Getting to Know Asperger

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a subtype of autism. This syndrome shares many features with autism. There is just the discrepancy that AS people did not experience language delay and they have very high IQ. This case can only be identified at a later part of the childhood, around 6-8 years old.

The Asperger characteristic has only been known and described as such in the 1940's and it was acknowledged officially only in 1994. This is considered to be the mildest in the autism spectrum. The cause is still unknown. Same with the classic autism, this is more likely to occur in boys. The child with Asperger Syndrome is more likely to display disinterest in many things, difficulty in socializing and communicating and may be observed doing repetitive gestures.

Relatively good verbal communication skills can be observed from the child with AS. They may be able to speak and enunciate very well. They can also have very high intelligence. These distinguish AS from the other kinds of autism.

However, there will be non-verbal communication skills that will still be apparent, like limitations on the variety of interests or failure to relate completely to another person. The kid may have a high IQ but would be very low in his or her emotional intelligence.

The Different Manifestations of Asperger Syndrome

There are many ways to detect if a child or a person has the Asperger Syndrome. Physically there really is no difference. The discrepancy makes itself obvious only upon the actual interaction.

1. There may be dreadful habits or mannerisms that he would not even care about what other people think.

2. They are also mistaken to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, because they also display difficulty in paying attention and insisting on doing what keeps them interested.

3. You detect consistent preoccupation and restriction to a certain interest. They may be specifically interested in math, sciences, and history and ignore or refuse to comprehend the other fields out there.

4. The kid cannot make proper use of non-verbal behaviors to interact. They can observe what is being done but they often cannot understand or comprehend.

5. Your child cannot reciprocate socially and emotionally, like not being able to return a bear hug. They may also not be able to acknowledge the feelings of another.

6. He or she experiences difficulty in sharing the experiences of others.

7. The child cannot establish peer relationships that are proper to his or her age group, or unable to interact.

Is There Really a Difference?

The only difference of people with AS to the rest of the 'normal' world is on the way they use this language to interact and express himself. The HOW makes the big difference that sets them apart.

He or she may use words that are not appropriate to the topic, either it is too formal or too abstract. They may have very wide vocabularies but they would not be able to use the proper word in a given situation. Their humor may not be appreciated by the majority or usually their intellect perceives something as funny that ordinary people could not conjure in their minds.

Although there are many characteristics that seem to separate kids with Asperger Syndrome from the ordinary ones, in reality, many of them grow up to be useful adults. They may even be successful, especially if they are in their field of interest.

They may not be socially popular but they still have the potentials that can be tapped to contribute to the order and development of the society.