Anyone know about Asperger's syndrome?

Answer 1

Asperger's Syndrome is a condition similar to autism, and may be characterized by:

- "peer relationships characterized by absolute loyalty and impeccable dependability,"

- "seeking an audience or friends capable of: enthusiasm for unique interests and topics,"

- "consideration of details; spending time discussing a topic that may not be of primary interest,"

- "interested primarily in significant contributions to conversation; preferring to avoid 'ritualistic small talk' or socially trivial statements and superficial conversation,"

- "seeking sincere, positive, genuine friends with an unassuming sense of humor,"

- "advanced vocabulary and interest in words,"

- "strong preference for detail over gestalt,"

- "exceptional memory and/or recall of details ... for example: names, dates, schedules, routines,"

- "avid perseverance in gathering and cataloging information on a topic of interest,"

- "focused desire to maintain order and accuracy,"

- "clarity of values/decision making unaltered by political or financial factors,"

- "acute sensitivity to specific sensory experiences and stimuli, for example: hearing, touch, vision, and/or smell,"

and

- "strength in individual sports and games, particularly those involving endurance or visual accuracy, including rowing, swimming, bowling, chess."

Source: The Discovery of "Aspie" Criteria, By Carol Gray and Tony Attwood - http://www.thegraycenter.org/sectionsdetails.cfm?id=38

Other resources:

Websites:

"Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" by Ellen Notbohm - http://www.southflorida.com/sfparenting/sfe-sfp-autism,0,6196233.story

Website of Paula Kluth, Ph.D. - http://www.paulakluth.com/autism.html

Positively Autism (free online magazine, includes free lessons/activities) - http://www.positivelyautism.com

Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism by Temple Grandin, Ph.D. - http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html


Books:

"Your Life is Not a Label: A Guide to Living Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome" by Jerry Newport

"You're Going to Love This Kid!: Teaching Students With Autism in the Inclusive Classroom" By Paula Kluth

"Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism" By Paul Collins

Any book by Temple Grandin

Answer 2

Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism: How to Meet the Challenges and Help Your Child Thrive, The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome,Can I Tell You About Asperger Syndrome?: A Guide for Friends and Family, Parenting a Child With Asperger Syndrome: 200 Tips and Strategies, The Asperger Parent: How to Raise a Child with Asperger Syndrome and Maintain Your Sense of Humor School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers,

Answer 3

Asperger's is the junior league version of autism. Individuals with Asperger's oftentimes are not diagnosed because they are just considered a little "off." Once an individual with Asperger's is diagnosed, mostly minor accommodations can be made for the individual to carry out most normal tasks.

Answer 4

Asperger syndrome — also referred to as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger's, or just AS — is one of five neurobiological pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) that is characterized by deficiencies in social and communication skills. It is considered to be part of the autistic spectrum and is differentiated from other PDDs and from high functioning autism (HFA) in that early development is normal and there is no language delay. It is possible for people with AS to have learning disabilities concurrently with Asperger syndrome. In these cases, differential diagnosis is essential to identify subsequent support requirements. Conversely, IQ tests may show normal or superior intelligence,[1][2] and standard language development compared with classical autism. The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the lack of adoption of a standardized diagnostic screen, and, instead, the use of several different screening instruments and sets of diagnostic criteria. The exact cause of AS is unknown and the prevalence is not firmly established, due partly to the use of differing sets of diagnostic criteria.

Answer 5

I do. I have known two people who have it and one was on the lower end of functioning and the other is very high functioning. It's "on the spectrum" of autistic disorders and that umbrella covers a large span of possible difficulties and severity of difficulties. I wish I knew more about what you specifically were interested in so I could help.

Answer 6

Asperger Syndrome or (Asperger's Disorder) is a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper which described a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also exhibited autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills. In spite of the publication of his paper in the 1940's, it wasn't until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was added to the DSM IV and only in the past few years has AS been recognized by professionals and parents.

Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting".

By definition, those with AS have a normal IQ and many individuals (although not all), exhibit exceptional skill or talent in a specific area. Because of their high degree of functionality and their naiveté, those with AS are often viewed as eccentric or odd and can easily become victims of teasing and bullying. While language development seems, on the surface, normal, individuals with AS often have deficits in pragmatics and prosody. Vocabularies may be extraordinarily rich and some children sound like "little professors." However, persons with AS can be extremely literal and have difficulty using language in a social context.

At this time there is a great deal of debate as to exactly where AS fits. It is presently described as an autism spectrum disorder and Uta Frith, in her book AUTISM AND ASPERGER'S SYNDROME, described AS individuals as "having a dash of Autism". Some professionals feel that AS is the same as High Functioning Autism, while others feel that it is better described as a Nonverbal Learning Disability. AS shares many of the characteristics of PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder; Not otherwise specified), HFA, and NLD and because it was virtually unknown until a few years ago, many individuals either received an incorrect diagnosis or remained undiagnosed. For example, it is not at all uncommon for a child who was initially diagnosed with ADD or ADHD be re-diagnosed with AS. In addition, some individuals who were originally diagnosed with HFA or PDD-NOS are now being given the AS diagnosis and many individuals have a dual diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism.

Answer 7

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html

Answer 8

Yes here are some links for you to explore,
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx68.htm
http://www.aspergers.com/
http://www.aspergers-help-online.com/

Answer 9

i know it is when a a person is very high functioning intellectually but has trouble socially, to find out more look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome