Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome is part of the autism spectrum, a variety of different disorders that include traits that are found in autism and traits that belong to a particular disorder. Asperger's Syndrome is said to be the highest functioning of the disorders in the spectrum, but that does not mean it is an easy thing to be dealt with.

People with Asperger's Syndrome share traits with autism, such as an extreme lack of social skills, and a strong preference for sameness in a routine. Yet unlike those with autism, people with Asperger's usually begin talking at around the age of 2, the normal age for speech to develop. People with Asperger's can have normal to high above average intelligence.

Children with Asperger's typically develop a very large vocabulary, but lack the social instincts and skills needed to relate with others. They may not recognize verbal or nonverbal cues, or grasp the norms of society such as the concept of personal space or taking turns speaking with others. While having excellent vocabularies and no speech delays, people with Asperger's may have trouble with accent, tone or pitch while speaking, making their speech odd sounding or hard to understand. Difficulties expressing their own feelings and perceiving others' can make it hard to make and keep friends.

Children with Asperger's often have very limited interests, like building with blocks or drawing, and rarely play more social games such as playing pretend or with dolls. They often are most comfortable with a fixed routine and dislike change. They may lack good coordination and motor skills, exhibit unusual facial expressions and body postures and gestures, and be somewhat clumsy.

The exact cause of Asperger's is not known. It appears to run in families, suggesting a genetic link, but a distinct similarity between different cases has not been found yet.

Treatment for Asperger's is usually tailored to meet an individual's needs. Communication and social skills training is recommended while medication tends to be avoided.

Males are diagnosed with Asperger's at least 3 to 5 times more often than females are.

As many as 3 out of 10,000 people have Asperger's Syndrome, and are aware of it.