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Asperger's Diary

Life through the lens of Asperger's Syndrome.

by Lynne Soraya

Lynne Soraya is the nom de plume for a writer with Asperger's Syndrome. See full bio

Asperger's Diary

January 10, 2010

Bias, Bettelheim and Autism: Is History Repeating Itself?

"Autism caused by whiteness and affluence." When this headline popped up on my Twitter page, I had to roll my eyes. The subject of the tweet was a recent study which found 10 clusters of autism throughout California, each in an area with a large concentration of white, highly educated parents. The researchers attributed the results to differences in access to health care, rather than race. Others haven't been so cautious. Read More

December 31, 2009

Feeling Another's Pain: Of Asperger's and Remorse

Recently, in a discussion on another PT blog about remorse in people with Asperger's, the question was asked if the pain that they feel when they discover they have caused hurt in others is tied to a true appreciation of the pain felt by the other party, or rather tied to the feeling of embarrassment that they did something wrong. Read More

December 21, 2009

Going Home For Christmas: Goodbye To Kim Peek

While some may dislike the Oscar winning film, "Rain Man," it has always had a special place in my heart. For me, watching it was a revelation - it gave me a name, for the first time, for what made me different. When I read today that the man who inspired the movie, Kim Peek, passed away last Saturday, I was deeply saddened.

December 7, 2009

Compassion in the Classroom

While catching up on the case of Wendy Portillo, the teacher who led her class in voting a 5-year old boy with Asperger's out of her classroom, I clicked into a story from one of the local papers. Read More

November 18, 2009

A Challenge To Autism Researchers

Autism research. Having a vested interest, I watch it closely. But looking at the latest batch of "newsworthy" releases -- I find myself frustrated. Is this the best we can do? Read More

November 5, 2009

What Is The Value Of A Life?

I was once told that I shouldn't have kids, because the child could be born with Asperger's, like me. I answered with a question - "Would you have given the same advice to my parents?"

Interactions like this often prompt me to ask: What is life about? Is life just about avoiding pain, or something more?

October 22, 2009

Perspectives: Asperger's and Empathy

Some time ago, in my post Empathy, Mindblindness and Theory of Mind, I wrote about Asperger's and empathy. In a new feature, here on the Asperger's Diary blog, I thought I'd share another Aspergian perspective on this hot button topic. Read More

October 20, 2009

Friends and Allies

In the second or third grade, I remember being asked about friends. "Oh, I have lots of friends," I said, reciting a list that included all my teachers, day care providers, school janitors, and most of the kids I knew. Everyone was nice...at least I thought. I didn't understand the true nature of friendship - until I was bullied. Read More

October 2, 2009

Lessons from Gandhi

As PT blogger Michael J. Formica noted, today is the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mohandas K. Gandhi. In honor of the event, I thought I'd share a post I wrote a few years ago about how his life inspired me to think differently about some of my challenges, such as my troubles with speech.

September 29, 2009

Bullying, Hypocrisy, and Church: An Asperger Perspective on Religion

In his most recent post, John Elder Robison asks why many people on the spectrum reject religion. Personally, my relationship with religion has always been highly complex. When I was young, my challenges drove me to a study of people and the human condition. What makes human beings tick? What were the rules for living successfully as a human being? Where do you go to get those answers? Read More

Autism Basics

Autism is a complex syndrome that resulting from abnormalities in the brain's development. Common features include impaired social interactions, impaired verbal and nonverbal communication, problems processing sensory information, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. A recent study of a U.S.

Go to the Autism Spectrum Basics page for more on Autism Spectrum including:

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