Gathering contacts, dispelling myths and setting up an Asperger's support group in Dunedin is the hope of Aspiehelp co-manager Leith McMurray.
The idea of a public meeting being held tonight at the Dunedin South Presbyterian Church was to try to gather together people with Asperger syndrome to create a network and gauge support for a support group in Dunedin, Ms McMurray said.
It would be for people with the syndrome and their families.
''There have been some `Aspies' in Dunedin saying `we really need some help down here','' Ms McMurray said.
''It's a way for people with Asperger's to catch up and be able to relax.
''It's not going to cost much money [to set up]. It's more a case of finding a meeting place.''
People with Asperger's understood each other and had ''enormous fun together'' so the support group had been a ''popular request'', Ms McMurray said.
She had helped set up and run a Christchurch support group, which had been operating successfully for about five years.
It was funded entirely by charitable organisations and donations.
There were almost 1700 people of all ages with Asperger's in Dunedin and Ms McMurray hoped to have a good number of those attend the meeting.
The meeting starts at 7pm.
The myths
Asperger syndrome. -
• Asperger's is just bad parenting.
''Meltdowns and shutdowns'' are a sign of extreme stress.
• That all people with Asperger's are ''handicapped''
They vary in intelligence but most are highly intelligent.
• That all people with Asperger's are maths/computer geniuses
They have ''special interests'' that they often know a great deal about.
• That people with Asperger's are rude and inconsiderate
A lack of understanding of social rules, conversational skills and an inability to read others means they are prone to ''social blunders''.
• That people with Asperger's are violent
They are no more likely to be violent than any other group of people and are more likely to be victims of violence.
Source: Aspiehelp
