My Teenage daughter sounds very much like she has Aspergers Syndrome.?

Question

First we moved around alot and were unable to stick with one doctor for long.
The same was with her friends if she had one she would let it go if we moved
Speech therapy from 5-10 yrs
she has always been seen as bright but there was something holding her back.
She had coloured lenses which helped her learning reading and retaining information read.
She has a speech mannerism that many consider to be an accent when they first meet.
She has no friends she is now 19 and is still the same prefers to play with younger kids still plays with barbies and is very socially awkward.
Will not look for work unless it involves tigers has been obsessed with tigers for nearly 10 years.
Does not take jokes well or critism is VERY sensitive and over reacts.
Has a VERY low pain tolerance.
was diagnossed as mildly depressed as a 10 year old.
As she is an adult what is the best way to see if she does have this syndome. It seems to go a long way in disgribing her behaviours past and present

Answer 1

Asperger syndrome can be very difficult to diagnose. Children with AS function well in most aspects of life, and so it may be easy to attribute their strange behaviors to their just being "different."

According to mental health experts, if your child has AS, early intervention is very important. Intervention involving educational and social training, performed while a child's brain is still developing, is highly recommended.

If your child exhibits some of the symptoms and behaviors that are typical of AS, it's critical to seek help from your child's doctor. He or she can refer you to a mental health professional or other specialist for further evaluation.

When a specialist assesses your child, a thorough "psychosocial" evaluation will be performed. This includes a careful history of when symptoms were first recognized, the child's development of motor skills and language patterns, and other aspects of the child's personality and behavior (including favorite activities, unusual habits, preoccupations, etc.).

Particular emphasis is placed on social development, including past and present problems in social interaction and development of friendships. A psychological evaluation and assessment of communication skills are usually conducted to determine your child's strengths and skills that may be deficient.


As your child is all grown up I would recommend getting a refferal from your GP to a specialist for diagnosis. She certainly sounds like she has psychosocial disorder. I would perhaps do this alone at first, speak to a few experts before you take your daughter to see someone - you will need her cooperation 100%, it will be best to get some facts together so you can explain things to her rather than 'throwing her to the lions' as it were.

So sorry you are going through this - my thoughts are with you xx

Answer 2

Our grandson was re diagnosed with Asbergers after his
first diagnosis of having ADHD for 10 years. So he has a
mild form of Autism, according to his diagnostician. He is a
loner, and prefers only to play video games. He has no interest in sports or outside activities. He's also the tallest in
his class. And he probably always will be due to his natural
fathers' height of 6ft 7in. He is only 14 and already at 6ft 2in.
So having Asbergers and being the tallest kid in school is
not something he can live with easily. He's been depressed,
and has had some anger management problems. He's had
his meds changed a few times. And he seems mostly calm
now. We worry about him trying to take care of himself one
day. He does stay alone by himself during the day when his
mom and step dad are at work. I don't know what his limits
are, while they are away. And we do worry about his using
electrical appliances to try to heat something on the stove.
I read that a person with AD is sensitive to light. And I
haven't seen that tendency in our grandson so far. He doesn't
take criticism of anyone well. Your daughter was absorbed
with tigers, and our grandson has been with Garfield. We've
bought him several things for his bedroom to collect. I don't
know what the answer is for someone with AD. Or if they can
live without supervision. I would like to learn more. So I will
use the link provided by one of the posters.
Good luck in finding the right meds for your daughter and
her adaption into the adult world.

Answer 3

There is so much information out there, and I am sure you have read all or most of it. Here is a website that also directs you to clinical trials in the use of medications and lists many organizations with more detailed information. Content about diagnosing this syndrome in adults is also included. Please note it was last updated July 31,2007 so it is current. Good luck in your search. It is so hard to see our children struggle.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm

Answer 4

usually with Aspergers, your vocabulary and choice of words are more sophisticated than others in the same age group. But if she's 19 and playing with kids, she could be autistic. That's one of the main differences between autism and Aspergers, although they fall into the same category.

I would consult a doctor to confirm this. This way, she gets the proper treatment.

Answer 5

I have no answers for you, and I'm sorry, but our prayer go out to you and your daughter.

Answer 6

well she could be that she is retarded or something