hat Is Aspergers Disorder? Understanding The Nature Of The Beast

By Benjamin Sayer

The question 'What is Aspergers?' can be answered expediently by way of definition: Aspergers disorder, also known as Aspergers Syndrome or autistic psychopathy, is a neurobiological condition which falls within the group of childhood disorders classified as pervasive development disorders.

The namesake of Aspergers disorder is Hans Asperger, a Viennese physician who in 1944 published a description of behavioral patters in male youths who displayed normal intellect and linguistic capacity but compromised social functioning and communication skills. It holds some parallels to autism, however children with Aspergers disorder rarely experience equivalent difficulties in language acquisition to those children who have autism.

Parents of children with Aspergers disorder are no longer left to ponder 'what is aspergers' insofar as it is now classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (text revised) as being a developmental disorder of childhood. However, the symptoms of aspergers disorder in children or individuals can be problematic and concerning pre-diagnosis.

The primary features are as follows:

1. Severe impairment of social reasoning & interaction including:

• A reduced appreciation of non-verbal communication, such as eye contact, body language, and facial expressions.
  
  
  
  




• A latency in developing age appropriate peer relationships.
  
  
  
  




• A lack of reciprocity, and spontaneity in engaging in shared interests with others, coupled with a notable lack of empathetic emotion.

2. Repetative patterns of behavior including:

• A pre-occupation with an interest or activity, often singular objects or parts of objects, which is extenuated by abnormal focus and intensity.
  
  
  
  




• Rigid adherence to routines or rituals.
  
  
  
  




• Repetative motor activities such as finger tapping, head motion, or more complex body movements.

What is often lacking in children with Aspergers disorder is any significant delay in general language capacity. Most children progress with normal development in infancy and are capable of communicating with phrases by the age of 3. Other children with Aspergers in fact display high degrees of functioning in specific areas, which can give rise to behavioral eccentricities. This at times can place additional emphasis on the social awkwardness of these children and serves to further alienate them from their peer group.

Similarly, Aspergers Disorder children can display normal cognitive development and the appropriation of self help skills, adaptive behavior and natural curiosity. However, basal motor coordination may be diminished, and as such children may present as somewhat clumsy, and lack coordination.

Focusing again on the question of what is Aspergers, it is noteworthy that the profession is somewhat divided as to whether Aspergers disorder equates to a form of High Functioning Autism, or whether it is more appropriately categorized as a Non-verbal Learning Disability.

Certainly the diagnosis of the condition has become more advanced, but if the question what is aspergers remains yet to be comprehensively answered, it begs the question as to how effectively it can be treated.

To find out more information on the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of aspergers syndrome, visit The Insight On Aspergers Syndrome Website.

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Aspergers Syndrome and Emotional Regulation

By Nelle Frances

Children with Aspergers Syndrome have difficulty managing their emotions, particularly with recognising and understanding feelings and expressing their emotions appropriately. AS children usually have intense feelings that often overwhelm them - this is caused by their lack of emotional aptitude.

Neurotypicals enjoy 'emotional competence', which allows them to manage their interactions with others more effectively - they find ways to cope and adjust their behaviour to better suit the current situation.

Aspergers Syndrome children are usually impulsive, which deprives them of the ability to think things through and see the consequences of their actions. They do not recognise the physical reactions of emotions such as fear or excitement, as being signs of emotion, and so they miss vital clues that would enable them to regulate their feelings.

Children with Aspergers Syndrome use mimicry in situations as a coping strategy, so they may utter phrases they've heard on TV or repeat something you've said. They develop a "script" to use in a variety of situations - mostly when dealing with conflict or confrontation. This is why sometimes what they say doesn't seem to "fit" the situation.

Children with Aspergers Syndrome are not able to generalize any emotional competence skills they do have, and adapt them to new circumstances. This means their judgement of certain situations is incorrect - they can appear to lack common sense. Neurotypicals use feelings to help them interpret rules and make exceptions, whereas children with Aspergers Syndrome are black and white in their thinking.

Being fact driven, children with Aspergers Syndrome tend to focus on facts and overlook their feelings, because this makes better sense to them. Emotions help neurotypicals shape their morals and value systems; therefore not interpreting emotions correctly can negatively influence the principles your AS child develops. It's important to take the time to "debrief" your Aspergers child after any major emotional 'incident' to ensure they've drawn the correct conclusions.

