Please give advise about working with someone who displays symptoms of aspergers. The group the person works with have to have a meeting to decide what to talk about at the meeting proper because of this person. She seems unable to understand that she should not be disloyal outside the workplace.She seems to not understand the normal conventions of working with a group. She has been disciplined before about her inability to get on with her colleagues. She is causing a lot of problems and discontent among the rest of the staff.It is a serious matter because the group are working with public health matters and patients are becoming disturbed by her behaviour.

-- Kathleen Tregellas (kathleen.tregellas@btinternet.com), February 10, 2001

Answers

The situation you are describing has a number of aspects to it. The interests of patients, issues concerning the treatment of a person who may have a disability. You indicated the person has symptoms of Aspergers Syndrome. Perhaps this person is affected, but is not diagnosed as such. I think that you need professional assistance on the ground. A human resources professional, perhaps a mental health professional to assist the human resources person. It may be that the person you are concerned with needs to be referred or evaluated for services that she might need.

My best advice would be to go to the next level up in your organization, lay out the situation, and ask for guidance and assistance in handling this situation. If the person you are dealing with is affected by Asperger Syndrome, especially if the person may not realize it, you may want to keep in mind that the problematic behavior is likely to be unintentional. I wish I could give you a quicker and simpler answer, but I think your situation is too complex for that, and requires professional guidance.

Maureen Garde

-- Maureen Garde (mgarde@superlink.net), February 10, 2001.