A child I know *very* well is having problems at school.
He is an able, well adjusted, polite, well mannered child.
He speaks clearly and with confidence, and is able to express his emotions. He is happy to approach an adult for support when he trusts them and accepts the judgement of adults when given fairly.
The problem is, he just cannot get on with other children.
Somehow, in his particular class, he is just not accepted.
It seems he feels 'different' and he behaves differently.
When there is disruption in class, he feels children are 'stealing' his 'learning time'.
When given responsibility, he appears to use it to have 'power' over other children.
He does not like playing football and avoids other team games.
He finds group or team working difficult unless he is 'leader' (as long as other children do as he asks).
He can be insensitive to the feelings of children and some of the subtleties of their language, for example when a girl said "my drawing is rubbish", obviously inviting reassurance of the opposite, Percy agreed, saying "yes, it is a bit".
He is acutely 'nosey' and always comparing himself in rights and responsibilities, to other children.
He is large and uncoordinated which makes him physically different.
He can be obsessive about interests, although he can have several obsessions at the same time.
He can become very angry and have verbal outbursts when 'wound up'.
He has set himself apart from his peers because he seems to a) feel superior to them and b) not relate to them, and c) feels his efforts fall unappreciated and so therefore it is 'not worth it'.
This child has a rich and varied social calendar and has friends outside school, he simply has not adjusted to the social 'scene' within the school he currently attends, and has attended for the last 2 years.
Now the question is:
As he has many of the key attributes of Aspergers symdrome as documented in many of the incidences above, should he be labelled as such?
How many of the features described above could also be attributed to adolescence?
This shows a few 'buzz phrases' often attributed to those with Aspergers syndrome:
Many would argue it would be better for him if he saw a paediatrician and received a diagnosis of an Autistic Spectrum Condition. It might enable him to better understand his own strengths and weaknesses and support himself. But his family are more than capable of supporting him with this without confirmation from a paediatrician.
Will it make him more accepted at school?
Certainly, a 'circle of friends' approach, whereby a number of children are chosen and Percy's feelings are explained, along with a brief explanation of his difficulties, might help. The children are given an opportunity to meet with an adult regularly and, it is hoped that, by becoming closely involved in supporting that child's needs, their better understanding, and that of the child with ASC, helps them to reduce incidents of isolation or outburst.
But why does he need a label to access this kind of support, and frankly, would the support be forthcoming anyway?
Supporting children with ASC is complex for schools and much less likely to happen, unless the child's behaviour becomes disruptive or their learning is affected. There is no academic or behavioural impact in the case of young Percy, so the school has no incentive to support him other than to help him be happier, which is not a measurable outcome in the current Ofsted schedule.
The decision is pending.