It's important to aim to expand your AS child's emotional vocabulary. Children usually begin with three basic emotions - happy, sad, and angry. Work at increasing your Asperger child's emotional vocabulary to include excited, surprised, worried, proud, embarrassed, content, peaceful and a feeling of anticipation etc. Use magazines to find pictures and label them. Ensure you explain that emotions look 'different' on different people, and find as many different examples of an emotion as you can to highlight this.

Concentrate your efforts to expand your AS child's emotional vocabulary on members of your family first- Mum, Dad and siblings, as these relationships are the most important in your child's life, and understanding each other's emotions more accurately will help to create a calmer environment for all of you. You may like to take photos of each other displaying emotions and label them. Show variations of facial expression for each emotion and note their body language as well. You may like to make a game, using a mirror to capture facial expressions.

Once you've practised recognising emotions from facial expressions, enhance this knowledge by linking emotions to situations. E.g. "What would embarrass you?", "What would make you proud?" etc.

Complex emotional concepts, such as conflicting emotions, are more difficult to understand and explain to children with Aspergers Syndrome. After focussing on simple emotions for a month or two you should introduce a scenario containing conflicting emotions and discuss at length, once a week. However, the black and white thinking of children with Aspergers Syndrome may never allow the dexterity to deal with emotionally complex situations such as this, on their own.

Working to maintain and increase your Asperger child's emotional competence is perhaps the most rewarding and worthwhile task you will undertake, in your journey on his/her path to an independent, happy life. After all, the key to successful relationships of all kinds lies in emotional competence.

©Nelle Frances

www.nellefrances.com

http://www.nellefrances.com offers resources, strategies, articles and links on Aspergers Syndrome for parents and teachers. Nelle Frances is the mother of a 15 year old with Asperger's Syndrome, a Special Needs Educator and Author of the Ben and His Helmet series of books for Asperger children.

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Aspergers Syndrome And Literal Meanings

By Nelle Frances

In looking at the early language history of children with Aspergers Syndrome, there is no clear pattern: some have normal or even early achievement of milestones while others have delays in speech. Frequently children with Aspergers Syndrome display language characteristics such as repetitive sayings or the use of catch phrases they’ve heard on Television, at the movies, or on the radio.



However, a common feature of Aspergers Syndrome language difficulties is their tendency to misinterpret information, particularly idiomatic or literal language. Literal meanings can cause real angst to the Asperger child for a number of reasons. Aside from not comprehending the abstract meaning behind an idiom, literal language arouses a number of internal rules for the AS child e.g. the rule issue; truth issues; and trust issues.



Take for example the adage “In a minute”.



Rest assured your Aspergers Syndrome child will be counting backwards from 60 the moment you utter these words. When the issue isn’t resolved “in a minute” those internal rules come to life.



“She said ‘In a minute’, so why isn’t she keeping to it?” (Rule)



“Why didn’t she tell the truth?” (Truth)



“I can’t believe anything she tells me ever again!” (Trust)



When we neurotypicals use an expression such as “In a minute” we mean an indeterminate amount of time – as long as it takes to finish what we are doing. We all “get” that abstract or implied meaning. Asperger children don’t. When a friend told her Asperger child “Just a second”, he replied “One….I’m ready”.



Take the time to make sure your use of everyday language follows the “Aspergers Syndrome rules”, especially in times of stress when an inconsiderate choice of words could be the “straw that broke the camel’s back!”



In our family we have a competition to find unusual or new idioms. This gives rise to discussion and explanation, which helps to clear up any confusion. After many years of using this strategy with our Asperger son we are still managing to discover new phrases!



©Nelle Frances



About the Author: Nelle Frances is the mother of a 15 year old with Asperger's Syndrome, a Special Needs Educator and Author of the Ben and His Helmet series of books for Asperger children. Her site http://www.nellefrances.com offers resources, strategies and articles on Aspergers Syndrome for parents and teachers.



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All About Aspergers Syndrome

Submitted by: ian

If your child has recently been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, then you likely have more questions than answers about this little-known diagnosis.

This article presents answers to some of parents' most common questions about Aspergers Syndrome.

What IS Aspergers Syndrome?

Aspergers Syndrome, named for Hans Asperger, an Austrian physician, is a milder form of autistic disorder. Both conditions are part of a larger group of neurological disorders known in the US as Pervasive Developmental Disorders, or PDD for short. The 2 most common symptoms are eccentric behavior and self-imposed social isolation. Sometimes speech is affected as well as gait and motor skills. Your child may also be exclusively focused on a particular area of interest, such as cars or astronomy. The social isolation comes from the child wanting to know everything about his or her area of interest and little else. Conversations are usually focused only on that area as well.

