No one thing causes Asperger's syndrome. However, research suggests that certain factors during pregnancy and after birth may put a child at higher risk of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Those factors include: A chromosomal abnormality (such as fragile X syndrome).
The Likely Answer: There's No Single Cause
While the exact cause of Asperger's isn't known, many experts believe the disorder is probably triggered by a variety of factors. A combination of genetic, neurological, and environmental issues might work together to cause the syndrome.
Genetics and brain abnormalities may be involved. We do know that Asperger's Syndrome is NOT the result of a child's upbringing or poor parenting. Asperger's Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder, meaning it is just a part of the child's brain development, whose causes are not fully understood.
Symptoms Develop Later
It's entirely possible that someone with Asperger syndrome would not present noticeable symptoms until later on in their lives. As social interactions become more complex, their difficulty in responding to and understanding those interactions becomes more pronounced.
The cause of Asperger syndrome, like most ASDs, is not fully understood, but there is a strong genetic basis, which means it does tend to run in families. Multiple environmental factors are also thought to play an important role in the development of all ASDs.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
Siblings with autism share about 66 percent of their genetic material from their father and only about 30 percent from their mother. However, this was a surprising finding with many potential explanations including the complex interaction of parental DNA.
People with ASD typically crave routine and respond negatively to change. They may engage in repetitive behaviors as part of their routine. People with ASD may also behave differently in response to sensory stimuli. They may display under sensitivity or over sensitivity to sensations such as light, sound, or touch.
However, many adults who have been diagnosed with Asperger's still identify as an “Aspie.” Adults with Asperger's can be successful in some areas of their lives and struggle with other aspects. They want to fit in and make friends but aren't sure how to do it and are often socially awkward.
Some of the effects of unaddressed or untreated Asperger's syndrome may include: Social isolation. Difficulty making and keeping friends. Challenges in finding and maintaining steady employment.
The cause of Asperger syndrome, a mild type of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is not fully understood, but it tends to run in families and is believed to have a strong genetic basis. Risk factors include older parental age, exposure to the drug valproate in utero, and low birth weight.
Characteristics of Asperger syndrome include difficulty with social interactions and unusual behaviors such as: Rarely changing facial expression. Not making eye contact when speaking to others. Talking incessantly about a single topic and not noticing that others are not listening.
Despite the problems in relationship skills experienced by many people with Asperger's syndrome, some adults can progress along the relationship continuum and are able to experience romantic and subsequently intimate personal relationships, even becoming a lifelong partner.
It is possible for one parent to pass down autism to their child, but it's not as simple as a single gene being responsible. Autism is believed to be caused by a complex interplay between many genes, and both genetic and environmental factors play a role in determining whether a child will develop the disorder.
Asperger Syndrome (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder that is widely described as a mild form of autism. People with ASD tend to have many of the social and sensory issues of those with more severe forms of autistic disorder but have average to above average IQs and vocabularies.
No one thing causes Asperger's syndrome. However, research suggests that certain factors during pregnancy and after birth may put a child at higher risk of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Those factors include: A chromosomal abnormality (such as fragile X syndrome).
Aspies tend to express love through practical actions, whereas NTs are more likely to express love through words or symbolic actions.
They may have a hard time forming relationships with other people. Problems are usually obvious by the age of 3, but children are often not diagnosed with Asperger syndrome until they are 7 years old. Your child's doctor will look for a group of behaviors.
The Asperger's mind enjoys and focuses on details, while the normal mind is more skilled at assembling whole concepts from details. Some people with Asperger's are visual thinkers and others are math, music, or number thinkers, but all think in specifics.
Individuals with ASDs commonly have a low frustration tolerance and significant irritability. They may report that they alternate from calm to extreme anger very quickly. There have been several studies that suggest individuals with ASDs have difficulty understanding and interpreting their own emotions.
Some of the effects of unaddressed or untreated Asperger's syndrome may include: Social isolation. Difficulty making and keeping friends. Challenges in finding and maintaining steady employment.
There's not one specific test to diagnose Asperger's, but many are used to analyze and assess the condition. Some of these include: Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) This widely-used assessment tool helps identify children with an autism spectrum disorder and determine the severity of their condition.
Due to its lower prevalence in females, autism was always thought to have a maternal inheritance component. However, research also suggests that the rarer variants associated with autism are mostly inherited from the father.
There is not just one cause of ASD. There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
For starters, a recent study, partly funded by Autism Speaks, found that in families with one or more children with ASD, the chances that a baby sibling will develop autism are much higher than previously thought. In fact, the odds were around one in five, or 20 percent.