Aspergers Symptoms - Determine if your child may have Asperger's syndrome

Children with Asperger's Syndrome can be intelligent, articulate, and delightful, but display symptoms of difficulties. They are typically seen as being a bit 'odd'. While bright and talkative, a child with Asperger's doesn't interact in a socially typical way, and their difficulties can bring challenges to their ability to learn in a traditional school environment.

Yale University's Developmental Disabilities Clinic says, "In DSM-IV, the individual's history must show "a lack of any clinically significant general delay" in language acquisition, cognitive development and adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction). This contrasts with typical developmental accounts of autistic children who show marked deficits and deviance in these areas prior to the age of 3 years." and says:

The commonly described clinical features of the syndrome include:

1. paucity of empathy;
2. naive, inappropriate, one-sided social interaction, little ability to form friendships and consequent social isolation;
3. pedantic and monotonic speech;
4. poor nonverbal communication;
5. intense absorption in circumscribed topics such as the weather, facts about TV stations, railway tables or maps, which are learned in rote fashion and reflect poor understanding, conveying the impression of eccentricity; and
6. clumsy and ill-coordinated movements and odd posture.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes says, "The most distinguishing symptom of AS is a child’s obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other. Children with AS want to know everything about their topic of interest and their conversations with others will be about little else. Their expertise, high level of vocabulary, and formal speech patterns make them seem like little professors. Other characteristics of AS include repetitive routines or rituals; peculiarities in speech and language; socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior and the inability to interact successfully with peers; problems with non-verbal communication; and clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements."

"Children with AS have trouble reading social cues and recognizing other people's feelings. They may have strange movements or mannerisms. All of these make it difficult for them to make friends. Problems with motor skills are also common in children with AS. They may be late learning to ride a bike or catch a ball, for example. Treatment focuses on the three main symptoms: poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness." (continued below..)

According to Kids Health, "Asperger syndrome is characterized by poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, and other peculiar mannerisms. Children with AS often have few facial expressions and have difficulty reading the body language of others; they may engage in obsessive routines and may display an unusual sensitivity to sensory stimuli (for example, they may be bothered by a light that no one else notices; they may cover their ears to block out sounds in the environment; or they might prefer to wear clothing made only of a certain material). Overall, people with AS are quite capable of functioning in everyday life, but they tend to be somewhat socially immature and may be seen by others as odd or eccentric."

So, what are the prospects for your child living a healthy, happy, independent life? Given that children with Asperger's Syndrome have average or above average intelligence, and many of their issues are primarily social, with the proper treatments or interventions, the child can do quite well. While a child with Asperger's may not ever be totally free of their difficulties, the child can learn to function well in the world.

The Mayo Clinic's treatment recommendations are:

"The core signs of Asperger's syndrome can't be cured. But most children benefit from early specialized interventions that focus on behavior management and social skills training. Your doctor can help identify resources in your area that may work for your child. Options may include:

Communication and social skills training. Many children with Asperger's syndrome can learn the unwritten rules of socialization and communication when taught in an explicit and rote fashion, much like the way students learn foreign languages. Children with Asperger's syndrome may also learn how to speak in a more natural rhythm, as well as how to interpret communication techniques, such as gestures, eye contact, tone of voice, humor and sarcasm.
Cognitive behavior therapy. This general term encompasses many techniques aimed at curbing problem behaviors, such as interrupting, obsessions, meltdowns or angry outbursts, as well as developing skills like recognizing feelings and coping with anxiety. Cognitive behavior therapy usually focuses on training a child to recognize a troublesome situation — such as a new place or an event with lots of social demands — and then select a specific learned strategy to cope with the situation.
Medication. There are no medications to treat Asperger's syndrome. But some medications may improve specific behaviors — such as anxiety, depression or hyperactivity — that can occur in many children with Asperger's syndrome."

The National Institute of Health gives the following treatment information:

"Treatment depends on the patient's level of adaptive functioning. A high IQ will bring a better prognosis than a below-average one. For patients with severe impairment, treatment is similar to the treatment for autistic disorder."

Expectations

"As with most developmental disorders, the long-term outcome and prognosis will vary according to the nature of the underlying problem and the interventions used to support continued development. Recent studies have shown that a variety of treatment approaches can help improve social function. Because the patient may have average or above average intelligence, improvements in social function are particularly important."

While an initial diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome can seem like cause for despair, once you get to know more about the syndrome, you will feel more hopeful. If you can find and feed your child's strengths, particularly in subjects he is interested in, you will find great delight in inspiring your child to excel in his chosen area of expertise. I believe persons with Asperger's can make great contributions to society through their focused attention on topics of interest..(continued below)

If you have a child with Asperger's and are contemplating home schooling, you might find some of these books to be of benefit:

home schooling the Child With Asperger Syndrome

Choosing Home: Deciding to Homeschool With Asperger's Syndrome

Succeeding in College With Asperger Syndrome

Coping With Asperger Syndrome

Aspergers -Symptoms, Definition and Treatments