What causes Aspergers Syndrome?

Experts believe that Aspergers and autism have underlying biological causes, but are not clear yet on what those causes are. They do know that there are certain brain structure abnormalities, but do not know why they occur.

How are Aspergers Syndrome and autism different?

Aspergers usually begins later in childhood and has a more hopeful outlook. The child tends to function at a higher level with Aspergers too. Aspergers children tend to be clumsy, but overall have less neurological deficits than autistic children.

How does the doctor know for sure that my child has Aspergers Syndrome?

Diagnosis of most any mental/emotional disorder tends to be one of ruling out other conditions and noting certain patterns of behavior. There is no definitive test for Aspergers, but there are certain patterns, including:

* Significant impairment in social interaction, as demonstrated by:
- impaired nonverbal communication
- failure to develop age-appropriate peer relationships
- lack of shared enjoyment of activities/surroundings with others
- unable to reciprocate socially and/or emotionally

* Repeated patterns of behavior or interest, such as:
- abnormal intensity of interest in one or two specific areas
- rigid rituals that serve no functional purpose
- repetitive mannerisms, such as hand or finger flapping
- persistently preoccupied with parts of objects

* Significant impairment in developmental areas of functioning (social, occupational and other areas)

* No significant delay in language

* No significant delay in cognitive development or learning of age-appropriate self-care skills

If your child meets one or more of the above criteria, then your doctor may suspect Aspergers.

Is my child crazy or mentally ill?

Aspergers Syndrome in and of itself is not a mental illness; it is a developmental disorder. However, it is fairly commonly associated with the following conditions:

* Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
* Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
* Depression
* Bipolar Disorder
* Generalized Anxiety Disorder
* Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

How is Aspergers Syndrome treated?

There aren't any treatments for Aspergers that will make it 'go away.' However, by using a combination of approaches that address the three core symptoms of the disorder (poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines and physical clumsiness); you can help your child live a fairly normal life. It's also important to start treatment as early as possible. The treatment approaches your doctor recommends may include:

* Psychotherapy
* Parent education & training
* Behavior modification
* Social skills training
* Educational interventions
* Medications, such as stimulants, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and SSRIs

Is there any cure for Aspergers Syndrome?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition, and children do not 'grow out' of it either. It is likely that your child will always find social situations and personal relationships to be challenging. But many adults with Aspergers are able to live healthy, productive lives, although they may always need support to do so.

What do I need to do as a parent of a child with Aspergers Syndrome?

The most important thing you can do is to get your child into a treatment regime early and then stick with it, even during the tough times. It will be worth it in the long run if you take steps to support your child's progress and help him or her adjust and adapt. You can serve as case manager or coordinator, and try to involve all of your child's caregivers in treatment as much as you can. You should teach your child self-help skills as he/she grows and develops. Look for treatment and educational programs that address your child's problem areas. Get support for yourself too. You won't be at your best with your child if you're exhausted and frustrated.

Hopefully, these answers have addressed some of your most pressing questions. To learn more, search for information on the Web at reputable sites or look for a book at your local bookstore. Also, talk with your pediatrician and never be afraid to keep asking questions until you get answers you can understand.

About Author: For more Aspergers Articles by Ian Williamson please visit http://www.real-articles.com/Category/Add/212

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Aspergers Syndrome - Who It Affects and How

By Oddvar Nilsen

Asperger syndrome is also known as AS for short. This is a form of autism, but only because it is associated with the neurological condition of the body. Neurological conditions that affect the language skills and the communication skills are affected by this disorder. The children who are suffering with Asperger syndrome are repetitive in just about everything they do, and seem to love habitual behaviors, and patterns in their life. Children who have Aspergers may not even show signs of this disease until they are a few years old, after they have learned to walk and talk like other children normally do.

A child with Aspergers syndrome is often not going to be one that is social, not even with their brothers and sisters. The child will prefer to be alone, to focus on their interest, their patterns, and their intense study of the topic they love the most. Narrow interests are signs of Asperger’s syndrome, where the child may focus on something natural, man made or just of their own interest.

This could include automobiles, how things run, or the stars, or another language, or the movements of any particular object. Children who suffer with Aspergers syndrome are going to learn how to ride a bike, and how to catch a ball, but it will take longer, as they are not going to be interested in the social interaction, in the time it takes to learn these skills, as they would rather be focused on something else.

