User:Bearpa

This is my first user page, started December 23, 2006, as a total newcomer Wikipedian. Right now I am interested in working with editing the article asperger syndrome. I hope to learn more about organizing my pages as well as entries, as I go along, bear with me as I stumble through my first steps.

Note:I don't think I will edit an article for some time -- until I get comfortable with things a bit. But I do want to lay down some thoughts on the AS article that I want to enter on the discussion page.

fyi -- Asperger syndrome (AS) is considered an autistic spectrum disorder so information can also be found at a number of links on the AS mainpage

It seems to me, as one who has sought out info on AS because I have a 26-year-old stepson who I believe is affected, that the wiki article is by far the broadest and most complete I have come across. But as the information has tightened around a good solid core, it is apparent to me that, on the fringes so to speak, there is alot of less solid info. This, I believe, is due to:

the broad manifestations of the condition

• the wide spectrum of criteria for inclusion

• often oversimplified and/or downplayed
• frequently disputed
• sometimes not present
• variably manifested

• the array of co-morbid conditions with criteria that mask or overlap AS
• other conditions which share criteria with AS (resemble)

the relative newness of, and recent upsurge of interest in, the field

• research seems uncoordinated, maybe not well designed
• organizations involved are scrambling to cover too many aspects

• autism of other types
• effects on children and education
• effects on adults and living/coping skills

political/economic considerations (caution: I know this, and even some of the previous, is on the edge of POV and probably is OR, but I hope I can do that in my-user-page context. I'm really still learning wiki etiquette & policy. Help is welcome.)

• funding concerns

• recent budget default in congress leaves autism programs unfunded (will affect in future)
• trend toward outcomes-based research pushing focus

• toward causes, early childhood detection, and education/behavioral training for children
• away from adult detection, adult living/working skills training and support

This is really just a beginning of my sort of overview of the problem of creating an article on AS. Really, it is a moving target, as are many -- but faster than most. I have read the current discussion page and have gained a real appreciation for the numerous obtacles and difficulties to overcome. This may be too verbose for the true wikimasters, but I wanted to take a running start at it to begin with.

I am archiving old userpage entries and proto-workpages here: User:Bearpa /old userpages; User:Bearpa /asperger syndrome