I was reading the Daily Mail today...

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Not that I'm a massive fan of the Daily Mail, nor am I English, but my Mum insists on reading English papers and I'm not that bothered about buying a paper myself.

Anyway, any English Aspie's who read papers might have seen this on today's paper (October 7th.) One of the headlines reads; "Meet Kirsty, the Mail's Carer of the Year. She looks after her disabled mother and autistic sister and, oh yes, she's just 14."

Anything that mentions Autism usually catches my eye so I had a look at the article first thing. The third paragraph said "Paige has Asperger's syndrome, a form of Autism that causes severe behavioral problems, leaving her even more reliant on her sister than her mother is. Paige looks and acts far younger than her years, and is prone to spectacular and violent temper tantrums. As a result Kirsty needs to keep her under constant survelliance; last time she was left alone she took a kitchen knife to the family's leather sofa"

...? That doesn't sound like Asperger's Syndrome to me, if I was under constant surveilance I'd probably meltdown entirely. I need at least three or four hours a day by myself if not more (I'm in school so anymore time alone isn't reall possible.) Here's a couple of other exerpts form the article that involve Asperger's Syndrome...

"Coaxes Paige into remembering her school books and her coat"

"All her energies go into making sure Paige doesn't step out in front of traffic."she's got no road sense at all" says Kirsty, "it's like taking a toddler for a walk." At school Kirsty first takes Paige to her lessons before joining her own class. Throughout the morning, she collects and delivers Paige to all of her classrooms and also looks after her at break time.

"Not suprisingly Kirstie has few friends. "the girls are a little bit scared of Paige because when she has a tantrum she's violent and pulls their hair;" Kirstie explains. "And because she's different, I have to mind her or else she'll be bullied or teased - And I could never let that happen."

"By now, Paige is keen to run up and down the stairs incessantly, so Kirstie occupies her with looking through a catalogue. Paige wants to buy everthing and the sisters joke about fashion. "Actually we can't afford any of it" Says Kirstie "But Paige can't understand that"

"Kirsty tries to interest Paige in her homework, It's a losing battle. Paige is engrosed in the television although she can't explain what she is watching. "She'll never pass her GCSEs" says Kirstie, "But then we don't expect her ever to leave home. I expect to look after her for the rest of my life."

"Tonight Paige runs up and down the stairs a dozen times on the flimsiest of pretexts. She is obsessed with an imagined cut on her finger and helps herself to no fewer than four plasters, one at a time. She then puts on her coat and refuses to take it off for almost an hour."

There's a little more in the aticle on her temper tantrums and insomnia but I've mentioned most of the things worth mentioning. That doesn't sound to me like Asperger's syndrome. I'm no expert but it sounds a little more like Kanner's Autism or PDD-NOS. What do you think?

That doesn't sound like Asperger's to me.It does sound like severe autism though.But,in a way,I think they just made it up.

-SpaceCase

I guess it depends on the child...

My son behaves similarly at nearly nine, and he has AS. Hopefully this girl's difficulties will improve as she gets older.

They could be exagerrating the problem to make it more news-worthy.

That girl definitely sounds more autistic than aspie.

What exactly is the nature of the mother's disability? It almost sounds as if she is dead, because she doesn't seem to play any role in her daughters' lives at all.

And why on earth does she needs to escort her sister to all her lessons? There are provisions for children with special needs. If she needs this support, a member of staff should be hired specifically for this purpose. Sometimes the parents need to push for this kind of help. The mother may be disabled, but she still has a responsibility to make sure her children get the support they need.

One protest here: Just because you don't do it doesn't mean Aspies don't do it.

Having said that it sounds like some kinf of border between AS and HF Autism, and is likely going to improve with age if they treat it properly, depending on which, if iether, it actually is.

Lol, nope, mother's head was still intact.

She had some form of severe arthritis which rendered her nearly completely imobile. The article was one of these stories that try to get people to feel sympathetic, The Daily Mail seems to run them quite frequently so I wouldn't be too suprised if it was a little exaggerated.

The Daily Mail is a sensationalist rag, full of Royal gossip, hysterical right wing propaganda and other lurid crap for Little Englanders to lap up. I doubt there is anything they don't exaggerate to peddle more papers.

you forgot the letters, dunc:

"Sir - i was appalled...! ... Yrs, Angry of Tunbridge Wells".

My parents read The Mail and its complete and utter pants. I second what dunvis said.

But I will go and check out the article in a min.

So what do you guys think about the exposure of AS in the media ? Do you think it should be widely known ? In a way i always hope there would be a TV doc about AS where my parents would happen to be watching and suddenly realise that i share these common characteristics, cos i still havent told em about AS - im too scared.

If there is more recognition for AS i can just imagine it going down the same path as Dyslexia and ADD (this kid cant read, oh hes dyslexic .... this kid is violent, oh he has ADD no worries)