Children who suffer with Aspergers syndrome can learn to be a functioning part of the family unit, and of society. There are times when the child grows that they will still find it difficult to cope in social situations and in personal relationship but these are feelings that can be overcome and that can be worked on to maintain a healthy functioning lifestyle. Moral support and continued encouragement from those who love the person are going to aid the person who is dealing with Aspergers to over come their feelings and their focus on one interests to broaden their intellect and abilities in all types of things for life.

A study was done in Sweden where it found that 36 out of 10,000 children had the symptoms of Aspergers syndrome. This is quite a high number, and thoughts are that the real numbers are actually higher. Some children who were never tested for Asperger’s have grown up to lead very normal lives, and it is thought that about 30% of those who have Aspergers syndrome are never diagnosed at all.

There are no real characteristics that are exactly ‘the same’ that those who have Apsergers are going to display. The general similarities are there, but only a physician is going to be able to determine the underlying causes and needs. The emotional state of someone who has Aspergers is one that always seems to be fragile, but over time, one will learn to cope and change this habit of feeling and being highly emotional.


Oddvar Nilsen writes about a variety of subjects. He is the owner of http://www.aspergerssyndrome-online.info where you find more information of Aspergers syndrome.

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Aspergers Syndrome And Personal Hygiene

By Nelle Frances

A common behaviour characteristic in children with Aspergers Syndrome appears to be a dislike of grooming and personal hygiene habits. Aspergers children of all ages seem to have difficulty establishing sound hygiene routines in the areas of bathing/showering, washing hair, brushing hair, hair cuts, cleaning teeth and changing clothes. Far from being lazy or slovenly, the source of the problem seems to stem from the sensory sensitivities associated with Aspergers Syndrome, particularly with tactile sensitivities.

The skin of an adolescent covers approximately 5 ½ square metres (18 square feet) and is our boundary between self and the world. It comprises about 5 million nerve endings (or touch receptors) and is extremely sensitive. In other words, our skin is our external nervous system. Touch receptors communicate information about pain, pressure, heat and cold, vibration and texture.

This may clarify the difficulty children with Aspergers Syndrome seem to have with showering. Our AS son will take a bath quite happily (for the most part!) but rarely showers, explaining to us that taking a shower “is a nightmare”, likening the feeling of the water spray against his skin as “tiny daggers stabbing me”. When he was aged about 9-13 he would often go into the bathroom and “pretend” to shower, by running the water for a reasonable amount of time, and then changing into his pyjamas. Taking a bath can present problems too, with Asperger children not liking the noticeable change in temperature and how that feels on their body, from warm bath to cool air.

The nervous system of children with Aspergers Syndrome is always on high alert, and their brains interpret touch in unexpected ways e.g. instead of being calmed by a gentle hug, they may become agitated or tense. Sometimes even anticipating being touched can trigger a fight or flight response in an AS child.

Additionally, poor vestibular system functioning means Aspergers Syndrome children often feel unsteady on their feet, and usually suffer from gravitational insecurity e.g. dislike of being upside-down, being suspended in mid-air or having their feet off the ground. This can mean that the simple act of bending forward or backward over a sink to have their hair washed can create dizziness, anxiety or mild panic.

Some Aspergers children fear falling over if they shut their eyes. Imagine then the distress experienced by simply washing their face in the shower. (Perhaps this is why our son always seemed to have soap in his eyes – he may have kept them open when washing his face and hair!) This fear of falling comes from a proprioceptive (bodily sense of self) imbalance – a common trait in those with Aspergers Syndrome.

Getting dressed and feeling comfortable in clothing is another area of distress for AS children. Irritations can occur from loose fitting clothing touching the skin, and tags or labels scratching. Clothes that are too stiff or too tight also cause problems. Clothing is usually chosen for comfort – for this reason our son insisted on wearing the same clothes each day, and it was our job to ensure they were clean and ready to be worn! This seemingly obsessional preference extended to his school uniform. Even though he had 3 sets of uniform (shorts and shirts) only 1 set was deemed comfortable enough to tolerate. He could distinguish his favourites by the length of the shorts and the sleeves of his shirt. Incredulously these only differed in length from the other sets by as little as 3mm (1/8 inch).

