WHILE most boys are playing football during lunch time, Robert tends to walk around the perimeter of his school yard thinking about one of his favourite things.

The electronics fanatic also wears a beanie a lot, so he can pull it down around his eyes and ears to block out light and noise when it bothers him.

Turning his world around: Robert, 9, who has Asperger's syndrome, with (back centre) author Amanda Curtis and his mother, Letizia Faba. Credit:Justin McManus

Robert, 9, has Asperger's syndrome - a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum that affects how his brain processes information. The condition means he lacks some social skills and finds it hard to read people's facial expressions. He also has a heightened sense of sight and sound and focuses on particular things obsessively.

Like many unique children, Robert has been teased at school and left out of group activities because children don't understand him. However, a new book designed to teach children about Asperger's is starting to turn his world around.