Although there is no cure for Asperger's syndrome, it is possible to mask the symptoms and overcome the challenges by learning appropriate social skills, staying in a comfort zone and having a good support structure . A person with Asperger's syndrome faces many daily challenges, such as carrying on a conversation or looking someone in the eye while speaking. Jacob, the main character of House Rules, by Jodi Picoult, learns to live with these challenges and behave as normally as possible. “Asperger syndrome, also called Asperger disorder, is a type of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). PDDs are a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of many basic skills, particularly the ability to socialize with children others, to communicate and use the imagination" ("WebMD"). Emma, ​​Jacob's mother, is his support structure. She adjusts his diet and prepares gluten-free meals for Jacob every night. Gluten can aggravate the behavior of people with Asperger's syndrome ("Your Little Professor"). Emma does Jacob's laundry but lets him put it away. For example, Jacob says, “When my mother puts away my clothes, I keep them in the order of the rainbow, ROYGBIV, and the colors cannot touch each other” (Picoult 22). People with Asperger's syndrome don't handle change very well. Jacob, for example, has a routine from which he rarely deviates. “Everything new must be introduced early and prepared for, whether it is a dentist appointment, a vacation, or a transfer student joining his math class mid-year” (Picoult 10). Jacob and Emma went shopping at 11:00, expecting the sample seller to be there, as she is every day. At 11:15 she wasn't there. Jacob had a nervous breakdown, and Emma pinned him to the ground and sang a......middle of paper......_problems>."Mayo Clinic." Asperger's syndrome. 05 November 2010. . April 13, 2011/DS00551/DSECTION=cause> Syndrome. "Medical terms." Definition of Asperger syndrome. April 29, 2004. . 13 April 2011 "National Autistic Society". Asperger's syndrome. 05 April 2011. . April 13, 2011 .Picoult, Jodi. House rules. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010. “PubMed Health.” Asperger's syndrome. April 26, 2010. ADAM. April 13, 2011 "Your little professor." Develop social skills. . . April 13, 2011 .