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What is it?

Asperger syndrome is one of the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD. Also called Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)) (other disorders in this spectrum include autism, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder), in which people have difficulties understanding how to interact socially.

Who gets it?

It’s not known exactly how many people there are with Asperger’s, and the estimation is anywhere between 1 in 250 people to 1 in 10,000 people.

Asperger syndrome is more common in males (4 times as much as in females). It’s most commonly discovered in the early school years.

What causes it?

The exact cause isn’t known. Since it tends to run in families, there might be a genetic reason for it.

How does it feel?

There are a few things that characterize people with Asperger’s:

1. Problems with social interaction – This includes -
   a. Problems using or understanding non-verbal cues, such as eye-to-eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, and gestures. For example. They will not understand a wink of the eye, the meaning of a face that shows disgust (for example) and so on.
   b. Problems developing relationships with others. It’s not that they don’t approach other people, but often it’s done awkwardly, such as by starting a one-sided speech about their favorite subject without understanding the listener’s reactions, such as the need for privacy or haste to leave. People may misinterpret this as being insensitive, which isn’t the case (they just can’t “read” the body language).
   c. People with Asperger’s will not try to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.

   
   A smile. A person with Asperger syndrome might not understand the meaning behind it. Photo by *Zara.

2. Repeated behavior – This is also called “stereotyped behavior” -
   a. For example, they may stick to inflexible routines, move in repetitive ways.
   b. They may have interest in specific and narrow topics (such as deep fat fryers) without understanding the broader topic. For example, memorizing camera model numbers without a care for photography.

Those are the main features of Asperger’s, although there are others, such as language problems.

The following video is a documentary about Asperger Syndrome, made about David Jordan, who was diagnosed in 2002 -

Another good example is Dr. Virginia Dixon on the show Grey’s Anatomy (she was portrayed by actress Mary McDonnell on season 5). An excellent read on Asperger’s is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is told from the perspective of a boy with Asperger’s.

How is it discovered?

Usually Asperger’s isn’t diagnosed until about age 3, when social problems become apparent (although it might be diagnosed before that).

The doctor will diagnose Asperger’s based on the child’s story and examination.

How is it treated?

The treatment involves communication and social skills training. There are also appropriate educational services for people with Asperger’s.

What happens after treatment?

With effective treatment, children with Asperger Syndrome can learn to cope with their disabilities, but they may still find social situations and personal relationships challenging. Many adults with AS are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life.

There is no known way to prevent Asperger syndrome.

For further reading, you can visit the Life With Aspergers Blog or Marc’s Autism – Asperger’s Syndrome Blog.

What next?

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