There are no specific tests to diagnose Asperger's syndrome. A medical specialist or team will talk to you and your child, and others in your family, and will observe your child to see if they meet certain criteria for Asperger's syndrome.
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.
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.
Asperger's syndrome can be diagnosed in adulthood by using thorough anamnesis and heteroanamnesis, as well as clinical-psychiatric examination.
may have clumsy, uncoordinated movements, an odd posture or a rigid gait. may perform repetitive movements, such as hand or finger flapping. may engage in violent outbursts, self-injurious behaviors, tantrums or meltdowns. may be hypersensitive to sensory stimulation such as light, sound, and texture.
Social Symptoms
Common symptoms of Asperger's that may impact social interaction or communication include: Problems making or maintaining friendships. Isolation or minimal interaction in social situations. Poor eye contact or the tendency to stare at others.
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.
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.
Because Asperger syndrome varies widely from person to person, making a diagnosis can be difficult. It is often diagnosed later in children than autism and sometimes symptoms may not be recognised and diagnosed until adulthood.
Asperger's Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder a less severe form of autism.
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.
Symptoms and characteristics of Asperger syndrome include unusual behaviors and difficulty with social interactions, such as: Standing too close to others. Talking incessantly about a single topic and not noticing that others are not listening. Not making eye contact when speaking to others.
Asperger's in adults typically causes issues with communication, emotion regulation and interpretation, social interactions, and behavior. People who have Asperger's may also experience other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or OCD.
Asperger's syndrome affects a person's affect and manner more than it does any particular body part. Children with Asperger's syndrome speak very quickly and have a dull voice, and often have an unusually formal manner of speaking.
Main signs of autism
finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling. getting very anxious about social situations. finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to.
Interestingly, a sizeable portion of children with Asperger's Disorder (and an even greater number of children with more severe PDD) do not have a favorable response to stimulants like methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate) or to amphetamines alone or in mixture (Dexedrine, Adderall).
Adults with mild autism may come off as socially awkward. They may not understand the back-and-forth nature of conversations. One common behavior is unintentionally talking too much about yourself or your interests and not allowing the other person time to talk.
Asperger's syndrome is closely related. Identified for the first time in 1944 by Viennese psychologist Hans Asperger, it wasn't officially classified as a unique disorder until 1994. It shares all the features of high-functioning autism except that people with Asperger's don't have early delays in developing language.
Many professionals believed Asperger's was a more mild form of autism, leading to the origin of the phrase “high-functioning”. Now, children with Asperger's symptoms are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their symptoms are typically on the milder side, but every child experiences symptoms differently.
Neurodevelopmental disorders include a group of pervasive developmental disorders that include ASD, asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), and Rett disorder.
If you believe that either you or a member of your family might be on the autistic spectrum and you need professional or clinical support, you will need to obtain a diagnosis. Your GP will be able to make a referral to a clinical psychologist or a paediatrician who will carry out an assessment.
Another common myth is that Asperger's is caused by a poor home environment. Research shows the disorder is not due to a lack of love, emotional trauma, or neglect.