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• Monday, January 12, 2009 09:03 PM

  It does *not* sound like the girl has Asperger's.

  I knew it was only a matter of time before someone brought it up, and what it is is a way to blame the poor girl for her own problems instead of her parents.

  But then I'm not a diagnostician. I fully agree that she should probably be evaluated by a professional. She could indeed have some kind of developmental disability--Asperger's is but one of a whole array of possibilities. She could have other inherited mental health issues. But seriously, none of the adults responsible for her seem to like or care about her very much, with the possible exception of the nanny, and appear to have taught her no life skills whatsoever.

  Yes, even if you don't have Asperger's, you have to be taught life skills. My otherwise very normal, intelligent, 27-year-old roommate, for instance, doesn't know how to take out the trash. I couldn't figure out why. Then her mother came to visit. The woman stuffed coffee grounds and eggshells underneath the trash can liner rather than take it out when it was full. My roommate never learned to take out the trash because her mother never learned to take out the trash.

  What do you expect of a girl whose parents have ignored her for six years? It sounds like if someone who loved her made a committment to teaching her a few things and giving her the attention--and probably mental health care--that she needs, she still has a decent chance of turning out okay.

  —firefly82 Read firefly82's other letters
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