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Scouts Membership Revoked


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I was an AS in a Troop that had a Scout who had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.  After observing his behavior for a while,  I concluded "Wow,  he's just like me!"

 

I decided that I was an undiagnosed Asperger's guy  --- which helped explain a good part of my life.

 

One of my observations is that the behaviors associated with Asperger's are sort of impulses that people can resist if they wish to do so.

 

Part of may life has been learning to modify the way those impulses are acted out,  and to get in the habit of displaying more common kinds of behavior.

 

As I read about Asperger's treatment,  that seems to be a common part of such therapies.

 

So I have worked out some of those behaviors.  Others still are an important part of my personality,  because they work for me as far as I'm concerned.

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Hopefully all will be resolved.. 

 

If the scout did do something that caused his membership to be revoked (pulled a knife threateningly or did damage to BSA property or something) then still the parents and scout should be made fully aware of the reason why the membership is being revoked.. If they don't have information they can do nothing in defense (someone else did property damage and framed the scout), or nothing to make sure the child learns from his mistakes.

 

If it is simply not wanting to deal with his Asperger's then that is not a good reason, they may be in need of finding him the right troop in the area to meet his needs, but not a reason to revoke membership from him.

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One of my observations is that the behaviors associated with Asperger's are sort of impulses that people can resist if they wish to do so.

 

Part of may life has been learning to modify the way those impulses are acted out,  and to get in the habit of displaying more common kinds of behavior.

 

As I read about Asperger's treatment,  that seems to be a common part of such therapies.

@@SeattlePioneer, I've had two scouts in my troop with Asperger's. I'm no doctor, but if you really do have Asperger's it would be really interesting to compare what I see with what you see. You see :), it appears to me that scouts with Asperger's flat out don't see social ques at a young age. I worked with one scout for a long time just playfully teasing him. By the time he was 16 he could dish it right back and it was great. I'd say these scouts were also focused like a laser on anything they were doing. They struggled with changing plans and things that went wrong. The first scout got Eagle early and left because "there was nothing else to do." The second had a rough time with other scouts goofing around, he once attacked another scout with a stick -- he just couldn't see that it was not serious. He found a smaller troop and it all worked out.

 

So, yes, the one had impulse issues. The other didn't.

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Let's be careful here. All Aspergers kids are no more than same than any other kids are the same. Some will have issues while others will not. Let's not go down the path of generalization. I have a kid like this. I have taken oodles of special training and use it in our unit. I've been to the doctors, therapists and various other groups. There are general ways to deal with these kids to reach them, but in many instances these are the same tools we use to reach ANY kid that is having issues.

 

These kids, if their parents seek it out, receive a great deal of training and therapy to deal with impulsive behaviour. In many cases they cannot simply turn it on and off. Some learn how to cope and control it while others don't. Much depends on where they call on the spectrum.

 

I just want to guard against folks erroneously thinking that this condition is something that is willfully controlled. It can be but it takes a great deal of time to develop those skills...and some may never learn how.

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it appears to me that scouts with Asperger's flat out don't see social ques at a young age. I worked with one scout for a long time just playfully teasing him. By the time he was 16 he could dish it right back and it was great.....The second had a rough time with other scouts goofing around, he once attacked another scout with a stick -- he just couldn't see that it was not serious. He found a smaller troop and it all worked out.

 

You do realize that one way a kid with Aspergers gets in trouble is when they go over the line when teasing is going on. You were playing with fire with the first time and got lucky; and then let it happen with the second one.

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Some of them don't ever see social cues, but they learn enough to be able to act as though they do.

 

...and many "normal" kids and adults don't see social cues either. ;)

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You do realize that one way a kid with Aspergers gets in trouble is when they go over the line when teasing is going on. You were playing with fire with the first time and got lucky; and then let it happen with the second one.

I'm a scoutmaster, I'm always playing with fire.

 

BadWolf, very true, especially if there's a woman involved.

Edited by MattR
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