harm that was being done to the frogs and that wasn’t her intent.

She has had many other interests that she continues to read about, watch documentaries on, and even research on the internet.  These are mostly scientific based.  Astronamy, dinosaurs, rocks and minerals, natural disasters, medacine, and antient societies are amoung her most favorites.  She loves to play outside collecting acorns, rocks, leaves and just digging around for bugs.  She also loves to string beads, make patterns with light bright pegs, sew, make scarfs with a special loom, organize trading cards, and play her gameboy and playing on the computer.  We have found all of these interests calm her and help her refocus.

A few key things to remember when dealing with special interests are:

1.  Remember this is a coping mechanism for them.  It can be a stress reliever and a way to focus.

2.  We must provide unconditional acceptance of their interest and help them to continue in a way that will be satisfactory to both of you.   If you try to totally do away with something they will just become anxious.   Just like with the rocks and frogs we had to set boundaries, but didn’t completly shut her off from the interest.  We provided solutions of how she can still participate without the problems.

3.  Be careful when using their “special interest” as a tool when disciplining them.  This again is their coping and focusing mechanism and taking this away can cause an even bigger problem then what you are trying to punish them for to begin with. 

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