Asperger's syndrome is an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that It is not very well known and that many people still do not understand. Some children may even suffer rejection or discrimination because their relationship with people is complicated.
So that we can understand it better, Federico, a child who suffers from it, explains in a very clear way how he perceives things when having Asperger and it makes us clear that he is "a child like any other".
Federico is an 8-year-old Colombian boy who suffers from Asperger syndrome. With the support of his mother, Andrea Villegas, It helps to raise awareness of this syndrome through its Facebook page "I am different, I am like you," and in which he shares fragments of his life, with the goal that other people better understand what the Asperger is.
In Babies and more Asperger syndrome: what is it and what characteristics do children who have it haveIn an interview for Verne, his mother explains that the idea of the page arises because Federico felt misunderstood by his school mates, so she helped him create a space where he could explain what he felt and could talk about this syndrome that is little known.
In Babies and more They are not sick children, only different: International Asperger Syndrome DayRecently a video in which he explains what it is like to live with Asperger went viral, thanks to the fact that another mother of a child with the same syndrome published it, becoming more than 7.7 million times, and which many people applaud for putting very clear examples of what he feels when suffering from it, and that certainly help other people to understand him better.
In the video, Federico begins by introducing himself and clarifying something: Asperger is not a disease, so you don't have to look for a cure. He explains that this syndrome is a condition, which is part of it and so will remain his entire life.
So that Federico himself could understand what is different between him and the other children, his mother took the famous LEGO as an example and explained that if we assume that the brain is made of LEGO pieces, the difference between neurotypics (who do not manifest autistic behavior or other atypical neurological behaviors) and those with Asperger, it would be that the former would be armed with an instruction manual and the others would not.
"I am neither crazy nor freak nor weird. Only my way of perceiving things is different and also that of processing information. And that is why I may seem different, but I am any child. The truth is that I am a child like any other, with dreams, illusions and I just want you to know me, understand me and help me to fit in the community", is the forceful message that Federico tells us.
And is that those who suffer from Asperger syndrome have become discriminated against, like the case we mentioned a few months ago of a child who suffered from Asperger and who changed groups because of complaints from other parents, later the mothers of the other classmates celebrated WhatsApp that group change.
Next, Federico explains some things he perceives differently from others due to Asperger's syndrome:
Our senses are more acute, so some noises I feel unbearable, I can not be where there are many lights, I can not eat some things or some clothes can not stand. I hear all the noises at the same timeLike the chicharras, the neighbor talking, my sister talking, the thunder, everything. That's why sometimes I get shocked. And that's why I feel overloaded. Everything that goes through my senses I feel 120 times increased.
The images come to me like a lot of flash, that's why I can't look well in the eyes. The touch, I feel like I'm wearing 20 clothes at the same time. Taste ... I can't stand the taste of some things that are too cold or too hot. And smell is more acute than normal.
I find it hard to understand the emotions of others and mine too. If you want me to know something, tell me with your words, I don't understand nonverbal language very well. My thinking is rigid, so I get angry when things change or when they don't work out the way I want to.
Federico continues telling that He only likes certain things and topics, and that has become a problem because he likes to talk about it all the time and other children don't like it. He gives as an example that most children like football, but he is not very good at sports because of his motor skills, and for this reason he has problems writing.
He concludes his testimony by telling him that it is hard for him to keep his attention and has difficulty organizing his thoughts to do something, which causes him to be distracted and disorderly. But in general, he loves having friends and considers himself a happy child.
We share complete Federico's explanation:
A syndrome that we must understand
For those who have no Autism Spectrum Disorder, it may be very difficult to understand how or why those who do suffer in a certain way. And is that It's not just about understanding how or why they work differently from us, but about being understanding.
Children who suffer from ASD may suffer discrimination, rejection or abuse in general, from those who do not understand why they act or behave in a certain way. That is why it is good that there are testimonies such as Federico's, which help us to know a little more about what they feel and help us to be more empathetic.
