The Basics of Asperger's Syndrome

John is an eight year old male who enters my office and is engrossed in Angry Birds on his Kindle Fire. His mom asks him for the device and he mumbles and it is obvious he is not ready to give it up. The mother proceeds to take it from him and he screams at the top of his lungs. He runs to one of my chairs and climbs in with his backside to me. He says he is not going to talk that he wants to play Angry Birds. I tell him in here, this is his special time and that he can say and do almost anything he likes.

You see, I am a child therapist and I work with children with many kinds of problems. As we proceed with the session, he climbs under the chair, kicking his shoes off in the process and climbs on to the bottom shelf of my book shelf and bangs his head. You may be wondering at this point, what is wrong with John. Is he just being oppositional? Actually, John has what is commonly termed Asperger's Syndrome. There are several symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome. They may include all or some of these characteristics:

· Problems reading social cues

· Dislikes changes in routines

· May appear to lack empathy

· May be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tones

· May avoid eye contact with others

· May have unusual facial expressions

· May be preoccupied with one or more things

· May have one-sided conversations

· Delayed motor development

· Have high sensitivity to noise

This list is not all-inclusive. These are typical behaviors seen in children. John does not like a change in routine, so when he came into counseling, this was totally new and different. His way of coping was to try to make me go away with his behaviors. John sees me the same time each week now. He comes in and asks how long he has until he can leave. He pulls out a game and we play. When you ask him questions his answers reflect his stuffed animal or something else he finds comforting. You cannot have a long drawn out conversation with what he did with his friends. He has no friends according to him because he is so different. I read him a story of a cat that is different then all his friends and ask him if he feels like that. He cannot answer. He has no vocabulary for feelings and has difficulty relating to other things or other people.

Asperger's Syndrome is considered to be an autism spectrum disorder. There are questions as to whether it really exists and whether it is a form of high functioning autism. Asperger's Syndrome was named after a pediatrician Hans Asperger, MD who noted strange behaviors in some of his patients. Specifically they had poor non-verbal skills, demonstrated limited empathy towards others, and where physically clumsy. There is no exact cause of the syndrome and there is no single treatment. Typically, cognitive behavioral therapy interventions are used to teach appropriate social skills. Despite this, social and communication skill deficits may be present. There is no cure.

John likes to talk about Egypt. So we talk about Egypt. He tells me of this cartoon movie that takes place in Egypt and he takes everything it says about Egypt literally. I read him a book about what makes him worry. He says losing his stuffed animal. He has a specific name for it and losing his cats. I ask him if he gets worried can he count to five and take a deep breath and we practice belly breathing. Does it carry over to other things in his daily life, I don't know. I just know he had a bad day at school, refused to do his work because it involved writing and he can't write. He then proceeded to climb underneath the desk and tear up his work book.

My place of employment is near the fire department and when the alarm goes off, John jumps up and says what's that and wants me to make it stop. I tell him that they are testing the fire sirens. He quiets down, as they are now over. He will ask me how much time we have left and when I tell him it is time to clean up and he says "good" and runs out of my office, into the waiting room, and tells his mom it is time to go.

Every week we run through a roller coaster of emotions with Asperger's kids. We go slowly one step at a time and savor the awesomeness that the experience can bring.

Carolyn L. Nelson is a licensed clinical social worker who has been in the field over 20 years. She writes for her Blog at http://blog.therapistscornerblog.com/

She also can be reached at her website at http://www.therapistscornerblog.com/

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What Is Asperger's Syndrome And How Does It Affect Adults?

Asperger's syndrome is a development disorder related to the autistic spectrum, but at a much higher level of functioning. Unlike those with autism, those who have Asperger's syndrome generally learn the same way average people do, learning to speak at a young age and eventually attending school in the same classes and at the same age of their peers. Like autism however, those with Asperger's syndrome may have trouble understanding social or communication skills. This often results in being viewed as 'weird' by those around them who aren't familiar with the disorder.

Asperger's syndrome is typically diagnosed at an early age, but because those who have it are on the higher functioning end of the autism scale, it can go undiagnosed well into adulthood. This has been especially common in the past when the disorder wasn't as well known and understood as it has become in recent years. Similar to autism, there is no cure and the exact cause of the disorder is unknown, however, it is possible to manage the symptoms, including clumsiness, obsessive routines, and sensitivity to environment changes. This is done with behavioral therapy, resulting in many adults with Asperger's syndrome appearing mostly 'normal' with the exception of lack of social skills.

