what is high functioning aspergers?

Question

my 4 yr old is awaiting tests and my dr seems to think this is what he has. he doesnt get jokes or sarcasm and takes things so literally. he always asks queations all day long, where does the rain come from? why do we have eyebrows? how will i drive when im a star in heaven? etc etc he will keep on and on until he has the answer. he likes routine and has to be made aware of change in advance and then he can deal with it.
recently he has started to get frustrated and hits himself and has temper tantrums.. he will play with other kids but will also play by himself. his thing is cars, when we drive down the road he says thats same as nanny car, thats same as sarah car etc. if he sees car he has he points it out.
recenrtly he started saying he doesnt want me to die and be a star cos he will miss me which breaks my heart.
he also cant keep still, always fidgeting and dancing about, jumping down the stairs etc but he is not naughty. he also does vocal tics.

Answer 1

im an adult with aspergers and i think thats exactly what your son has the obsession with cars and the constant need for answers are symptoms..............
does he lack the ability for eye contact or to read facial expressions (i do) maybe if not thats why hes classed as high functioning because he can interact with others where as i have a terrible social phobia and cant make friends

Answer 2

Hi....not sure that i am going to be much helo because i have never heard aspergers referred to as [ high functioning ] However i do have two young grandsons that have been statemented and diagnosed as having aspergers and i understand what hard work it can be. All i can advise is to push for diagnosis and push for statement status because only when you have this will the authorities give the backup that is so badly needed with these children. My daughter now has all the support she needs and life is much easier. The children get extra support at school ....she lives in the Leicester area, i'm not sure if the level of support is a postcode lottery, but social services even organise some leisure time with the children so that my daughter can get some free time. Good luck.....and keep pushing for all the help that you can get.

Answer 3

Asperger’s syndrome is a developmental disorder in which people have severe difficulties understanding how to interact socially.

People with Asperger's syndrome have some traits of autism, especially weak social skills and a preference for sameness and routine. But unlike those with autism, children with Asperger's syndrome usually start to talk and develop 'normally' up until about the age of 2-3. They normally have normal to above-normal intelligence so if your son is diagnosed with high functioning Asperger's then he will display some of the characteristics you describe in your question.

On some of the other behaviours though (fidgeting, dancing jumping etc) are not directly Aperger's related but may be related to either ADD or ADHD which seems to be quite common as a secondary diagnosis in children with Asperger's.

Finally, Asperger's is a spectrum disorder, this means that the behaviours you see are only a more extreme version of behaviours that all human beings have (difficulty with change as an example or the need to see things in terms of patterns) which means that as he grows up, with the right support he may well be able to live a full and independent life which meets his needs.

Hope this helps and good luck

Ian

Answer 4

Yes that's about it what you have described. You can get a lot more advice from www.nas.org.uk. Go on the blog of Josh Muggleton if the link is still there if not look him up on the internet because he is a young man with Aspergers and he will tell you exactly why shopping is difficult and anything else you might care to ask.
Don't be worried or scared, this is a whole new exciting world about to open up for you. All you need to do is love him, be specific when you speak to him and be honest. Don't worry if you lose your temper or feel impatient, all parents feel like that.

Answer 5

My son has Aspergers. Your son's symptoms sound remarkably familiar.

Basically, aspergers is a very mild form of autism. I believe the high function refers to a reasonably high level of intelligence (as displayed by constant questioning and wanting to learn.)

If you can get him diagnosed now, it will save a lot of hassle when he reaches school-age, since the school will then have what they need to apply for special-needs provisions for him.

Some doctors prescribe Ritalin for aspergers patients, and my son is one of them. It is right for him, but not necessarily so for all aspergers patients, so be sure to take expert advice on that.

You will probably find that your son learns quickly. The major problem with some aspergers sufferers tends to be a social rather than a learning one. Having said that, the ability to concentrate is often impaired, hence the probable need for a classroom assistant.

Don't panic. This is not a life-threatening syndrome. My son is now 11 years old, having been diagnosed at the age of 5. He is a bright, loving, caring young lad whose positive characteristics far outweigh the difficulties he and we as parents have had.


Hope this helps.

Cheers

Answer 6

Aspergers is a form of autism... Your son sounds classic in this case. You may also find that he is highly intelligent in one area, and horrible in another. the best thing you can do is READ to him. find nonfiction books of interest to him and read to him. He may never form a sense of humor, but he can still lead a good life. don't worry about the fidgeting, he may always do that and if you call too much attention to it, he may become self conscience about it and he will have enough to deal with in life. Try to get his tantrums under control, but also find that line when you need to back off. You may give him a specific space in which to vent his anger where he and your house are safe from harm. most of his other symptoms are completely predictable. Just about every AU (autistic) child suffers from these same things. Find other parents and talk to them, make sure you contact your local school district and let them know about your son. They have to provide you with services for your child.

Answer 7

Good answers above but they don't address the "high functioning" part of your question. It means that measured against the possible ways Asbergers impacts on how kids perform in the world around them a high functioning child does well. But remember, that's against other kids with Aspergers. It may mean that he will be able to function around an ordinary group of kids if some accommodations are made to help him.

Answer 8

my 12 yr old has high funtioning aspergers- he has no social skills-says and does things people find very strange-but is top of his class and always has been and when he talks he doesnt shutup-he also has vocal tics and if hes watching something he really enjoys on tv he has to jump up and down constantly from chair to chair-hopes this helps in some way

Answer 9

There is high-functioning autism and there is Asperger syndrome - the two are different..but only slightly.
A good book to read as a parent is A parents guide to Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism written by Ozonoff, Dawson and McPartland..USA based but very informative with a comprehensive but easy to understand research base and strategies for parents and teachers.
all the best

Answer 10

aspergers is on the ASD (autisic spectrum disorders). high functioning means that he is able to do more 'normal' things than an avaerge child with aspergers. there is a great book you can buy called ' playing, laughing and learning with children on the autism spectrum.' have a look on amazon for a cheap copy. It's a great book full of ideas to enable the child to control their environment better and to relax them.