About Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's syndrome, sometimes called just Asperger's or AS, is an autism spectrum disorder that restricts a patient socially and behaviorally. People with Asperger's syndrome do not have the linguistic and cognitive challenges found in other autism spectrum disorders, but there are still many hurdles to jump. With the proper education and medical care, however, patients with Asperger's can live independently, hold jobs and start families.

History

• Asperger's syndrome was first described in1944 by Dr. Hans Asperger, the physician who gave the condition its name. The term was popularized in 1981 in a report by researcher Lorna Wing. During his lifetime, Dr. Asperger's findings were ignored in part because he published in German during World War II. The condition wasn't actually standardized until1992, when doctors began challenging the norms of autism as set forth by Leo Kanner, also in the 1940s. Many pediatricians still have trouble diagnosing the condition. Dr. Asperger described the patterns he saw in children with this condition as including a lack of empathy, an intense interest in a specific hobby or subject, and clumsy movements.

Features

• At one time, Asperger's syndrome was lumped with autism, but patients with Asperger's typically function at a much higher level. Some have made a push to call Asperger's syndrome a difference instead of a disability. The most common characteristic of someone with Asperger's is an inability to emotionally understand other people. Those with Asperger's lack social skills, with actions like eye contract and facial expressions not coming naturally. Many Asperger's patients also need to have routines to feel comfortable, and they may have an intense interest in a very narrow subject. People with Asperger's also usually have sophisticated vocabularies but odd speech patterns. They may also be physically clumsy, with hearing problems, visual perception complications and sleep problems.

Misconceptions

• The biggest misconception about Asperger's patients is that they are mentally retarded. That's not true, and many patients with Asperger's live independent lives. Patients may need help learning to adjust to new situations, but Asperger's can be treated. Asperger's patients have become doctors, inventors, writers, even Nobel Prize winners.

Theories/Speculation

• No one knows for sure what causes Asperger's syndrome in children. There is strong evidences that Asperger's is determined during the first 2 months of development in the womb. New studies suggest that environmental factors may play a role, though genetic links have also been studied. No specific gene has been identified yet. One theory s that a group of genes puts a child at risk for Asperger's, and specific combinations and environmental factors determine whether or not a child will be affected.

Potential

• Because the cause of Asperger's syndrome hasn't been determined, there is no standard form of treatment. Some people believe that the condition doesn't need to be treated or cured at all. With education and care as a child, symptoms can actually decrease to the point that they don't meet diagnosis criteria anymore. Medication, cognitive behavior therapy, speech therapy, social skills training and physical/occupational therapy--along with new and innovative therapies--can combine to give patients with Asperger's syndrome great potential.