[CaberTosser]

Some of the early signs of our sons Aspergers went unnoticed by us (well we noticed the signs, but figured that was just our unique kid that we love); when his kindergarten teacher suggested the possibility I hadn't even heard of Aspergers previously. Then when looking it up and seeing it was included on the autism spectrum I was flabbergasted and in denial. Then I came to realize what a massive breadth of humanity that the term is cast over. He's certainly nowhere near what Dustin Hoffman portrayed in Rain Man for instance, yet at the same time one might see similar little snippets. His food choices are quite particular but we've been very pleased lately that he's been trying new things, often of his own initiative. You will NOT get this kid to eat something he doesn't want to, that is a battle to redirect your energies elsewhere. He might be open to trying things that he sees his peers eating, but only on occasion. He can have some challenges socially but he has a good bunch of friends at school, not to say he hasn't brought home tales of a kid or two who might bully him on occasion. He is exceptionally bright, he's the best reader in his class and I've observed the whole class paying attention to him reading things aloud for everyone. He's spoken like a small adult since i can recall him speaking sentences, his enunciation is meticulous. I usually use the comparison that he's pretty close to a small version of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory: very structured, very smart, and meticulous about things being correct as he knows them.