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Comedian Elie Semoun confided in his 27-year-old son, Antoine, diagnosed with Asperger’s autism. In the columns of the magazine Here, he looks back on the difficult relationship he had with him when he was younger.
“He is the pride of my life. And knowing it finally in harmony with itself is a huge relief for me”. It is with these words that Elie Semoun confides in the subject of his son Antoine, 27 years old and autistic Asperger. A young man who has now become a painter, under the pseudonym of Andy Santori.
A disorder that the comedian has not been able to manage
Born in 1995 from his union with Annie Florence Jeannesson, Antoine is a premature baby. As a child, he will be diagnosed with Asperger’s autism, a particular type of autism spectrum disorder, which sometimes isolates those who suffer from it. “I was hard on him for a long time, in denial of his difference. I was exasperated by his immobility, I think that I was above all very worried about him and that I did not know how to express it otherwise” explains Elie Semoun.
What is Asperger’s autism?
Asperger’s syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People suffering from this disorder of genetic origin present difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, have repetitive and routine behaviors and have difficulties in social integration.
What difficulties do these people face?
In general, people with Asperger’s syndrome decode information from their environment less well. They have difficulty holding a conversation, decoding non-verbal signals, understanding emotions.
They also tend to be clumsy, with coordination issues and motor difficulties. Moreover, activities requiring coordination and/or balance are more difficult to acquire, such as cycling for example.
Finally, if Aspergers have a good level of language with an elaborate vocabulary, they do not understand all the meanings. Most people with Asperger’s have an intelligence quotient slightly above average. They also often have facilities in mental calculation and have an excellent memory.
Several signs are present in children affected by Asperger’s autism. Here are a few :
- The child appears insolent, impulsive or insensitive without realizing it;
- He does not always know how to express his emotions;
- He may have difficulty speaking or finding adequate words to explain his anxiety;
- He does not manage to apprehend the thoughts of others, to understand their feelings or their emotions;
- He has few friends and rarely plays with other children his age;
- He has trouble sleeping or eating.
In any case, in the slightest doubt, it is necessary to speak to a doctor or a pediatrician.