This is the first of 5 blog series dedicated to Autism awareness month.
Asperger’s syndrome is one of the autism spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders, which is categorized based upon abnormalities of social interaction and communication. In particular, it is characterized by poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, and other peculiar mannerisms. Children with Asperger’s syndrome often have few facial expressions and have difficulty reading the body language of others; they might engage in obsessive routines and display an unusual sensitivity to sensory stimuli. Overall, people with Asperger’s Syndrome are capable of functioning in everyday life and are intelligent, but tend to be somewhat socially immature and may be seen by others as eccentric.The Syndrome is named after Hans Asperger, a Viennese pediatrician who first described set of behavior patterns in 1940.
It’s estimated that more than 400,000 families are affected by Asperger’s Syndrome. Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome appear to have normal life spans, but they have an increased prevalence of comorbid illness such as depression, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and tourette disorder.
Stay tuned for the next blog on how to find out if a child has Asperger’s syndrome.
Resources:
Northern County Psychiatric Associates
Global and Regional Asperger’s Syndrome Partnership (GRASP)
Books related to this topic:
Can I Tell You About Asperger Syndrome?: A Guide for Friends and Family
[...] This blog is continued from the blog series part 1 [...]
[...] Asperger’s syndrome is a type of autism is characterized by rigidity of thought and behavior, limited verbal and non-verbal communication, difficulty with social relationships, motor delays. It requires great effort by parents, teachers, and professionals to help children with Asperger’s grow professional. Here are 10 tips on how to teach children in the classroom setting. [...]