What is Asperger's Syndrome?
Asperger('s) Syndrome (AS) is described by some as a milder form of autism, and there is debate as to what distinguishes AS from high-functioning autism. In the absence of scientific consensus, we define the difference this way: people with autism lack most social interest, but "aspies" often have social interest; they just lack the social skills to turn their interests into full relationships. AS was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (DSMIV) in 1994, though it was described by Dr. Hans Asperger way back in 1944. Lately there has been popular interest in "historical diagnosis," and so you may hear people attributing AS to such quirky notables as Socrates, Isaac Newton, Einstein, and Jane Austen.
Despite having social and communication problems, people with AS tend to be quite verbal. One of the ways intelligence is classically divided by scientists is into verbal intelligence and performance intelligence, the latter category containing spatial and mathematical tasks. People with autism tend to be higher in performance intelligence and aspies tend be higher in verbal intelligence.
People with AS often have fixated interests, and can become virtual encyclopedias on the subjects that engage them. Like autistic savants, aspies sometimes have striking gifts for a certain type of learning, whether it be languages, music, or European military history. These gifts are not typically an advantage in developing the social skills that they need to interact positively with the "neurotypical" world in which they live.
Aspies also have a tendency
to become fixated on routines. They can react poorly to situations that
call for social flexibility and adaptability, and they don't easily generalize
from learning in one situation to other situations that most people would
recognize as similar. However, all of the disadvantages of AS are skills
that can be developed with effort and understanding. This is not a "cure"
in the sense that an aspie with highly developed social skills is still
perceiving their relationship with you in a special way, even if you can't
tell the difference. Still, there is every reason to expect that a child
with AS given a specialized social-cognitive education will go on to lead
a happy, productive, social life.
How can I tell if I have, or my child has, AS?
Nothing can substitute for
an evaluation by a qualified psychologist, but this checklist from the
Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service (CLASS) might help you get
started:
· I find social situations confusing.
· I find it hard to make small talk.
· I did not enjoy imaginative story-writing at school.
· I am good at picking up details and facts.
· I find it hard to work out what other people are thinking and
feeling.
· I can focus on certain things for very long periods.
· People often say I was rude even when this was not intended.
· I have unusually strong, narrow interests.
· I do certain things in an inflexible, repetitive way.
· I have always had difficulty making friends.
For more information on AS and diagnosis please see our Links
page
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