This morning celebrity news sites are talking about a lot of things, one of them is the “admission” that Abz Love (known for being in UK 90s boyband 5ive) has Asperger’s Syndrome.
We’ve not used his photo along with an autism awareness logo, or even a solo image of the autism awareness logo because if he wants to become a poster boy for autism awareness then that is his choice, not ours.
We do, however, want to congratulate him for discussing it. Because it’s big, and it was inspiring to hear Abz talk about how he was comfortable with himself. So, thank you Abz.
We’d also like to talk about the way it’s been reported and give you a quick introduction to Asperger’s Syndrome (If you feel like anything needs to be added leave us a comment :))
We get that hooks are used to draw people into reading about Celebrity Big Brother but the headline is about as far as the information goes. Furthermore, while this “shock admission of suffering” is news, we can’t find any articles that have empowered Abz or expanded on how he feels about having Asperger’s Syndrome.
To add to that we can’t find any articles that have even begun to explain what Asperger’s Syndrome is or where people who have Asperger’s Syndrome might go to find support and information (if they feel that they need it). (sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
So here is a quick intro to Asperger’s Syndrome:
What is Asperger’s syndrome?
- Asperger’s Syndrome is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder that is part of the autistic spectrum and it is a life-long condition.
- People with Asperger’s Syndrome are usually of average or above average intelligence.
- Previously scientists believed that it affected males more than females but this opinion appears to be changing.
- Asperger’s Syndrome is characterised by difficulties with social interaction, social communication and flexibility of thinking or imagination.
- An individual with Asperger’s Syndrome may also have sensory, motor and organisational difficulties.
Here at 9 Tea Cups we see Asperger’s Syndrome as a different way of processing information and approaching the world. It only affects a small part of the brain and, similar to conditions like dyslexia or prosopagnosia, it doesn’t affect personality.
It is important to remember, however, that having Asperger’s syndrome will cause difficulties in social interaction, communication and the ability to mind read or see things from someone else’s perspective.
Resources for adults with asperger’s syndrome
1. autism.org.uk’s list of resources for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome
This is a great list of books and dvds compiled by autism.org, covering topics like general information, social skills, mental health, personal accounts, employment and relationships,
They also have a local services search guide.
2. Wrong Planet
A great web community for individuals (and parents / professionals of those) with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences. Here you can find a discussion forum, chat room, articles, how-to guides, and a blogging feature.
Designed to be a guide for parents, professionals and people with Asperger’s syndrome and their partners.
This site has a number of downloadable presentations, articles and Tony Attwood’s conference schedule. Along with a list of support groups across the world (our workshops used to be listed here) and web-based support groups.
We’ll update this list as and when we find more resources! So please check back.
