Diagnosis of asperger’s Syndrome

Asperger syndrome was first described by Hans Asperger, a Viennese pediatrician. His paper in 1944 describe a set of patterns he found in some of his patients. He noted that although these boys had normal intelligence and language development, they also had severely impaired social skills and were unable to communicate effectively with others.

It wasn\’t until 1994 that the diagnosis of asperger syndrome was added to the DSM-IV and even later before many professionals believed that this was one of several spectrum disorders. Asperger syndrome is characterized by poor social skills, obsessions and odd speech patterns. Unfortunately these characteristics also makes thes individuals the target for incessant teasing and being the brunt of the class bully.

Individuals with asperger syndrome often have very few facial expressions themselves and can have difficulty reading the body language of others. Parents will report that these children engaged in obsessive routines, often becoming totally submersed in a hobby or collection. Children and adults often display an unusual sensitivity to different sensations, whether they are touch, smell, taste or sight. For example, individuals may be bothered by a light that no one else notices were may cover their ears to block out sounds. Others may find clothing to be restrictive and wear only things made of certain materials or without elastic at the wrist and ankle.

For the most part, individuals with asperger syndrome are very capable of functioning and holding down a productive job. However, they are somewhat socially immature and are often tagged as being odd or eccentric.

Parents and significant others will also notice some motor delays or clumsiness in the individual\’s ability to function. Adults will have trouble demonstrating empathy for others and social situations will always be difficult.

Diagnosis of asperger syndrome can be difficult and misdiagnoses are common. This can be further complicated by the fact that many of the same characteristics of individuals with asperger\’s is also found in other disorders. If these are misinterpreted or over emphasized a diagnosis may be different.

For example, if the individual or child has a high degree of attention deficit disorder that may be the only diagnosis he receives. ADD is a common characteristic of children with asperger syndrome. The same holds true if the individual has a high degree of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Just because an individual has ADD or obsessive-compulsive disorder does not mean they don\’t also have asperger syndrome. Individuals with asperger\’s will also exhibit anxiety, motor deficits and oppositional defiant disorder. Another overlooked area during diagnosis is that individuals with asperger syndrome often find comfort in their routines or rituals. This does not mean that they exhibit obsessive-compulsive behavior but rather that rules define the way in which they live their lives every day.

Because of the variety of symptoms which can be present, as well as the subtleties and nuances, one of the single most important consideration is the professional who is making the diagnosis. This professional should be familiar with autistic spectrum disorders and should have made a diagnosis of asperger syndrome in the past.

The diagnosis is often made with a psychologist or psychiatrist where the child was observed to see how they responded very a situation. They may also request to speak to the school psychologist or the schoolteacher for an additional check list. It is also important that the child have their IQ measured because a measured IQ that is average or above average is necessary for the diagnosis of asperger\’s.

The child should also see a neurologist or developmental pediatrician to rule out other medical conditions and received any additional medical testing such as blood, urine, hearing and genetic testing. The child should also be seen by a speech and language pathologist to look for impairments in speech pragmatics and semantics. Despite having adequate receptive (received) or expressive (spoken) language children will also display unusual patterns that interfere in later social situations.

It is important to take seriously the diagnosis of asperger syndrome because it can get in the way of the progression of an individual\’s career, cause negative effects in friendships and relationships, cause issues and social situations and be responsible for being overwhelmed in a public situation.

Although there is currently no known cure for the disorder children with asperger syndrome can lead full and happy lives. This is more likely achieved with the appropriate education, support and resources and only through early diagnosis and intervention.