Richard the genius autistic in a whirl of his own (From Stroud News and Journal)

Richard the genius autistic in a whirl of his own

Linda Diggory went to meet with Richard Townsend a ten-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome and his mother Louise at his school in Amberley.

THE first impression is of a boy like any other.

But just a few minutes of conversation dispels that image.

Extraordinarily articulate and opinionated about subjects he enjoys, he seems old beyond his years, like a miniature science boffin.

This is Richard. He is ten and has Asperger syndrome.

His mother, Louise and father Richard are intensely proud of their first born as is his sister eight-year-old, Elizabeth (Beanie).

Richard attends Amberley Parochial School where his three best friends since playgroup days, Carla, Kalan-Mai and Emily are enthusiastic about their friendship.

"We have been friends since we were babies," said Emily.

"To me he is normal."

"He is honest and very good to talk to. If one of us is upset he will comfort us and give us a hug," said Kalan-Mai.

Carla added: "Some of the boys make fun because he goes round with girls."

His mother, Louise said the girls' friendship has been invaluable at school as they help and understand his particular needs.

And her praise of Amberley school is glowing.

Disorganisation is Richard's biggest problem - at school Emily helps him organise his drawer and get the right things out for each lesson.

Another is Richard's strange fear of dead flowers.

"He is very good with spiders," said Louise.

"He will lift them very gently out of the bath in his hands and take them into the garden.

"But he has a phobia about dead flowers so the girls look out for them and warn him."

His sister Beanie acts as a personal organiser, helping him get ready for school, a daily rigmorole that Louise freely admits can be wearing.

"I prefer the company of girls," Richard said.

"Boys are a lot more aggresive, they are into rough play.

"I am happy not to play football, I enjoy running round in circles and thinking about cars and the stories that I read and write."

"He writes countless letters to the district council," laughed Louise.

"I am worried they will think these strange letters come from his dad but fortunately he is too disorganised to send them yet."

"He wrote an article on a Theoretical Method for Producing Sustained Nuclear Fusion about six months ago.

"I couldn't understand it so I gave it to one of the teachers, Mrs Dyson to show to her husband who's a scientist.

"But when Mrs Dyson told Richard that her husband said it wasn't possible to produce sustained nuclear fusion, Richard replied 'I know that - that's why it's 'theoretical'."

Louise and her husband knew when Richard was a baby that their son was different in some way.

"But we also didn't know if they were differences that were extraordinary," said Louise.

"He had a high reading age so we thought, so what if he is different - it was hard to work out what was going on.

"But by the time Richard was diagnosed by a school doctor at the age of six, it had got to the stage that people were giving me articles about Asperger's syndrome and suggesting I should read them."

Tests show that although Richard is very advanced in certain areas he is behind in speech and social skills.

Louise would advise anyone who thinks their child shows symptoms of autism to get a diagnosis.

"Understanding is a huge comfort," explained Louise.

"It helps us get on because he can't tell us how he feels.

"For instance we used to get frustrated with him at the swimming pool because he spent his entire time under the water.

"But we went to a talk by the internationally reknowned speaker on the subject,

Wendy Lawson who explained how water is a wonderful environment for autistic people and that helped us understand.

After diagnosis the family joined the Stroud Autistic Support Group a move Louise would strongly recommend.

"It is wonderful to share your experiences with other familes," said Louise.

"And it increases your understanding of your child immensely." Louise has no regrets at having had a child with Asperger's syndrome.

"I was very hurt when he was little because he never missed me," she said.

"He was totally self contained and I thought am I such a bad mother that he can't wait to see the back of me?

"But he is delightful and I am so proud of him.

"He had a drama teacher who used to say sit down everyone and she used to think Richard was being naughty because he would remain whirling around the room.

"But Richard just doesn't think of himself in the context of 'everyone', he is unique, he stands alone.

"That's Richard."

For more on this story and much more, see this week's Stroud News & Journal