| Children with Aspergers Syndrome have | | | | important to aim to expand your AS |
| difficulty managing their emotions, | | | | child's emotional vocabulary. Children |
| particularly with recognizing and | | | | usually begin with three basic emotions |
| understanding feelings and expressing | | | | - happy, sad, and angry. Work at |
| their emotions appropriately. AS | | | | increasing your Asperger child's |
| children usually have intense feelings | | | | emotional vocabulary to include excited, |
| that often overwhelm them - this is | | | | surprised, worried, proud, embarrassed, |
| caused by their lack of emotional | | | | content, peaceful and a feeling of |
| aptitude. Neurotypicals enjoy 'emotional | | | | anticipation etc. Use magazines to find |
| competence', which allows them to manage | | | | pictures and label them. Ensure you |
| their interactions with others more | | | | explain that emotions look 'different' |
| effectively - they find ways to cope and | | | | on different people, and find as many |
| adjust their behavior to better suit the | | | | different examples of an emotion as you |
| current situation. Aspergers Syndrome | | | | can to highlight this. Concentrate your |
| children are usually impulsive, which | | | | efforts to expand your AS child's |
| deprives them of the ability to think | | | | emotional vocabulary on members of your |
| things through and see the consequences | | | | family first- Mum, Dad and siblings, as |
| of their actions. They do not recognize | | | | these relationships are the most |
| the physical reactions of emotions such | | | | important in your child's life, and |
| as fear or excitement, as being signs of | | | | understanding each other's emotions more |
| emotion, and so they miss vital clues | | | | accurately will help to create a calmer |
| that would enable them to regulate their | | | | environment for all of you. You may like |
| feelings. Children with Aspergers | | | | to take photos of each other displaying |
| Syndrome use mimicry in situations as a | | | | emotions and label them. Show variations |
| coping strategy, so they may utter | | | | of facial expression for each emotion |
| phrases they've heard on TV or repeat | | | | and note their body language as well. |
| something you've said. They develop a | | | | You may like to make a game, using a |
| "script" to use in a variety of | | | | mirror to capture facial expressions. |
| situations - mostly when dealing with | | | | Once you've practised recognising |
| conflict or confrontation. This is why | | | | emotions from facial expressions, |
| sometimes what they say doesn't seem to | | | | enhance this knowledge by linking |
| "fit" the situation. Children with | | | | emotions to situations. E.g. "What would |
| Aspergers Syndrome are not able to | | | | embarrass you?", "What would make you |
| generalize any emotional competence | | | | proud?" etc. Complex emotional concepts, |
| skills they do have, and adapt them to | | | | such as conflicting emotions, are more |
| new circumstances. This means their | | | | difficult to understand and explain to |
| judgment of certain situations is | | | | children with Aspergers Syndrome. After |
| incorrect - they can appear to lack | | | | focussing on simple emotions for a month |
| common sense. Neurotypicals use feelings | | | | or two you should introduce a scenario |
| to help them interpret rules and make | | | | containing conflicting emotions and |
| exceptions, whereas children with | | | | discuss at length, once a week. However, |
| Aspergers Syndrome are black and white | | | | the black and white thinking of children |
| in their thinking. Being fact driven, | | | | with Aspergers Syndrome may never allow |
| children with Aspergers Syndrome tend to | | | | the dexterity to deal with emotionally |
| focus on facts and overlook their | | | | complex situations such as this, on |
| feelings, because this makes better | | | | their own. Working to maintain and |
| sense to them. Emotions help | | | | increase your Asperger child's emotional |
| neurotypicals shape their morals and | | | | competence is perhaps the most rewarding |
| value systems; therefore not | | | | and worthwhile task you will undertake, |
| interpreting emotions correctly can | | | | in your journey on his/her path to an |
| negatively influence the principles your | | | | independent, happy life. After all, the |
| AS child develops. It's important to | | | | key to successful relationships of all |
| take the time to "debrief" your | | | | kinds lies in emotional competence. |
| Aspergers child after any major | | | | ©Nelle Frances offers resources, |
| emotional 'incident' to ensure they've | | | | strategies and articles on Aspergers |
| drawn the correct conclusions. It's | | | | Syndrome for parents and teachers. |