The lack of social skills doesn't mean that all adults with Asperger's appear rude, but rather they have trouble understanding social cues. For example, it's not uncommon for those with Asperger's syndrome to share a deep passion for something, whether it be horses or molecules. They may want to talk about this passion constantly, despite the listener growing visibly annoyed. This is because they don't understand that sighing or looking at a watch means the listener is uninterested.

Due to this extreme passion, many adults with Asperger's syndrome end up excelling in careers involving their interest. It's not uncommon for adults with Asperger's to become CEO's or other high ranking positions, because unlike other employees, they don't spend their time socializing with others, but rather learning as much as humanly possible about their passion.

What is the Asperger syndrome diagnostic scale?

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale, also known as ASDS, is a tool used to screen for children who might meet criteria for Asperger's Syndrome. This quickly administered standardized test only takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It is appropriate for children ages five through 18 years old. Autism experts Brenda Smith Myles, Stacy Jones-Bock, and Richard L. Simpson first published the ASDS in 2000.

The screening tool is standardized and uses percentiles to give an AS Quotient. This score predicts the likelihood that a child or adolescent has Asperger's Syndrome. The test covers behaviors across several domains, including cognitive, maladaptive, social, sensory, motor, and language. The behaviors addressed are those behaviors typically seen in children with Asperger's, as well as behaviors that are seen in children without an Autistic Disorder. The test contains 50 questions, all which are answered with a yes or no to indicate whether the behavior occurs.

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale has an administrative qualification level of B. This means that individuals who administer the ASDS must have a degree from an accredited four-year college. This degree must be completed in psychology, counseling, or speech and language pathology. The individual must also have completed coursework in test interpretation, psychometrics, educational statistics, or measurement theory or a license indicating appropriate training in the ethics and competency required for using psychological tests.

The respondent for the ASDS can be one of several individuals who are very familiar with the child or adolescent being tested. Parents and siblings are often the primary respondents. The child's service providers, such as speech and language pathologists, therapists, and teachers can also act as respondents.

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale cannot be used in isolation to provide a diagnosis of Asperger's. The ASDS is a screening tool to indicate the likelihood of the individual having Asperger's. The AS Quotient can be used to indicate whether a professional should further evaluate the child in order to receive an official formal diagnosis.

One concern with the ASDS is that it has not been shown to reliably differentiate between Asperger Syndrome and the other subtypes of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since the symptoms of Asperger are also similar to the symptoms of PDD-NOS and Autistic Disorder, a qualified team of autism professionals must do further evaluation. This can help determine what subset of Autism Spectrum Disorder the individual has.

A benefit of the ASDS is that it not only provides an overall AS Quotient, but it also gives scores for each of the individual domains on the test. The individual results in the cognitive, language, social, maladaptive, and sensorimotor subscales can assist the professional in determining specific areas of deficit and difficulty in the child. These scores can be especially helpful in treatment planning and determining areas for further testing.

The results of the ADSD also have other non-clinical purposes. They can also be used to help draft goals for the child's IEP or school intervention plan. The test can also be given annually as a way to measure growth and progress across the different domains in an individual already diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome.

What types of Asperger's tests are available for adults?

Like previously stated, Asperger syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by significant impairments in social interaction and stereotyped patterns of behavior. What distinguishes Asperger Syndrome from other Autism Spectrum Disorders is the lack of any significant delay in language or cognitive ability. Asperger Syndrome is not as easy to diagnose as other disorders of the Autism Spectrum, so it is quite common for a person with Asperger to receive the diagnosis as an adult, even though the problems began in childhood. There are several tests and assessments that are designed to determine whether an adult has Asperger Syndrome or one of the other Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The ADI (Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised) is an interview-based assessment that is used to ask questions of a parent, or if the parent is not available, some other person who knew the individual as a child. The questions are designed to determine whether the adult had problems with social interactions as a child, and to rule out other forms of autism. The ADI is effective, but it is limited since the parent may no longer be available, and it takes about three hours to administer.