Cleaning teeth may also present challenges for children with Aspergers Syndrome. Problems in this area of grooming can be for a variety of reasons, from not liking the taste of toothpaste or experiencing burning or stinging from it, to having sensitive teeth and gums (their gums may become tender, bruised or actually bleed from brushing). I recommend trying a variety of toothpaste flavours and also using an electric toothbrush. Be sure to model the correct procedure for brushing teeth to your Asperger child. Our son brushes his teeth much the same way he brushes his hair (the word ‘brush’ is the same, so the procedure must be the same!). Your AS child may never brush his/her teeth for the recommended 2-3 minutes each time, however it’s important to focus on establishing the twice a day routine.

Dislike or distress at brushing their hair or having a haircut seems to be a common obstacle with Aspergers children. AS children usually have very sensitive scalps and skulls (our son would become hysterical when he bumped his head, and would tell me he could feel his brain ‘rattle’ or move). We were never able to go to a Salon to have his hair cut, and I had to add Hairdresser to my list of talents! He would refer to the process as a “Hairs Cut”, because he could feel each of his hairs being cut. He recently explained that the change in the weight of the hair produced by the haircut was what caused him so much distress, as well as feeling exposed and vulnerable by losing the ‘protective’ barrier his hair created between him and the world.

Using deodorant or anti-perspirant sprays is another area of discomfort for children with Aspergers Syndrome. The shock of the cold spray on their warm armpit coupled with the quite high-powered aerosol delivery causes genuine alarm and discomfort. Most deodorants are strongly scented, which also bombards a sensory sensitive Asperger child.

So whether your Asperger child is 4 or 24, personal hygiene and grooming may continue to cause distress through their sensory sensitivities. Using visual reminders/timetables to encourage the completion of daily grooming tasks can be helpful in establishing good routines. Being mindful of their sensitivities and being prepared to compromise helps too.

Look for ways to minimize their distress while completing their grooming e.g. suggest a bath instead of a shower, minimize temperature variations when bathing, use a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner to reduce time spent in the shower, provide a soft bristled electric toothbrush and bland tasting toothpaste, and experiment with unscented roll-on deodorants or natural crystal anti-perspirants. Being empathetic and talking with your Asperger child about their discomfort in the grooming process will help them develop better personal hygiene habits.

©Nelle Frances
http://www.nellefrances.com

About the Author: Nelle Frances is the mother of a 15 year old with Asperger's Syndrome, a Special Needs Educator and Author of the Ben and His Helmet series of books for Asperger children. Her site http://www.nellefrances.com offers resources, strategies and articles on Aspergers Syndrome for parents and teachers.

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Full Detailed Information on Aspergers Disorder

by Ricky Hussey

Asperger's Disorder is a milder variant of Autistic Disorder. Both Asperger's Disorder and Autistic Disorder are in fact subgroups of a larger diagnostic category. This larger category is called either Autistic Spectrum Disorders, mostly in European countries, or Pervasive Developmental Disorders ("PDD"), in the United States. In Asperger's Disorder, affected individuals are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication.

Causes

Doctors and researchers don't understand what causes Asperger's syndrome, although there seems to be a strong genetic component. The disorder also seems to be linked to structural abnormalities in several regions of the brain.

Signs and Symptoms

The following are a number of signs and symptoms that might be present in a child with AS:

* inappropriate or minimal social interactions
* conversations almost always revolving around self rather than others
* "scripted," "robotic," or repetitive speech
* lack of "common sense"
* problems with reading, math, or writing skills

How Common Is Asperger's Syndrome?

Asperger's syndrome has only recently been recognized as a unique disorder. For that reason, the exact number of people with the disorder is unknown, although it is more common than autism. Estimates suggest Asperger's syndrome affects from 0.024% to 0.36% of children. It is more common in males than in females, and usually is first diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 6 years.

Treatment

Asperger syndrome treatment attempts to manage distressing symptoms and to teach age-appropriate social, communication and vocational skills that are not naturally acquired during development with intervention tailored to the needs of the individual child, based on multidisciplinary assessment. Although progress has been made, data supporting the efficacy of particular interventions are limited.

The ideal treatment for AS coordinates therapies that address core symptoms of the disorder, including poor communication skills and obsessive or repetitive routines. While most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better, there is no single best treatment package. AS treatment resembles that of other high-functioning ASDs, except that it takes into account the linguistic capabilities, verbal strengths, and nonverbal vulnerabilities of individuals with AS.

Hopefully this short article will provide useful information for you of the signs and characteristics of Aspergers and a greater understanding of how this may affect that person's emotional stability. This will help you to relate better to those people and support you both in planning effective interventions.

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