DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Critical Review

 

            In Laura Schenone’s article “Generation; An ‘A’ That’s Not a Scarlet Letter,” Laura talks about her son’s difficulties in the regular school system; even though her son was a bright child, it was a fight for him to attend the regular public school. It seems that he would rather die than to attend school.  However, after careful evaluation of the events that took placed over the years Laura’s son was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome.  Asperger Syndrome is considered a neurobiological condition at the high-functioning end of autism spectrum, which causes severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language and the ability to relate to others. It also includes some quirk behaviors and sometimes great talents.

            While reading this article I felt a sad continence arising in me. I couldn’t help thinking of Laura’s reaction when she learned that her son had Asperger Syndrome. As a mother myself, I would not like to facilitate the thought that something’s wrong with my child. Mother’s are naturally nurturing beings who would protect and envelop their children, making sure that everything is always okay with them. When they are labeled and put in a different bracket from the rest of society it makes you feel angry and frustrated. However, being angry and frustrated does not change the fact that your child has this disorder.  So what do you do? Do you go on pretending that everything is okay and not deal with the situation at hand? No! You have to pick up the pieces and move on, in order to help your child.  This is what Laura did.

            At first Laura wanted no part of the disorder and the name given to her son. Laura stated, “Like any good parent, I wanted no part of it. I intended to emphasize my child’s strengths not spend years studying his problems and repeating them over and over again to teachers, therapist and lawyers in order to get help.” However, even though she tried to block it out, she still couldn’t understand why her child could not cope in school, so she decided to get help.  Laura’s decision to get help was the best thing she did for her son because, she has seen the evidences in her son’s behavior and also in his love for school. She stated that, “we’ve had an astonishing turn around.”  The label which she once feared and despised may have saved her family and her life.       Even though Laura has seen tremendous results in her son, there are still people who are skeptical about all the different learning disabilities that have suddenly invaded our society.  I myself have doubted the labeling of so many kids, because it seems as though there were countless kids being diagnosed that didn’t need to. But after reading Laura’s article along with others stories I have come to realize that learning disabilities have been proven by neuroscientist to be true and not just a fad, but the result of brain wiring that is different from a typical brain.  I have further realized how important it is to get help for kids with disorders who cannot cope in a ‘typically normal environment’. As a society it is important for us as a people to be more educated on the issue. The more educated we are, the less we will see labeling as a bad thing. Our eyes will be opened to the fact that, we can be able to change the lives of countless of kids who need that extra help.

            Asperger syndrome, I believe, is a wide spread issue that we as a society cannot ignore, as a society we have to work together to help kids with this disability and also disabilities on a whole.  Some suggestions that I can give to address this issue with students and parents are;

  • Parents and students should look into educational or training programs - If parents and students become more aware of the disability, they are more likely to handle it with a healthier comportment. We can accomplish this by getting information on the subject.  We can also have doctors that are specialize in the field talk about the disorder; this would bring awareness to the subject and help in realizing that this is a real disorder that the child is facing.
  • Parents have to teach their child how to deal with the disability by teaching them how to help themselves - Learning these skills would help the child achieve the utmost independence that will better enhance his/her life in order to interface with society at large.  Students also have to help the child by not feeling sorry for him/her but including them in their activities so that they can develop their skills and abilities. By leaving them out of activities it’s sending the wrong message.
  • Parents have to also take into consideration that this child is a member of the family and any help the child need should be met, no matter how hard it is to come to the realization that your child has a disability.  The faster parents deal with the situation at hand the better it would be for that child. Many times parents feel embarrass about situations that they are not to be ashamed of.  Getting help make them feel weak and embarrass. As a child growing up I remember my mom doing the same thing. My cousin who was living with my mom at the time had a mental problem at the age of 16.  My mom didn’t want anyone to know because she feared what people would say, so she hid him away, he was never allowed to leave the house, he was under constant supervision and that made him mad. One day he ran away and we couldn’t find him for countless of hours.  My mom thought that she was helping him by shielding him from the world but, what she did not realize was that this wasn’t helping him. It was only making him worst.
  • Get support for yourself and other family members - most times people are willing to help if you let them.  There are other kids that have the same problem, so get connected with other mothers or caregivers so that you can share and build one another up. You would not be able to help your child if you cannot help yourself, so get help.
  • Parents would have to take on the role of educator when dealing with teachers, medical personnel, caregivers and the community on a whole – since it's not always obvious that a child has Asperger Syndrome you will have to alert others to the fact that your child has special needs. Parent must also find a program that addresses their child’s specific needs. They should choose special programs or treatments that focus on their child progress over a long period of time and they must also take the developmental level of their child into consideration.

Parents may feel overwhelmed and discouraged if their child is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome,  however, you must remember that your child's overall development and well being is at stake.  Laura did the best thing for her child; she got help, even though she was not comfortable with her child being labeled.  Even if people or society criticize it is important to note that you are doing this to better your child’s future.  Most times people criticize because they are not well informed, just like in my case. I did not know the facts, but when I did it made me understand how important it is for a child with Asperger Syndrome to get the necessary help he/she needs.

 Lastly remember that a child with Asperger Syndrome can function well in most aspects of life. It is a struggle but it is a struggle worth fighting for, since this condition does not have to prevent your child from succeeding academically and socially. 

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.