The AQ (Autism Spectrum Quotient) is a much shorter screening device used to identify adults who may have Asperger Syndrome or Autism. This instrument contains 50 questions that relate to the areas of social skill, attention switching, attention to detail, communication and imagination. The subject responds to each question with "definitely agree," "slightly agree," "slightly disagree" and "definitely disagree." The responses to these questions show the degree to which the subject has features typical of people with Autism or Asperger Syndrome.

Another Asperger screening instrument is the EQ (Empathy Quotient), a 15 item questionnaire used to determine the degree to which an individual cannot understand the feelings and thoughts of others. Though this is a really short assessment that focuses on only one area of development, it has a very strong correlation with the presence of Asperger Syndrome.

As a whole, Asperger's is a relatively misunderstood type of autism, especially on the Internet. Visit Asperger's in Adults to read more about Asperger's Syndrome and high functioning autism.

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Just What Is Asperger Syndrome?

People, both children and adults, that are affected with Asperger Syndrome are quite normal intellectually, but have very noticeable behavior patterns that could be characterized as "limiting". These limiting behaviors and characteristics have also been present since a very early age.

Some Asperger Syndrome Limitations

· Difficulty developing friendships

· Diminished capacity for body language - facial expressions, staring

· Lack of certain emotions like sympathy and empathy

· Inability to recognize social signals and cues

· Finds conversations difficult

· Obsessive interest in simple mechanisms

It affects children's motor skills like handwriting and can quite often manifest itself with noticeable hearing and touch sensitivities. Difficulty with expressing and putting thoughts into words and the inability to organize and manage time are also problems associated with an Asperger Syndrome child.

There are also some very positive aspects connected with how children and adults behave and think. These people with do not have a defective way of thinking. They just have a different way of thinking, and quite often have a strong need to seek truth, knowledge and perfection. They do this with a totally different set of priorities and perceptions than most other people.

A person with Asperger Syndrome is more concerned about solving a problem than satisfying others. Someone with Aspergers is more creative than co-operative. They are known for being able to speak their mind in a direct and honest manner, and also have very good knowledge of what is right and what is wrong.

People with Asperger's Syndrome often have mood swings and higher levels of sadness, anger and depression. They are loyal friends but may often enjoy being alone, finding it difficult to show or manage their emotions.

It can be hard for parents to tell when their child has Asperger Syndrome, and even more difficult trying to explain it to the child. However, it is important to be open and honest with your child. Educating your child needs to be a priority and taken seriously by both parents and teachers.

Your child will be much better off knowing that he or she has Asperger Syndrome, than wondering why they seem to be different from the other children around them. It is far better that a child knows and does not blame themselves for their inability to make friends at school. The sooner that your child knows, the more his or her self esteem will be preserved and the more the child will benefit.

Although we do not know what causes Asperger Syndrome, and there is no "cure" for it, there are programs and ways to help our children with expressing and managing emotions.

A good source that I found helpful is website called Children and Parents, where you can review some effective treatment programs and other helpful Asperger Syndrome publications.

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Is Asperger Syndrome Similar to Autism?

Asperger syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder listed amongst those of the autism spectrum disorders. It is often closely compared with high functioning autism and some arguments dictate that it should be negated altogether and simply classified with high functioning autism. This syndrome is classified by a pattern of symptoms instead of just one symptom, such as impairment in social interaction, restricted patterns of behavior, activities and interests, there is no delay really in cognitive development however a significant delay in language is present. Those diagnosed with Asperger display an intense preoccupation or interest with particular subjects. They display a habit of excessive language defined as one-sided. They however also display a tendency towards restricted rhythms in their speech patterns. Sometimes those with Asperger can be physically clumsy and prone to accidents.

Life with this syndrome can be difficult but not impossible. In fact, there are those of a certain mind that consider any form of disorder from the autism spectrum to be a difference, not a disability. These of this persuasion advocate the necessity of treating such people as having mere differences, believing that both sides should simply take steps at accepting the other and working towards an easy cohabitation. Children born with this disorder or any other of this nature are not sick. They were born and began developing differences in their neural make up. Their brains began developing at a different rate as their bodies progressed steadily at the norm. These children are faced with altered factors in life, but this in no way makes them negatively different. Yes, children with Asperger and other such disorders will develop differently from other children. They will learn things differently, see things differently, and react to outside stimuli in a different manner. Still, these children, while living with a neuro-developmental disorder should not be considered a stigma.

