[El Gran Salseron]

I didn't read the article but my step-grandson has Asperger's Syndrome. He's a case.

Nintendo, Pokemon and online gaming are his thing.

Straight A student. Always on the computer or game console. Has total recall. Watches the in-flight progress monitors of altitude, speed, position for the entire flights from London to Houston and back. After the flight he can then quote speed, altitude, projected arrival time, etc when the aircraft was at a particular longitude and latitude.

He just cannot socialize with people outside of the family and doesn't understand the most basic things about human interaction.

He takes everything said to him very literally. Things are either black or white with nothing in between. His sense of humor is also very narrow and he cannot, ( or chooses not to, ) hold a conversation about anything but computer games, Nintendo or Pokemon. We just don't know if he can't or chooses not to.

He's 14 and sometimes it's kinda sad.

Recently however he made us all die laughing. Apparently another boy in school used the expression "son-of-a-b!tch." His dad told him that he shouldn't use that word. A few days later we were teasing him and wouldn't let him talk. He got frustrated and finally said, "If you keep it up I'm going to say "son-of-a-b!tch!" The sad part is that we have no idea if he was displaying a sense of humor or not but it sure made us laugh.

[Mfkmmof4]

I would almost bet it was a sense of humor. Recently, my son who is 12 looked at me and said I am mocking you. First of all I was amazed he knew the word and am finding out the hard way he knows what it means. He is driving me nuts!

[jtill]

My grandson - 6-1/2 - also doesn't understand the most basic things about human interaction. He also takes everything literally and during kindergarten last year he was very hurt by things that other children said and did. He never knew when they were teasing, being funny or serious. Things to him are black and white - no gray - but that doesn't bother me because I've never accepted anything but black or white!

He was recently diagnosed with Aspergers and has an IQ that is off the charts. While I was visiting them recently, he was busy explaining infinity to his 4 year old sister!

Lorianne, enjoyed the article and thanks for the ping!

[Dianna]

He's 14 and sometimes it's kinda sad.

My son is 11 and is in his first week of middle school. The first day was hell, but things are getting better. There is a boy who saves a seat for him at the lunch table. There is another boy on the bus who is friendly. He can get his locker open about half the time with out help.

He seems to be settling in (faster than I had expected!). But watching the struggle is heartbreaking. He had a dentist appt today. New dentist. It didn't go well at all. :(