How do I help my Asperger's DS with his paranoia.

[joaninha]

Hello! Desperately looking for some advice from anyone who has experienced the same.

DS has Asperger's and has to date been angel-like in his behaviour. But recently he's been prone to angry outbursts, nothing physical, but quite aggressive and he works himself into a state extremely easily.

Going beneath the surface it is obvious that he is quite paranoid a lot of the time. He was telling me that he is always imagining that people are saying his name and laughing at him at which he gets angry and aggressive, which has become an issue at school. Unfortunately this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as some of his classmates now find it funny to get a rise out of him. I have seen him do it to me too, where he can go from 0 - hysterical in a nanosecond. I have to constantly reassure him that I'm not angry at him, I'm not staring at him, I'm just asking him to do something, set the table, do his homework, etc....

Sarcasm and loving-teasing has always been lost on him, and that's been ok at home because I have always explained to him what I'm doing and I know lots of ways to make him laugh. I worry about him out in the world though, because his inability to read people's motives makes him paranoid, angry and alienated.

Any advice would be gratefully received fellow mumsnetters!!

Sorry - forget to add that DS is 9 years old.

Hello!

Does DS understand how his condition makes him different to other kids? Has he any contact with other kids with AS?

I'll give this some thought for you, but the first thing that springs to mind is to help him excel in the areas of education that he loves (maybe science and/or art?) If you can help him focus in on what he's really into, that will help to give him self confidence and may also earn respect from some of his peers.

Just a thought. When I think of anything else, I'll come back.

Wow that's spooky - science and art are his two specialities! You're right he does tend to get respect for his knowledge in these areas but it's more his social skills in normal situations - he just doesn't know when people are joking and when they're being serious.

we have just done a social skills course with dd she got a lot out of this i would phone round and ask if there is anything like this in your area....phone camhs/ asd charity/ and ask. we are in the midlands and midlands psychology run ours....you could phone them and ask if they know of anything like this in your area.