Through the Eyes of Asperger's by Robert Callaway

Author:Robert Callaway [Callaway, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: nonfiction, Asperger's, autism, disability, LDS, mormon, faith
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

AGGRESSION AND ASPERGER’S

SYNDROME

To review, the Asperger’s response to verbally aggressive behavior is to want it to stop immediately. If it doesn’t, then he will need to quickly leave the area. If sudden aggression or anything else occurs, such as a sudden, very loud sound which quickly causes a greater sensory overload, he usually has a reflexive, uncontrolled reaction, with an associated adrenalin rush. This causes him to have a panic attack, where he has uncontrollable, upsetting emotions which he has to release.

“Ethan, Sarah, and Alexis, here is another true story to show this, where you can relate.”

Trevor’s mother accidentally dropped a pan on the kitchen floor as she was washing the dishes. It made extremely loud banging sounds as it hit the hard floor, and twelve-year-old Trevor, who has Asperger’s, was at the dinner table. This sudden loud sound immediately caused a reflexive reaction and panic attack, where he quickly screamed loudly and hit the table before he knew what was happening. His mother loudly called out, “Trevor, stop doing that!” This caused him to hurry out of the room, stomping the floor as he went. He slammed his bedroom door and hit the wall a few times. He cried loudly during all this.

“Trevor, please stop your rude behavior,” she called out again. “You’re upsetting me and your younger brother. You need to be a better example.” This didn’t help, as he continued with his actions. He was really trembling. She then waited a few minutes before saying anything else. During this time, Trevor calmed down a little, so she went to his room and with a softer voice, asked, “Trevor may I come in?”

“Yeah, mom,” he half-shouted.

She felt prompted to respond to him in a loving and soothing manner. “Trevor, I wasn’t intending to make that loud noise, it was just an accident. I know how you are very sensitive to loud noises. How can I help you to not react in that way?”

He loudly responded with much irritation, “I don’t know. It just happens, and I don’t want it to happen. It’s embarrassing.”

She put her arm around him and comforted him with, “I understand. It’s a part of your Asperger’s, and I want to help you to overcome this reaction, but I’m not sure how to do it. You and I can pray about it, and maybe we will find something that will help you.” She understood that Trevor was not having a tantrum, but was having a fearful panic reaction, a reflexive reaction in his brain, due to his Asperger’s. He wanted a solution to this.

From this example, you can see that if an unexpected, very loud and irritating sound starts occurring, the person has a sudden, reflexive feeling of insecurity, along with a quick release of adrenalin, resulting in a rapid heartbeat and body trembling. He wants this stimulus to immediately stop. He has to release this very upsetting emotion, causing him to scream or hit his hands or something else, or slam a door. It usually takes several minutes for this to begin to subside after the noise has stopped.

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