Oh my gosh this child you mention is exactly like my son. He ALWAYS did things at his own pace. From potty to walking to talking to social aspect. I don't have him enrol in any outside activities last year and was thinking this is the year to do it. Which I have a feeling will help him a whole lot. I think kids are being not mean but may misunderstand him and in turn he gets the impression of the kids are meaning mean to him.
When I talk to his teacher last year they said they didn't notice the kids being mean to him but at the same token and i believe it my son was not making any effort of trying to make friends in his class. Almost like he is ok with that. He has his best friend at school who is currently in grade 2 and he is So empathetic that when I tell him to make friends in the class he was crying to me and said he didn't want to hurt his best friends feeling by making more buddies. IT was the sweeting thing I ever witness. But I think with kids like my son it's hard to comprehend you can have a BBF but still play with other kids as well. Again it's the whole social confusion Asperger people go through I believe.
He is happy however always has been. Extremely loving always kisses his Mommy and Daddy and now baby sister so your right he made such progress and I am so proud of him for that. I think in time he will come around as long as we continue to openly communicate with one another as we do.
It sounds as if he is slowly making progress. That's great! I am a teacher. Last school year, I had a child suspected of Asperger. He was a walking encyclopedia of whales! All he read were non-fiction books and comprehended those very well. He had trouble comprehending fiction, though. He had trouble making friends at school as well. It wasn't that the other children were mean to him, he just isolated himself. Socialization problems are part of Aspergers. This child (4th grade) was slowly coming around toward the end of the school year. He even had a girlfriend! WOW. It takes time. This child socialized outside of the school setting a little better than in school. He played organized sports on teams. And YES they are very smart. I encouraged this child to socialize more, but he had to do it at his own pace. He rarely even hugged his mother. He didn't like to be very close. I eventually even got hugs from him on about a weekly basis. I believe it just takes lots of continuous encouragement for everyone. It is difficult, I'm sure, to watch your child not making friends. Is he happy? That's what matters. Are others truely being mean to him or is this his impression? If there is a situation, it should be dealt with. Does his teacher witness anyone being mean to him? Keep up the encouragement and support and try not to worry too much.
Karen