Category Archives: Developmental Disorder

Introducing “House Rules”

Developmental Disorder, Review - books movies series
By Jodi Picoult
By Jodi Picoult

I picked up this book from the Popular RM5 Book Fiesta last year (yes, for RM5!). It is a fiction by Jodi Picoult (this is my first tasting of her book!).

The book is about a boy named Jacob Hunt, who has got Asperger’s Syndrome – the main reason I bought this book as I really want to learn more about the Syndrome. But then the second reason, is that Jacob is also brilliant in forensic analysis – this is my (hidden) interest back in the uni. Haha!

I’d say I’ve really enjoyed reading it. It gave me perspectives from different persons (including the mother who is the main caretaker, the brother who lives together, and even Jacob (how he thinks or analyzes a case for example, sometimes I’d say it all makes sense; it’s us “normal people” who are inconsistent and weird)! and some other characters as well). There’s so much details in it. I’m sure some people would find it repetitive, but this could be how living with someone with the Syndrome is like – you have to set boundaries (house rules!), be repetitive and consistent etc! So it really gives you a sense about Asperger’s Syndrome, plus a terrible murder case in which the evidence was pointing to Jacob…

Asperger Syndrome

Clinical Case Studies, Developmental Disorder

Two of the tutors came to the mother today and said that they were unable to help the boy with his studies as his attention span is too short, he keeps get distracted.

This is a boy of 13 with Asperger Syndrome which was diagnosed when he was 6. With medication the boy still does not improve significantly after all the years. In school, he disturbs his classmates by walking around the classroom and talking to them while teachers are teaching. He also flips his books quickly (without reading them, but he likes creating that sound while flipping books), tears and folds books and papers. The teachers said he isn’t able to do any independent work, although he appears to have adequate intellectual abilities just like his classmates. Unfortunately he is never able to get seated down for a short test. The teachers don’t know what to do to help him, and he makes no friends in school due to his annoying behaviours.

Tutors were hired to assist him in school and to give tuition at home, but a few have left for the same reason as above – he’s too difficult to manage, to be helped. He can’t concentrate in studies or perhaps in “doing anything meaningful”, as how the mother termed it. He scratches himself badly, almost obsessed with this habit.

The parents are feeling helpless. If the medicine couldn’t touch him at all, what else would?

IPad Addiction

Anxiety Disorder, Clinical Case Studies, Developmental Disorder, Obsession & Compulsion

Came across this article and think it’s really worth sharing, also a very good case study reflecting the growing up environment of infants/toddlers nowadays:

‘The day I realised my toddler was addicted to the iPad’: Three-year-old William tugged at the duvet and woke his father demanding the tablet… at 4am

Some food for thought: How do we help the younger generations to develop healthy relationship with those advanced gadgets? How do we balance while using them as educational or entertaining tools (not iNanny!) but not overusing leading to obsession and/or addiction?

(To the educational psychologists and child experts: is this going to be a newly added and researched Developmental Disorder?!)