It is important for any parent or caregiver of an Asperger child to know that these feelings of anxiety, fear, depression and anger towards the unfairness of it, are normal and that a diagnosis of Asperger is in no way a reflection on the parent(s) themselves. To help matters there are a variety of support groups and educational materials available to the public regarding this disorder and those like can look it up. Finding someone to talk to, a therapist, close friend, or the parent of another Asperger child is essential and can help with piece of mind. In fact, finding a support group made of parents for children with developmental disorders such as this can be beneficial to the parent and the child, as well as the siblings.

While there is no cure so to speak for Asperger syndrome, there are therapies that can be administered to alleviate the major difficulties a child will have functioning in normal life. Integrating them into a learning situation with others like then will help. And working at compromise throughout their daily schedules can be of great importance. It can be stressful for caregivers at times, but it is stressful for those with Asperger as well. Patience and a nurturing attitude will help all around.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on Autism please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Comparing High Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome

High Functioning Autism (HFA) is often used to refer to someone which can not be officially identified as having autism. There isn't a precise agreed upon characterization to explain High-Function Autism. This may be a particularly grey area to describe, and whilst it can be a phrase commonly tossed round it is a complex one to pin down.

Different from classical autism that is pretty clear cut in key elements whereby these children usually are non-verbal, unengaged and also not able to succeed inside the common diagnostic examining. Children having High Functioning Autism might present with specified qualities categorised in autism though may have the capability to speak, read and write. Their particular cognitive potential appears to be greater in comparison with individuals with classical autism.

Its written that children having HFA have better IQ results when compared with individuals with classical autism. This on the other hand ought not to be viewed as an genuine description with IQ for all with classical autism mainly because their own capacity to reply to information and also communicate is weaker as a consequence could create unreliable low rating.

High Functioning Autism is very much the expression utilised in as a result conveying the particular level a child could work on the Spectrum. At this time there also appears to be a fine line relating to outlining a child having HFA compared to Asperger's Syndrome. It is often reported that a child which developed usual language behaviours in early years but exhibited social deficits typical to that associated with autism where consequently referred to as having Asperger, s Syndrome. Then the child which experienced late speech development (although they could have caught this up on in the future years) had been subsequently identified as HFA. Then again, experts at the moment are thinking about if speech progression is the simplest way to identify both.

Children having High Functioning Autism or Asperger's Syndrome are generally "limited within brain regions that will permit individuals to recognize subtle cues, " and quite often misunderstandings, literal interpretation, and/or sensory over stimulation can bring about overreactions, frustration, a small frustration building up a tolerance, tantrums, aggressiveness, showing up to have volatile temperament, self stimulation (stimming), anxiousness, despair, or even self harm. Most of these children may have interpersonal relationships that might come across to be "rude" by people, and quite often individuals on the spectrum find it hard to understand why they're not necessarily liked or perhaps regularly come to feel rejected.

ASPECTS OF HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM

Relatively better IQ when compared with individuals connected with classical autism

Not able to recognise emotional desires and also needs connected with other individuals

Could possibly lack sociable politeness for instance returning greetings

Could seem exceedingly dreamy and removed Make minimal eye contact which often leads people presume that they are shy, uninterested or maybe evasive

Moderate delay with speech development

Employ minimal emotional information within their interaction Tend not to recognize very simple social cues

Liking to schedule along with structure; OCD (obsessive compulsive) inclinations

Slight to mild difficulties with motor skills and also co-ordination often viewed as clumsiness

Demonstrate sensory dysfunctions which include wanting to smell everything, along with blocking ears to a number of noises

Therefore you will need to keep in mind High Functioning Autism is not really an official diagnostic expression. IT can often identify children who may have a few of the traits connected with autism yet failed to develop vocabulary on the standard scale. This kind of diagnosis however, can help in leading someone to acquire ideal therapies/treatments and also educational facilities. Treatment plans should really be basically comparable to that connected with Autism. Earlier detection plus intervention is really important and treatments/therapies should be considered to enhance social capabilities, individual communication, behavior, along with peer interactions. There isn't a fast solution or solution having said that efficient treatment plans can offer greater results regarding children within the spectrum.

Remember to visit http://theautismfactor.com/ and Get your Free copy of Charlene Proctors Autism -Where to Start Guide, where you will learn immediate strategies to help your loved one with Autism.

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