ALthough your son may be content in his own little world it is possible that his way of being may eventually cause him some distress. For instance, he will find that his peers have a whole world apart from him and this gap will continue to grow into adulthood until he has very little in common with anyone his age. Then, when it comes time to work in the real world, he may lack the necessary social skills to function adequately. Your description of your son suggests he might even have Asperger's Syndrome - a high functioning form of autism. The only way to know for sure is to have him assessed by a professional. If he does have this syndrome, or even if he doesn't, he may benefit from remedial therapy that gives him a few more social skills - just enough to stay in the game and not get too far behind. Talk to you son and explain that while he isn't suffering at all, his future will be better if he can perform at least at the minimal level socially. Right now he has excused himself from the game. Tell him you want to take preventative steps to ensure that he will always be as happy and successful as he can be.    Sarah Chana

My son who is very much like yours did get a diagnosis of Asperger's. He received some excellent therapy that helped him respond better to people. I believe now that he may be able to get married one day and I know for sure he'll do better at work because of his new skills.