About Autism

Asperger’s syndrome (also known as Asperger’s Disorder) was first  described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger, who  observed autism-like behaviors and difficulties with social and  communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language  development. Many professionals felt Asperger’s syndrome was simply a  milder form of autism and used the term “high-functioning autism” to  describe these individuals. Uta Frith, a professor at the Institute of  Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and editor of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger’s as “having a dash of autism.”

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. In 2013, the DSM-5 replaced Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders with the umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

What distinguishes Asperger’s Disorder from classic autism are its  less severe symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with  Asperger’s Disorder may be only mildly affected, and they frequently  have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a  child with Asperger’s Disorder may just seem like a neurotypical child  behaving differently.

Children with autism are frequently viewed as aloof and uninterested  in others. This is not the case with Asperger’s Disorder. Individuals  with Asperger’s Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction  with others, but often they don’t know how to do it. They may be  socially awkward, not understand conventional social rules or show a  lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem unengaged in a  conversation and not understand the use of gestures or sarcasm.

Their interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive.  Children with Asperger’s Disorder often like to collect categories of  things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in  knowledge categories of information, such as baseball statistics or  Latin names of flowers. They may have good rote memory skills but  struggle with abstract concepts.

One of the major differences between Asperger’s Disorder and autism  is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger’s. In fact,  children with Asperger’s Disorder frequently have good language skills;  they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be  unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature, or may be formal,  but too loud or high-pitched. Children with Asperger’s Disorder may not  understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they  may not understand the give-and-take nature of a conversation.

Another distinction between Asperger’s Disorder and autism concerns  cognitive ability. While some individuals with autism have intellectual  disabilities, by definition, a person with Asperger’s Disorder cannot  have a “clinically significant” cognitive delay, and most possess  average to above-average intelligence.

While motor difficulties are not a specific criterion for Asperger’s,  children with Asperger’s Disorder frequently have motor skill delays  and may appear clumsy or awkward.

Diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder has increased in recent years,  although it is unclear whether it is more prevalent or more  professionals are detecting it. When Asperger’s and autism were  considered separate disorders under the DSM-IV, the symptoms  for Asperger’s Disorder were the same as those listed for autism;  however, children with Asperger’s do not have delays in the area of  communication and language. In fact, to be diagnosed with Asperger’s, a  child must have normal language development as well as normal  intelligence. The DSM-IV criteria for Asperger’s specified that  the individual must have “severe and sustained impairment in social  interaction, and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of  behavior, interests and activities that must cause clinically  significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas  of functioning.”

The first step to diagnosis is an assessment, including a  developmental history and observation. This should be done by medical  professionals experienced with autism and other PDDs. Early diagnosis is  also important as children with Asperger’s Disorder who are diagnosed  and treated early in life have an increased chance of being successful  in school and eventually living independently.

Contact us for information on Asperger’s resources, including support groups and websites.