How to Find Asperger's Support in Chicago
Asperger's is a pervasive developmental disorder on the Autism spectrum, usually originating in childhood that is characterized by deficits in social interactions and repetitive behavior patterns. It was named for Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who first organized the symptoms of the disorder into a diagnosis in 1944. It wasn't until the early 1990s that the term became widely used.
In a city the size of Chicago, there are plenty of Asperger's resources available for and kids and adults.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Check out the Chicago branch of Global and Regional Aspeger Support Partnership (GRASP) association if you are an adult with Asperger's. You'll find support and resources the third Sunday of each month when the group meets at Evanston Northwestern Hospital.
-
2
If you are a mom or dad concerned about your child, join a group such as Support Parents and Empower Asperger's/Autistic Kids (SPEAK) to meet others dealing with the same issues and gain information about other Chicago area resources.
-
-
3
Get your child or yourself into a social skills group to help her overcome her impairments in the social arena. SPEAK and GRASP can provide a list of such groups.
-
4
Channel your child's or you own strengths into a positive direction. Asperger's children and adults often have very specific interests such as machines or animals. Spend time at the Shedd Aquarium or Museum of Science and Industry and look for like-minded individuals and volunteer opportunities.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Know that many brilliant people have, or are said to have had Asperger's, including Albert Einstein and even Hans Asperger.
Get encouragement from watching movies with Asperger's characters such as "Mozart and the Whale."
Don't give up. Every phone call will lead you closer to the kind of support you need.
