Asperger’s Syndrome: Symptoms And Facts

Asperger’s syndrome is a neurobiological disorder that causes an abnormality. It mainly influences social behavior. This syndrome is relatively common. It affects between three and five children per 1000 children, between the ages of seven and sixteen. Asperger’s syndrome is more common in males.

This condition was discovered by Hans Asperger. The Austrian pediatrician discovered the syndrome in 1944. He noted that some abnormalities in children’s behavior followed certain patterns. It has recently been shown that Asperger’s syndrome follows a steady course and can last a lifetime. However, the symptoms can improve with the treatment the patients receive.

The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also called DSM 4, approached Asperger’s syndrome as a disorder in its own right. In the DSM 5, however, this syndrome falls under the subcategory of autism. On that basis, each person who suffers from it is given a diagnosis in the autistic spectrum.

Currently, a wide variety of diseases fall on the autistic spectrum. This category contains several abnormalities that differ greatly in severity. People who suffer from Asperger’s syndrome fall into the higher segment of functioning of the autism spectrum.

Characteristics

Asperger’s syndrome is not very well known among the general population, even among medical personnel. It is not easy to diagnose because the condition is not very clear.  The people who have this form of autism also look completely normal. Their intelligence is normal and it is even normal for them to have special abilities in certain areas.

However, it can be recognized by certain forms of social behavior that are not quite appropriate. Their performance is normal in everyday life, but they are immature when it comes to social relationships. It is quite possible that this makes people think that someone with Asperger’s syndrome, for example, is eccentric. People with Asperger’s syndrome may also have problems with certain motor skills, but at first glance this may just be perceived as clumsiness.

Symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome

Brain scans of people with Asperger’s syndrome show no common patterns. Scientists suspect that the cause of this disease is genetic. This is because it often happens that several people from the same family suffer from it. However, there is still no absolute certainty about this. What scientists do know is what the typical symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome are. These include:

• Decreased Interests
• Lack of motor skills

• Low tolerance for frustration
• Difficulty making friends
• Excellent ability to recognize patterns
• Excessive Emotional Reactions
• Strong urge for routine (and fear if this routine is broken)
• Emotional outbursts that have little to do with the situation
• Difficulty making eye contact or forcing eye contact
• Selective stupidity. These people only speak to people they feel comfortable with (this symptom usually stops with therapy)
• Often it also happens that these people talk in a very strange way. For example, they may speak in a lilting tone or with an accent that seems strange or artificial
• Tendency to interpret language literally (e.g. they don’t understand figurative language)

• Lack of interest in what others have to say and it takes a lot of them to have long conversations
• They don’t understand the rules of games and want to make up their own rules
• Inability to feel empathy. They have difficulty understanding both the body language and feelings of others

Diagnosis and Prognosis

As has been said, Asperger’s syndrome is very difficult to diagnose. When a child shows symptoms of this syndrome, others usually interpret these symptoms as problems with their character. This poses a serious problem, as early intervention significantly improves the prognosis.

The professional who makes this diagnosis is a specialist in the field of child psychiatry. The first thing this specialist does is make a comprehensive psychological evaluation of the child. Among other things, he will examine communication skills and establish a thorough history of the symptoms identified.

Many people with Asperger’s syndrome can successfully perform most of their activities independently. During childhood, the affected children need a lot of support from their parents and teachers. Hence, the adults around the child with Asperger’s syndrome should know exactly how to act in certain situations.