NYC Mom

We're off to go shopping. We're going to Da Bronx...Arthur Avenue to be exact. It's about 3 or 4 blocks of gastronomic pleasure. It's very old world. The shops are small specialty shops. There are butchers, cheese shops, pork stores, bread stores, bakeries, pasta stores, fish markets and restaurants. Everyone speaks Italian in the shops. Walking into one of these places is incredible. The smells and tastes of Italy surround you. You can get freshly made mozzarella, olives, stuffed pastas, clams on the half shell. We go up there, load up on stuff especially Italian cold cuts (calling prosciutto a cold cut really is a sin), meat, breads and cheeses for the week. There's nothing better than a hunk of four and a half year old parmesan on a friselle with tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Ok I gotta go. I'm getting hungry.

That's what I thought I'd heard the first time someone said Asperger's Syndrome. I laughed in my head at the name, but not aloud knowing it wasn't something to laugh at. Ass Burger.
I got a call yesterday from Glenn's social worker in school. That's what he's diagnosed with...Asperger's Syndrome. I knew it was a form of autism but I wasn't sure about the specifics so I Googled it. Did a lil reading. Didn't want to overwhelm myself so I just read enough to confirm that indeed this is what he has. After 9 years, countless doctors, psychologists, social workers, teachers and tests we finally have a dianosis and, more importantly, a plan.
Here are some of the symptoms of AS:

* Not pick up on social cues and lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.
* Dislike any changes in routines.
* Appear to lack empathy.
* Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others’ speech. Thus, your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. Likewise, his or her speech may be flat and difficult to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent.
* Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as doing intricate jigsaw puzzles, designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, or astronomy.2
* Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.
* Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures. For more information about these symptoms, see sensory integration dysfunction.

I didn't list them all but I did list the ones I see in my son. I've been walking around since yesterday saying it over and over again, getting the feel for this, up to now, unnamed thing that my son has. It's nice to give it a name if a bit shocking and scary. At least now we can work on a plan for making his life as normal as it can be with behavioral therapy. But then again I wonder how his life will be. Will he be lonely? Will he find someone who can love him, Ass Burger and all? Will he be happy? Those are the thoughts I can't get out of my mind.
But there is a bright side almost..or really a tagline that goes with Ass Burgers. Know how has Asperger's? Bill Gates. There's hope for my boy yet.