How to Diagnose Asperger's

Asperger Syndrome was discovered in 1940 by Hans Asperger who noticed a group of children with the same series of behaviors. There is no genetic testing that can tell a doctor if a child definitely has Asperger Syndrome, but taking a look at the series of behaviors discovered by Hans Asperger can give a doctor a good idea. Parents can also be on the lookout for these behaviors if they suspect their child has Asperger Syndrome.

Things You'll Need

• List of Asperger Syndrome behaviors
• Neurologist specializing in Asperger Syndrome

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Instructions

• 1

  Watch your child for signs of severely impaired social skills. This is one of the main behaviors exhibited by Asperger Syndrome patients. Asperger children have trouble maintaining a friendship, playing with children their own age and even holding a conversation.

• 2

  Look at your child's fine motor skills. Asperger children tend to be deficient in this area. They may have poor coordination causing them to fall or place a square block inside a square hole.

• 3

  Notice if your child is having any sensory issues. For example, your child won't eat yogurt or pudding because he doesn't like the way it feels in his mouth.

• 4

  Examine your child's language skills. Asperger children usually present with average or above intelligence, and can recognize vocabulary words above their grade level. At the same time, however, they have difficulty with pragmatic language skills. They may know what a word means, but can't figure out how to use it in a sentence.

• 5

  Pay attention to your child's mental health as well as her physical symptoms. Often children with Asperger Syndrome suffer anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder or even bipolar disorder.

• 6

  Look to see if your child has a special interest. Asperger children often take a special interest and become obsessed with it. This could be an interest in trains, dinosaurs, or even movie schedules. They learn so much about their special interest that they often become an expert in it.

• 7

  Keep a record of all of the behaviors your child exhibits. Schedule an appointment with a neurologist that specializes in children with autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger Syndrome. Have the doctor examine your child and review your list to get a diagnosis.