Limited social skills remain a hallmark of Asperger’s syndrome, a neurological disorder on the autism spectrum. According to the National Institutes of Health, minimal eye contact, overall aloofness, a lack of interactive play and only mild interest in peers may all point to this mysterious condition, which has no known cause or cure. But therapists, teachers and those living with Asperger’s are experiencing behavioral breakthroughs thanks to technology.
Consider 27-year-old Daniel Durany of Fort Worth, diagnosed two years ago with Asperger’s syndrome (AS). Now a public speaker and co-facilitator for an adult Asperger’s Support Group through Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT), Durany admits he could easily spend 10 hours a day at the screen.
“Over the years, I have experienced many benefits for my love on the computer,” he explains, adding that he tracks his personal finances on a spreadsheet and implements the daily schedules he creates via his email account. “For a child with autism to have their anxiety decreased through online communication brings hope into their future.”
Adds Dr. Stephen Bauer, a developmental pediatrician in New York who has been published extensively on Asperger’s: “The Asperger’s syndrome adolescent may form friendships with other students who share his interests through avenues such as computers. With luck and proper management, many of these students will have developed considerable coping skills, ‘social graces,’ and general ability to ‘fit in’ more comfortably by this age, thus easing their way.”
Local Asperger’s group Dallas Asperger Network for Information, Support and Help (DANISH; aspergerinfo.org) offers a wealth of links as well as chat rooms for both the AS child, teen, adult and caregivers. Special education programs within school districts, meanwhile, are increasingly pushing technology as a way to overcome communication deficits. This practice may help students find meaningful employment, too. According to current Department of Labor statistics, some 90 percent of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder are unemployed. Computers may allow these men and women opportunities for work.
According to Durany, computers offer AS adults “the freedom to exhibit their skills” while demanding less overall interaction with people—a win-win in his mind. This also opens avenues for higher education.
“Online courses have many benefits for the person with autism, like working at their own pace, diverse ways of learning (videos, webinars, webcams, etc.) and reduced anxiety by communicating with others online,” says Durany.
Going overboard with screen time can prove one pitfall, however. Durany acknowledges that he makes an effort to limit his usage. This helps him avoid problems like carpal tunnel syndrome and eyestrain.
“Despite the benefits computers offer people with autism spectrum disorders, Durany prudently cautions parents to not let their children take computer use to extremes,” adds Anthony Cammilleri, Ph.D., director of the Jane Justin School at the Child Study Center in Fort Worth. “People with autism spectrum disorders represent a population of individuals who may be particularly at-risk for online predators and scam artists.”
For Durany, computing has exponentially expanded his world.
“For a person like me and many people with autism … I have received hope through computers.”
