The name for Asperger's Syndrome has officially changed, but many still use the term Asperger's Syndrome when talking about their condition. The symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome are now included in a condition called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is now the name used for a wide range of autism-like disorders.
Asperger Syndrome was replaced in the clinical world but still lives among those previously diagnosed. In the world around us, Asperger's remains constant. Despite the decision made in 2014 and the doctors for and against the DSM change, the term Asperger's has yet to fade.
Background: In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association removed Asperger's Disorder from the DSM, offering instead the new DSM-5 diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Though the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome is no longer used, many previously diagnosed people still identify strongly and positively with being an “Aspie.”
Asperger syndrome is not a curable condition. However, being one of the milder forms in the Autism Spectrum Disorders, with little language development difficulties and normal or high IQ, this disorder allows a child to live a normal or near normal life.
Long-term research that involved following a group of individuals with autism for two decades indicates that the average life expectancy for some autistic people is about 39 years. Furthermore, this population generally succumbed to health complications about 20 years earlier than individuals who do not have autism.
Clumsy, uncoordinated movements, including difficulty with handwriting. Difficulty managing emotions, sometimes leading to verbal or behavioral outbursts, self-injurious behaviors or tantrums. Not understanding other peoples' feelings or perspectives. Hypersensitivity to lights, sounds and textures.
Many adults with Asperger profiles experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health symptoms. An Asperger profile is a neurological difference, meaning that it influences the way that one perceives and processes information and experiences.
Asperger's Syndrome is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people. Autism is often described as a spectrum because the condition affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees.
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.
The reason behind the reclassification of Asperger's syndrome was its similarity to autism, and the fact that it was distinguished from the latter based simply on a lack of language and cognitive delay — which, interestingly, isn't something every individual on the spectrum experiences.
Autism, now called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder. ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in your child's brain. People with ASD may behave, interact and learn in ways that are different from other people.
Despite being excluded from the DSM-5, Asperger's syndrome sometimes is still used in both the United States and in other countries. A common reason for this is that a diagnosis of ASD can carry stigma, and people who were previously diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome may still identify with the term and prefer it.
Asperger's is more noticeable in boys. High-Functioning Autism specifically applies to children with autism who have an IQ of 70 or higher and exhibit milder symptoms. For example, these children exhibit fewer language delays, few to no cognitive deficits, and better spatial skills.
1980: "Infantile autism" is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for the first time; the condition is also officially separated from childhood schizophrenia.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Autism Corner: Personality Types in Asperger's: Fixated, Disruptive, Approach and Avoidant.
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.
While a child may develop skills to cope, Asperger's is a lifelong condition. Of course with the right support, children with this condition can learn to use their unique traits to accomplish goals others would struggle to achieve.
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.
Aspies tend to express love through practical actions, whereas NTs are more likely to express love through words or symbolic actions.