Summary
- Asperger syndrome (AS) is a term used to describe one of the disorders on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
- It is a pervasive developmental disorder that describes children and adults who present with autism but who have normal language and cognitive development.
Description Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive
developmental disorder characterised by an inability to understand how to
interact socially. AS, like autism, is characterised by limited social interaction, communication
skills and impaired imaginative abilities that can result in restricted or repetitive behaviours. Language and cognitive development are normal. Sometimes the term "high functioning autism" has been used to refer to this group of children and adults.
Symptoms Symptoms may include clumsy and
uncoordinated motor movements, social impairment with extreme
difficulty in understanding social cues, limited interests and/or unusual
preoccupations, repetitive routines or rituals, speech and language peculiarities,
and non-verbal communication problems.
Generally, children with AS
have few facial expressions
apart from anger or misery. AS is commonly recognised after the age of three. Some people with Asperger's syndrome are able to be very successful in a particular field and until recently
would not have been diagnosed as having the disorder, but would have been seen as brilliant, eccentric, absent minded, socially inept and a little awkward physically.
Although the criteria of AS state no significant delay in the development of language milestones, what one might see is a "different" way of using language. A child may have a wonderful vocabulary and even demonstrate hyperlexia (tendency to talk excessively), but not truly understand
the nuances of language and have difficulty with pragmatics. They may also enjoy playing with language by making up new words and speaking in rhymes. Their tone of voice may be
unusual.
Some people with AS have an excellent rote memory and musical ability. They usually have
a very restricted interest range and can become intensely interested in or preoccupied with one or two subjects (sometimes to the exclusion of other topics). They may talk at length about a favourite
subject without being aware of the recipient's interest level in what they are saying, or repeat a word or phrase many times.
Social skills in people with AS are normally weak giving the impression that the person
is walking to the beat of a "different drum”. They tend to be "in their own world" and preoccupied with their own agenda. Motor dyspraxia can be reflected in a tendency to be clumsy.
Course Many children with AS can have the potential to grow up
to be independently functioning adults. Nonetheless, in most cases, these
individuals will continue to demonstrate disturbances in social interactions. There
is also an increased risk for development of psychosis (a mental disorder) and/or
mood problems such as depression and anxiety in later years.
Treatment
There is no specific course of treatment or cure for AS. Treatment, which is symptomatic
and rehabilitational, may include both psychosocial and psychopharmacological
interventions such as psychotherapy, parent education and training, behavioural
modification, social skills training, educational interventions, and/or medications
including psychostimulants, mood stabilizers, beta blockers, neuroleptics, and
tricyclic antidepressants.
(Reviewed by Noleen Seris, clinical psychologist)
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