Because Asperger's syndrome is now diagnosed as a form of autism spectrum disorder, they may refer you to a medical specialist in diagnosing an autism spectrum disorder, or to a team of health professionals who work together in assessing children. There are no specific tests to diagnose Asperger's syndrome.
A physical, psychological, and/or neurological exam. Hearing, speech, or language tests. An IQ and/or personality test. An electroencephalography (EEG), a test that looks at electrical activity in the brain.
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.
How do you get a “formal” diagnosis of Asperger/Autism spectrum difference (ASD)? Many individuals pursue neuropsychological testing with a neuropsychologist (PhD) or a psychiatrist (MD). As a result of this testing, it may be determined that the individual has ASD, something related to ASD, or something different.
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.
In general, children with Asperger's Syndrome “have more” than most children with ADHD. They have more perseveration, more stereotypies, more splinter skills, more trouble telling a coherent story, and more neuro-integrative problems.
The principal difference between autism and what was once diagnosed as Asperger's is that the latter features milder symptoms and an absence of language delays. Most children who were previously diagnosed with Asperger's have good language skills but may have difficulty “fitting in” with their peers.
Asperger's and ADHD are two conditions that are often confused because they have some overlap in symptoms such as social difficulties and impulsiveness. Additionally, it's common for people to have both conditions.
Kids with Aspergers begin to talk at the expected age, saying their first words around 12 months of age. However, their actual first words are often unusual (e.g., such first words as palm pilot, sheetrock, clock, mountain, fish, hammer). These words are generally used before the youngster says “mommy” or “daddy.”
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.
Most people are unaware of the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome. They include an unusually high IQ and a difficulty surviving in the social world. The fact that the symptoms vary in gender doesn't help.
The medical community, as of 2013 , no longer diagnose Asperger's syndrome as a separate condition. Instead, they place it under the umbrella term of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People have typically used the term Asperger's syndrome to refer to mild forms of autism or “high-functioning” autism.
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 Asperger diagnosis is distinguished from autism by a lack of language and cognitive delay. However, language and cognitive delay are not diagnostic criteria for autism. So, to fail to meet criteria for autism, a person with Asperger syndrome must not show the communication impairments specified for autism.
What are the Symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome? Children with Asperger's Syndrome exhibit poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, limited facial expressions and other peculiar mannerisms. They might engage in obsessive routines and show an unusual sensitivity to sensory stimuli.
Some developmental health professionals refer to PDD-NOS as “subthreshold autism." In other words, it's the diagnosis they use for someone who has some but not all characteristics of autism or who has relatively mild symptoms.
Many symptoms of autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger's Syndrome are similar to symptoms of ADHD. Because symptoms of Asperger's can be subtle and difficult to detect, the condition often goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed as another disorder, such as ADHD.
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.
Speech pattern is marked by a lack of rhythm, odd inflection or monotone pitch. Isolation from social settings due to poor social skills and limited interests. Impaired ability to use or understand non-verbal behavior such as eye gaze, facial expressions or body language.