There are no specific tests to diagnose Asperger's syndrome. A medical specialist or team will talk to you and your child, and others in your family, and will observe your child to see if they meet certain criteria for Asperger's syndrome.
Problems are usually obvious by the age of 3, but children are often not diagnosed with Asperger syndrome until they are 7 years old. Your child's doctor will look for a group of behaviors.
About Asperger Syndrome
Many kids are diagnosed after age 3, with most diagnosed between the ages of 5 and 9. AS is characterized by poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, few facial expressions, and other peculiar mannerisms.
may have clumsy, uncoordinated movements, an odd posture or a rigid gait. may perform repetitive movements, such as hand or finger flapping. may engage in violent outbursts, self-injurious behaviors, tantrums or meltdowns. may be hypersensitive to sensory stimulation such as light, sound, and texture.
It's entirely possible that someone with Asperger syndrome would not present noticeable symptoms until later on in their lives. As social interactions become more complex, their difficulty in responding to and understanding those interactions becomes more pronounced.
Because Asperger syndrome varies widely from person to person, making a diagnosis can be difficult. It is often diagnosed later in children than autism and sometimes symptoms may not be recognised and diagnosed until adulthood.
Asperger's Syndrome
People with the disorder are said to fall somewhere along the "autism spectrum." Some are severely disabled, but others may only exhibit mild symptoms. IQ levels can also vary significantly. Those with normal and above-average intelligence are said to have high-functioning autism.
The cause of Asperger syndrome, like most ASDs, is not fully understood, but there is a strong genetic basis, which means it does tend to run in families. Multiple environmental factors are also thought to play an important role in the development of all ASDs.
Asperger's in adults typically causes issues with communication, emotion regulation and interpretation, social interactions, and behavior. People who have Asperger's may also experience other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or OCD.
Asperger's Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder a less severe form of autism.
Symptoms and characteristics of Asperger syndrome include unusual behaviors and difficulty with social interactions, such as: Standing too close to others. Talking incessantly about a single topic and not noticing that others are not listening. Not making eye contact when speaking to others.
Some of the effects of unaddressed or untreated Asperger's syndrome may include: Social isolation. Difficulty making and keeping friends. Challenges in finding and maintaining steady employment.
Asperger's syndrome affects a person's affect and manner more than it does any particular body part. Children with Asperger's syndrome speak very quickly and have a dull voice, and often have an unusually formal manner of speaking.
Main signs of autism
finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling. getting very anxious about social situations. finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to.
Asperger syndrome, or Asperger's, is a previously used diagnosis on the autism spectrum. In 2013, it became part of one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5).
Some people will have high functioning Asperger's, managing to have a fairly normal life, and others will struggle more.
Like people with autism, people with Asperger's syndrome have a dreadful time understanding what is going on, socially. They do not always pay attention to the social scene in which they find themselves, and even when they do, they are often not able to make sense of what they see, or to respond appropriately.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Because Asperger's syndrome is an Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is among the conditions that qualify for disability benefits.
Every person with Asperger Syndrome is developmentally delayed, not intellectually, but at the social-emotional level. This delay can be significant; for example, a 21-year-old may seem socially and emotionally more like a 14-year-old.
Genetics and brain abnormalities may be involved. We do know that Asperger's Syndrome is NOT the result of a child's upbringing or poor parenting. Asperger's Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder, meaning it is just a part of the child's brain development, whose causes are not fully understood.
Despite early theories suggesting the possibility, we now know that parenting style does not cause any of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. The number of individuals affected by Asperger's Syndrome is not well known, as an accurate diagnosis can be difficult to make.