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What are the Symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome?

Lily Ruha
Lily Ruha

The symptoms of Asperger's syndrome include a combination of strengths and challenges. Individuals with Asperger's syndrome often possess an average to above-average IQ, with good vocabulary and grammatical skills, and an ability to memorize facts. The challenging signs of Asperger's syndrome include a narrow field of interest in life, excessive engagement in repetitive tasks and an inability to read social cues and to empathize with others.

Classified as part of the autism spectrum of disorders, an individual with Asperger's syndrome has a difficult time communicating and socializing with others. An adult with Asperger's, for example, may dominate a group conversation, giving a speech in a monotone voice rather than conversing. He is unable to recognize that others want to speak or that they may not be interested in the topic. In general, the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome include an inability to understand social cues and non-verbal communication.

A person with Asperger's might spend endless hours reviewing a multiplication table without probing other areas of mathematics.
A person with Asperger's might spend endless hours reviewing a multiplication table without probing other areas of mathematics.

People with Asperger's syndrome are prone to carrying out rituals and routines that fall into a narrow scope of activities and interests. A young girl with Asperger's with an interest in mathematics, for example, might spend endless hours reviewing multiplication tables without probing other areas of mathematics. A young boy with an interest in surfing might spend eight hours a day surfing to the exclusion of all other activities. Oftentimes, the narrow field of interest leaves little room for learning problem-solving skills and interacting with other aspects of life.

Although children with Asperger's are often bullied growing up, the disorder is typically not diagnosed until adulthood.
Although children with Asperger's are often bullied growing up, the disorder is typically not diagnosed until adulthood.

The symptoms of Asperger's syndrome are similar to autism in some respects and different in other ways. The similarities are in the inability to socially relate to others, a narrow focus in activities, difficulty understanding idioms and pragmatic language, engaging in repetitive tasks and difficulty in problem solving. In contrast to autism, individuals with Asperger's syndrome socially engage more with others, generally do not experience cognitive development delays and demonstrate greater language proficiency.

A child with Asperger's may have difficulty socializing and making friends.
A child with Asperger's may have difficulty socializing and making friends.

The strengths observed in people with this disorder, in some cases, lead to outstanding achievements. The ability to memorize and absorb facts can help the individual become the best in his field. The natural tendency to engage in repetitive tasks can help the person excel in work or sports in which repeated practice leads to skill mastery. Some individuals with Asperger's syndrome excel in fields wherein social or communication skills are not crucial to achievement.

Many children and teens with Asperger's syndrome are highly intelligent.
Many children and teens with Asperger's syndrome are highly intelligent.

The symptoms of Asperger's syndrome present themselves differently depending on the age of the person, his developmental stage and the extent of social support systems in place. Males are more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder than females. Some individuals with the condition can improve social skills through treatments that focus on curbing repetitive habits and improving communication skills.

Discussion Comments

Crispety

BrickBack - I understand that autism treatment can be quite extensive and pretty expensive.

Toni Braxton, the famous singer and spokesperson for Autism Speaks notes that typical care for children with autism can cost up to $100,000 a year.

These children often need occupational therapy to build their fine motor skills as well as physical therapy to help them with their gross motor skills.

In addition, many children seeking autism treatment need behavioral therapy that includes sensory integration, role playing, and the development of stories that will help the child with autism understand social cues better.

Sensory integration may involve having the child hear or touch certain textures while in therapy. With autism early intervention really makes a difference in the quality of life over the long haul.

BrickBack

Comfyshoes - I have read that too. I have to add that when my daughter was in first grade there was a child in her school that had signs of aspergers.

He had trouble socially and appeared to show no

emotion ever. He was intellectually gifted but eventually left the school because he started to get into trouble.

He never made eye contact and the other children could not relate to him which is why he always got in trouble. It looked like he was needing attention.

comfyshoes

I just wanted to say that my friend’s son was diagnosed with having autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum means that there are varying degrees of autism and some cases may be more severe than others.

For example, some children may be mute, while other do have developmental speech delays but at least they can converse.

In fact one of the signs of autism involves a child not uttering any words by the age two. This will usually be detected during your wellness visit with your child’s pediatrician.

Besides the speech impairment children with autistic symptoms also avoid eye contact and sometimes may act socially inappropriate.

For example, my friend’s son would spend time rocking himself back and forth and then he wanted to sit on my son’s lap. Children with this condition also have trouble understanding boundaries like this because they cannot read social cues at all.

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    • A person with Asperger's might spend endless hours reviewing a multiplication table without probing other areas of mathematics.
      By: doomu
      A person with Asperger's might spend endless hours reviewing a multiplication table without probing other areas of mathematics.
    • Although children with Asperger's are often bullied growing up, the disorder is typically not diagnosed until adulthood.
      By: michaeljung
      Although children with Asperger's are often bullied growing up, the disorder is typically not diagnosed until adulthood.
    • A child with Asperger's may have difficulty socializing and making friends.
      By: Elenathewise
      A child with Asperger's may have difficulty socializing and making friends.
    • Many children and teens with Asperger's syndrome are highly intelligent.
      By: Igor Mojzes
      Many children and teens with Asperger's syndrome are highly intelligent.
    • People with Asperger's may feel awkward in social situations.
      By: iofoto
      People with Asperger's may feel awkward in social situations.
    • Adults with Asperger's tend to avoid eye contact and are often awkward in social situations.
      By: Monkey Business
      Adults with Asperger's tend to avoid eye contact and are often awkward in social situations.