Symptoms of Asperger, How to Identify One with Asperger’s Syndrome

What is Asperger’s Syndrome and how do you identify those suffering from it? AS is a neurobiological disorder wherein people suffering from it have difficulty in language, cognitive, and behavioral development. Early detection and diagnosis of the disorder can offer help to the child suffering from it.

Language Features:

Like the normal child, those with Asperger’s Syndrome learn language at an early age. In fact there are those with AS who exhibit a wider vocabulary and grammar than those of normal children. But those with AS tend to be repetitive and stilted in their speech. They talk in monotone and do not show emotions during conversations. Most of the time, they talk about themselves.

Cognitive Traits:

The person with Asperger’s Syndrome is interested with very complicated and difficult subject matters. He would most likely be interested in history, music, patterns, and the weather. As such, he is most often thought to be weird and unconventional.

People with AS have normal to high IQs and verbal knowledge. But they do not do well in performance ability. Dyslexia, writing problems, and mathematical concepts are areas where AS sufferers have a difficult time. Most of them lack common sense and cannot grasp abstract ideas.

Behavior of AS Persons

The motor ability of persons with AS is different from the normal. Most of the time, these persons are clumsy. Some exhibit odd movements like flapping his hands. But unlike autistic kids, their sensory abilities are less striking. During conversations, they lack the necessary social skills to interact with other people. It is customary for them to put their faces in front of people they are talking with. Persons with AS do not usually make eye contact. They have very little perception of nonverbal communication and do not get the meaning of body language and facial expressions.

 How do you get Asperger’s Syndrome?

 Up to now what really causes Asperger’s syndrome still cannot be ascertained. There is a school of thought that tends to believe that it is hereditary. It seems that there is a close link between Asperger’s syndrome and depression and bipolar disorder. A study of the family tree of a person with AS reveals that most likely, there are other members of the family who have suffered from depression and bipolar disorder as well.

But there is still a chance for people diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. When detected early on, there is a chance for those with AS to function and live normal lives. With proper diagnosis, the appropriate treatment and therapy can be introduced at once. As such, people with AS can still live a normal life. Efforts in improving their language and cognitive skills will have to take precedence. It is also very critical that persons around them should understand the conditions and characteristics of people with AS. With the proper support and understanding from their family, caregivers, and teachers, those with AS can grow to be productive members of society.