Asperger's Syndrome

1120 Words3 Pages

Although there is no cure for Asperger's syndrome, masking the symptoms and overcoming the challenges is possible by learning proper social skills, staying within a comfort area, and having a good support structure. A person with Asperger's syndrome faces many daily challenges, such as carrying on a conversation or looking someone in the eyes while speaking. Jacob, the main character in House Rules, by Jodi Picoult, learns to live with these challenges and function as normally as he can. "Asperger's syndrome, also called Asperger's disorder, is a type of pervasive development disorder (PDD). PDDs are a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize with others, to communicate, and to use imagination" ("WebMD").

Emma, Jacob's mother, is his support structure. She regulates his diet and makes gluten-free meals for Jacob every night. Gluten can aggravate the behavior of people with Asperger's syndrome ("Your Little Professor"). Emma does Jacob's laundry but leaves it for him to put away. For instance, Jacob says, "When my mother puts my clothes away, I keep them in rainbow order, ROYGBIV, and the colors can't touch" (Picoult 22). People with Asperger's syndrome do not handle change very well. Jacob, for example, has a routine, which is rarely strayed from. "Anything new has to be introduced early on and prepared for--whether that's a dentist appointment or a vacation or a transfer student joining his math class midyear"(Picoult 10). Jacob and Emma went to the grocery store at 11:00 am, expecting the sample sale lady to be there, as she is every day. At 11:15am, she was not there. Jacob had an emotional breakdown, and Emma pinned him to the ground and sang a ...

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"Mayo Clinic." Asperger's Syndrome. 05 Nov. 2010. . 13 April, 2011 syndrome/DS00551/DSECTION=causes>. "Med Terms." Definition of Asperger's Syndrome. 29 April, 2004. . 13 April, 2011 .

"National Autistic Society." Asperger's Syndrome. 05 April, 2011. . 13 April, 2011 .

Picoult, Jodi. House Rules. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010.

"PubMed Health." Asperger Syndrome. 26 April, 2010. A.D.A.M.. 13 April, 2011 .

"Your Little Professor." Developing Social Skills. . . 13 April, 2011 .

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