Recent Aspergers - Book Help

[steves1bear]

Okay, after being a lurker for several years, I have now officially joined the awesome Dis Boards.

My daughter, age 7, was recently diagnosed as high functioning aspergers. We've been working with a psychologist, but his expertise are very limited when it comes to working with kids with aspergers. It's the disadvantages of living in a small college town an hour away from any kind of big city. Anyway, since my daughter is a voracious reader, he suggested we get her some books that have social conflicts in them and talk with her about the conflicts and resolutions. He thinks this would be a good way to help her better understand dealing with social issues, but he has no idea where we would find such books. I know a lot of childrens books have some kind of social conflict, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with specific books or series of books that were helpful. We already have reference/social skill kind of teaching books and are looking more for pleasure reading books.

Any suggestions? Oh, she is in first grade, but is in a 3rd grade reading class.

Thanks!
Carrie

 

[bookwormde]

Sometimes historical books are good to start with especially if your child has the "hightened sense of social concious" characteristic, since it gives the situation a little distance. Some of the social dynamics around the pre/civil war era can be very engaging for our kids. For currnet social situations, I do not have a specific recomondation.

bookwormde

 

[clanmcculloch]

Books for girls are much harder to find unfortunately.

For sensory needs, there's a book about a family called the Goodenoughs by the best author about sensory needs, Carol Kranowicz. http://www.amazon.com/Goodenoughs-G...ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272712475&sr=8-1-catcorr

I remember reading a book written by a boy with Asperger Syndrome that I remember thinking was interesting but he was so different from myself and my daughter that it was more just light reading than enlightening.

We got very lucky that our school set up some great social skills groups where DD12 made friends who are also Aspies. They seem to really relate to each other. She's also gotten some penpals through me talking with other parents on some online support groups and we exchanged some info so our girls could chat. In general, this has helped more than any books I've found.

 

[steves1bear]

Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn't thought much about history, but it's a good idea. She is in a program called PSAP (primary school adjustment program) and has met some kids who also have Aspergers and that has helped a lot. We are trying to get her involved in one other after school group that deals specifically with autism/aspie kids so hopefully that will only add to her experience. It sounds like her best option is to find a few more friends like her.

Thanks again!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My 14 year old DS w/Asperger's will not touch any kind of fictional book. He will watch fictional movies and TV shows because he can see what is happening and what the people look like. He says he doesn't like reading fiction because he has trouble picturing events that didn't actually take place. He loves reading non-fiction and spends a lot of time looking things up online that he's reading about. If they study Einstein at school, he wants to find pictures of him so he'll know what he looks like. He can't do that with fiction. He has such a concrete and factual way of thinking!

The best thing for his social skills has been his Social Thinking class. He goes to a school with a program designed for kids with Asperger's and they spend a lot of time analyzing social situations. They can also get rewarded by staff members or peers for showing empathy, being helpful or responsible, etc.

 

[amyy]

http://www.socialthinking.com/other-books-tools/other-books-and-tools.html

I work as an SLP and think that Michelle Garcia Winner, who goes with the above site, walks on water. My computer is slow loading but I think she recommends a few books for kids on her site. I couldn't get to the exact page. I know you said you have plenty of adult book but in the future you are interested I recommend her books.

take care