This is because Asperger’s syndrome is a kind of developmental disorder in which the processing of information by the brain is affected so that it has a direct impact on the child’s social and emotional behavior as well as its communication skills. Our reactions are dependent on how quickly the brain manages to process information. If that is affected, it can alter the course of life in a big way and that is exactly what happens with children suffering from Asperger’s syndrome.
How do you make friends? The first step obviously is by communicating. As you start conversing with new people, a bond develops which gradually takes the shape of friendship.

However, a child who has Asperger’s syndrome falters in the first step itself. It is not that the child has poor language skills because of the disease. On the contrary, there are some children who have above-average skills as far as language is concerned. But, the problem arises in communication.

An Asperger’s syndrome patient fails to communicate effectively even plain things like recounting what has happened on a given day or simply narrating a tale or incident. They also lack the capability to read body language so that if someone tries to convey that he is hurt or unhappy, they are unable to understand them. This often comes in the way of making friends.

A grown-up man may try to understand and embrace someone suffering from the disorder. But, you cannot expect such maturity from children. Other kids often do not give a child with Asperger’s syndrome a chance or an opportunity to express himself. They are also sometimes a bit insensitive towards them which make such kids all the more aggressive and difficult to handle.

However, children with Asperger’s syndrome take a lot lesser time to make friends on social networking sites. This is because it rids them off the embarrassment of inter-personal communication. They find it much easier to express their thoughts and feelings on a networking site than in real life. Even if he takes time to react to a post or expression, there is no one to laugh at him or coax him to be fast and prompt. That is why most children who have some kind of developmental disorder make use of the net to do things that they dread doing in real life.

A child with this disorder, therefore, can still hope to make friends albeit with quite a bit of effort. Social networking sites can be the first step towards that goal. As they gain confidence, they can gradually extend a hand of friendship to kids in the real world as well.

With online friends, it is a different game altogether. It can be a bit tricky to judge the credibility of a friend you met on social networking sites such as Facebook or twitter. We all receive friend requests from time to time on such networking sites. We accept some and reject the others. However, a person does not become your friend merely because you accept his request. There is much more that is needed in order to be worthy of being called a friend.

It is true that it might take a lot more time than usual to test the friendship of an online mate. It is bound to happen because you cannot be totally sure that the person on the other end is actually speaking the truth or genuinely wants to be your friend without harboring any malicious intentions. But, in the same breath, it can also be said that it is not an impossible proposition. A little introspection and analysis can do the job.

There are some individuals who keep sending friend requests until you accept them. They show their eagerness to be your friend and express how obliged they would feel if you make them a part of your list. However, within months of yours doing so, they make the disappearing act leaving you in a state of bewilderment. The main intention of such friends is to increase their contacts list so that they can flaunt that they have n number of friends on Facebook. This is surely not the definition of a true friend.

Having a social networking account often means giving regular updates about your mental state and some information from your life that you would like to share with others. Does that friend whose request you accepted regularly post reactions and comments based on your wall posts? Can you gauge some amount of genuineness and honesty in his or her comments? If that is the case, your new friend surely seems to be moving towards that direction.

The acid test of a true friend lies in those trying times when you want to stay all alone and usually vent all your feelings on networking sites hoping only an online pal would console you without being judgmental. If you do not find any trace of him or her in this period, you would clearly get your answer. And if you do, you can feel happy thinking you have gained one more precious friend.

The route you take to find a friend does not matter. What really matters is to find someone as a friend who knows the definition of friendship and is also aware of how to keep it forever.

Adventure

It all began with a simple plan,
I borrowed dads old sedan.
Went to pick up best friend jenny,
Had to count every penny.

So excited about the road ahead,
During the night, we slept in shed.
So many new things, our young eyes saw,
Our minds and hearts were filled with awe.

This adventure was really cool,
Especially since we missed some school.
Once our parents figured we scammed,
Next few months, were slightly damned.

Let me say it was worth the trip,
Next time, we shall take a ship.
Life should be more than a routine chore,
Choose your friends, and go explore!

by Jennifer Wilson
www.short-friendship-poems.com