Adam Lanza -- Giving Asperger Syndrome a Bad Name

The media is reporting that Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, was taken out of public school, in favor of home schooling, because he had Asperger Syndrome. It is characterized by:

• Above normal intelligence.
• Unusual interest in finding patterns in things.
• Intense interest in certain subjects, and little interest in all else.
• Socially impaired.
• Difficult to put oneself in other people's shoes.
• Physically awkward.

Here is an online test for AS. It said the criteria for Aspergers is 32. I got a 41. Nevertheless, I have my doubts taht Asberger Syndrome is, shall we say, legitimate. I have zero training in psychology, but I can't help but wonder if it is just a fancy term for shyness. Shy people tend to create a world of their own to live in, which makes it difficult to relate the real one.

My point, and I do have one, is that if you hear Asberger and the Sandy Hook shooting in the same conversation, don't assume that everyone who may have it is dangerous. I think Lanza had much more serious mental issues going on.

Meanwhile, if there is anyone shy in your walk of life, I hope you'll go out of your way to extend some friendship to him or her.

I remember taking this test before, back when Keyser was trying to connect athieism with autism. Back then, I was over the threshold similar to you.

I've went through a number of lifestyle changes since then which vastly affected my personality, especially the social aspect. Taking it today, I got a 28.

11 guns, give or take. Ain't shot a person yet.

I think, much like gamblers do to explain win/loss streaks, people try to (or maybe even must) put a reason as to why. Was it Asperger's? Maybe. Another mental illness? Could be. Maybe something happened long ago and never got addressed, rotting his disposition like a cancer until he snapped. Or maybe he just didn't get enough hugs.

I've gotten to the point that I don't think I care anymore. Harris and Klebold, Cho, now Lanza. All social outcasts. Do we put all dorks, nerds, emos and goths on a watchlist? Can "a reason" be determined, and if so, what could be done about it?

Quote: Wizard

I have my doubts taht Asberger Syndrome is, shall we say, legitimate.

I think there is controversy with professionals about it too, or at least about how often it is diagnosed.

Quote: Wizard

I can't help but wonder if it is just a fancy term for shyness.

It is supposed to be someone with a less severe case of Autism. One childhood friend of mine in particular I'd have to wonder about, had they been looking for it in those days. It would explain a lot. And shyness wouldnt explain the guy.

This guy Lanza seemed to be so f****d up why wouldnt it just be Autism?

Quote: Wizard

The media is reporting that Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, was taken out of public school, in favor of home schooling, because he had Asperger Syndrome. It is characterized by:

Asperger Syndrome is common on scripted television shows. The characters are always of exceptional intelligence, but are socially isolated because of their strange personality and uncontrollable tics and compulsive behaviors, The first character that I remember started about 7 years ago on Boston Legal. Among other traits was the compulsion to place his hands on his legs.


The character of Abed Nadir in Community is said to have Asberger's, but without the strong tics of some of the previous characters. If you've never seen the show, Abed is the world's expert on both pop culture and sometimes higher culture. He is portrayed as easily the most intelligent person on the series.

Oh, don't get me started! I have a son who would be labeled Aspergers if we let him be labeled (luckily, his developmental specialist feels the same way we do about that) and while he is socially awkward and mildly OCD and can get inappropriately angry, he has no access to guns and has people in his school who just accept him as this quirky kid. He was ranked second in his class of almost 500. He is put in situations that allow him to thrive and excel (like spelling bees) and luckily has finished his PE requirement so we no longer have to negotiate the landmine of the locker room, but I wouldn't dream of isolating him by homeschooling. He is very much like Sheldon on Big Bang Theory and just as likely to shoot up a school.

Quote: FarFromVegas

He is put in situations that allow him to thrive and excel (like spelling bees) .

I'm glad to hear that. When I was in 5th and 6th grade I was painfully shy. However, I had a great teacher who helped me feel normal. I've always been very competitive, and he would have contests at things I was good at, like who could get through a sheet of multiplications problems the fastest, which I won. We also had a Super Pong championship, which I won (I'm revealing my age with one).

Quote: FarFromVegas

Oh, don't get me started! I have a son who would be labeled Aspergers if we let him be labeled (luckily, his developmental specialist feels the same way we do about that) and while he is socially awkward and mildly OCD and can get inappropriately angry, he has no access to guns and has people in his school who just accept him as this quirky kid. He was ranked second in his class of almost 500. He is put in situations that allow him to thrive and excel (like spelling bees) and luckily has finished his PE requirement so we no longer have to negotiate the landmine of the locker room, but I wouldn't dream of isolating him by homeschooling. He is very much like Sheldon on Big Bang Theory and just as likely to shoot up a school.

Some great points here. The media reports suggest to me that Lanza was something of a challenge/embarrassment for his Mother (she never hosted the neighborhood bunco parties, pulled him from the school, etc. etc.). She essentially put a box around the kid, he resented it and she could not figure that out, and ultimately he shot his way out of his box. Parenting is either the hardest thing in the world, or the easiest. A tragedy to be sure. And his Aspergers cannot be blamed.

No fear on the age revealing--I'm a year older than you! If a kid can memorize 256 Pokemon he can learn countries and capitals and flags. Too bad his school didn't hold a Geography bee because he would have smoked the field there. He won his school spelling bee and came in 5th in the region.

Honestly, we just treat him like the rest of the family and drag him along with us everywhere. He loves landmarks and his German teacher wanted him to join the class on a trip to Germany to see a cathedral that fascinated him so much she gave him the poster from her wall. Some teachers are the most awesome ever. I told her it would be best if one of us came along to deal with things like his limited diet (certain smells and textures make him gag) and she agreed, but neither of us could swing two weeks away, so my husband took him on a separate trip to Germany and Venice in Italy. He's also been to London with the family (I went then) and on a separate trip just with dad where he could visit all the landmarks and then take the Chunnel train to Paris for those landmarks and Disneyland there. I've never been those cool places myself! The Lanzas had the money to help that poor kid cultivate interests and they hid him away instead. Now my son is studying Japanese with its 99-character alphabets (two of them, plus the 1000+ characters of Kanji shared with Chinese) and has a 100 average in his 3rd year. Maybe he can guide us through the Disney parks in Japan someday!

If my "normal" kids worked as hard as he did they'd be prodigies. He overheard a conversation this year and found out he had Aspergers, and we told him it was a reason and not an excuse. By then he was 17 and had wonderful work habits and knew things were different with him but not exactly why. It's refreshing to have a kid who you tell that dirty clothes go in the hamper and dirty dishes go in the sink and he actually listens, because the other 3 sure tune that part out!

Quote: FarFromVegas

I have a son who would be labeled Aspergers if we let him be labeled...

I applaud you, madam. Every kid that doesn't act like a robot obeying every command needs a pill nowadays. ADHD is the one that kills me. Since when is a 5 year old boy that won't listen and won't stop running around a "medical issue"? I remember when that was called "being a kid". Asperger's too. So, he's focused and intelligent, but socially awkward and not an athlete? The horror!

Teach them the life skills to minimize the negatives while enhancing the positives. Problem solved. Or, pill them into a zombie state. Problem ...solved?

Quote: Face

I applaud you, madam. Every kid that doesn't act like a robot obeying every command needs a pill nowadays. ADHD is the one that kills me. Since when is a 5 year old boy that won't listen and won't stop running around a "medical issue"? I remember when that was called "being a kid". Asperger's too. So, he's focused and intelligent, but socially awkward and not an athlete? The horror!

Teach them the life skills to minimize the negatives while enhancing the positives. Problem solved. Or, pill them into a zombie state. Problem ...solved?

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