How to Identify Asperger's Syndrome
Hans Asperger, an Austrian pediatrician, first noted patterns or signs of this syndrome in 1944. Now seen as a high-functioning type of autism (which has tripled in the United States in the last decade), Asperger's is demonstrated by certain characteristics visible in young children from the ages of 5 or 6, if not earlier. Teachers and special education professionals, as well as those in pediatrics, are struggling to keep up with the staggering numbers of children diagnosed--and to meet their special needs appropriately.
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Instructions
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Identifying Asperger's Syndrome
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Look for difficulty with language skills. Asperger's generally means atypical acquisition or use of language. How is language used? Children tend to show trouble with language learning when using traditional methods taught in school. Verbal processing may be impaired with this disorder, so that children appear awkward in communicating, whether with strangers or peers. Intonation can lack feeling or nuance. For example, unusually fast, loud or incoherent speech could also be an indication of Asperger's. Also, look for a more literal use of language and lack of recognition or naivete when it comes to humor, metaphor or nuance in speech.
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Monitor social interaction. See if the child seems impaired in nonverbal communication such as facial expression, eye contact and gesture. Does the child show empathy with others? Or do responses seem forced or one-sided? Repetition (both in language use and behavior) as well as unusual focus on a topic can emerge as signs of this disorder. Interaction may appear rigid rather than spontaneous. (However, note that many young children become overly focused on a particular interest such as an animal or other topic.)
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Observe clumsy motor skills. Children with Asperger's may tend to be uneasy with large motor skills and appear awkward or rigid when attempting activities that require particular cordination. In terms of small motor, tics or other repetitive physical movement can characterize the syndrome.
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Ask a teacher or special education professional at the school for testing, which will probably be administered by the school psychologist. The child will be diagnosed according to the testing norms. Or, if you prefer, express your concerns to the child's pediatrician who will arrange formal testing.
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Tips & Warnings
Tony Attwood's classic on the subject, "Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals," has proved a revelation for many parents who recognize their child in the detailed discussion within. This seminal work has been translated into numerous languages and serves as a guidebook or handbook on the topic.
