Do You Know About Asperger's Syndrome?

Asperger’s Syndrome is a relatively new category of developmental disorder, the term having only come into more general use over the past fifteen years. This disorder was not officially recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders the fourth edition was published in 1994. Because there have been few comprehensive review articles in the medical literature to date, and because Asperger’s Syndrome is probably considerably more common than previously realized, this paper will describe the syndrome and symptoms and difficulties associated with it. Students with Asperger’s Syndrome are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, so this is a topic of importance for educational personnel, as well as for parents and caregivers.

As a mother of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, researching this topic since my son’s diagnosis last year has become a major topic of importance to me. My son was labeled, naughty, selfish, stubborn, and odd by relatives at an early age. Learning about his condition has enabled me to embrace his differences and taught me cope with them, although it can be difficult. As a mother, I recognized something did not seem right with how my son behaved. It took five years to finally diagnose him. During his regular doctor visits I was told his behavior was normal for his age. It wasn’t until he reached the third grade, and his behavior was disruptive to his class, that I decided to take my son to a psychologist. At first he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After several sessions with his psychologist, it was evident he was suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome as well.

Educating people of this subject can help them understand what Asperger’s Syndrome is and what it is not. Learning about this condition will also help in diagnosing, accepting and learning how to cope with individuals affected with it. Because individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome look normal and are usually quite bright, children (and adults for that matter) with Asperger’s Syndrome are especially likely to be misconceived as willfully deviant. Many times their “deviant” behavior is due to misreading a situation or being incapable of effectively dealing with frustration. Sometimes parents themselves do not realize their children are not intentionally thwarting authority. Unfortunate confrontations in schools are often due to teachers and school administrators misunderstanding the disorder.

It is especially important for teacher’s, parents and caregivers to know more about this subject to learn about practical tips and techniques that can save them from stress, worry, frustration and anger.

A Deeper Look into Asperger’s Syndrome

Asperger’s Syndrome was originally described in the 1940’s by a Viennese pediatrician, Hans Asperger. Asperger published the first definition of Asperger's Syndrome in 1944. In four boys, he identified a pattern of behavior and abilities that he called "autistic psychopathy", meaning autism (self) and psychopathy (personality disease). Theh pattern included; a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendsips, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest and clumsy movements.

Asperger’s Syndrome is a developmental disorder falling within the autistic spectrum affecting two-way social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and a reluctance to accept change, inflexibility of thought and to have narrow areas of interest. Individuals are usually extremely good with skills like facts, figures, dates, times etc. Many excel in math and science. Since Asperger’s Syndrome itself shows a range or spectrum of symptom severity, many less impaired children who might meet criteria for that diagnosis receive no diagnosis at all and are viewed as "unusual" or "just different," or are misdiagnosed with conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), emotional disturbance, etc. Many in the field believe that there is no clear boundary separating those with the condition from people who are "normal but different." The inclusion of Asperger’s Syndrome as a separate category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, with fairly clear criteria for diagnosis, should promote greater consistency of labeling in the future.

Although Asperger’s Syndrome is much more common than Autism, it is still a rare condition and few people, including professionals, will know about it much less have experience of it. There are more boys diagnosed with Asperger’s than girls.

Disorders Associated With Asperger’s Syndrome

There are several psychiatric disorders that are commonly associated with Asperger's Syndrome. Children are likely to present with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), while depression is a common diagnosis in adolescents and adults.

People with Asperger’s Syndrome symptoms may frequently be diagnosed with Clinical Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, General Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. Dysgraphia, dyspraxia, dyslexia or dyscalculia may also be diagnosed.

Asperger’s Syndrome in the Classroom

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome are easily overwhelmed by minimal change, highly sensitive to environmental stresses and sometimes engage in rituals. They are anxious and tend to worry obsessively when they do not know what to expect. They are easily thrown off balance by stress, fatigue and sensory overload. By providing a predictable and safe environment, avoiding surprises and offering a consistent daily routine can help alleviate some of these stresses for a child with Asperger’s.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome are unable to understand complex rules of social interaction, are naïve, are extremely egocentric, may not like physical contact, talk at people instead of to them, do not understand jokes, irony or metaphors, use monotone or unnatural tone of voice, use inappropriate gaze and body language, are insensitive and lack tact, misinterpret social cues, cannot judge "social distance;" exhibit poor ability to initiate and sustain conversation, have well-developed speech but poor communication, are sometimes labeled "little professor" because speaking style is so adult-like and pedantic, are easily taken advantage of (do not perceive that others sometimes lie or trick them) and usually have a desire to be part of the social world. It is important to try and protect the child from bullying and teasing. In the higher age groups, attempt to educate peers about the child with Asperger’s Syndrome when social ineptness is severe by describing his or her social problems as a true disability. Praise peers when they treat him or her with compassion. This task may prevent scapegoating, while promoting empathy and tolerance in the other children. Most children with Asperger’s want friends but simply do not know how to interact. They should be taught how to react to social cues in various social situations. Teach the children what to say and how to say it. Model two-way interactions and let them role-play. These children's social judgment improves only after they have been taught rules that others pick up intuitively.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have eccentric preoccupations or odd, intense fixations (sometimes obsessively collecting unusual things). They tend to relentlessly "lecture" on areas of interest, ask repetitive questions about interests, have trouble letting go of ideas, follow own inclinations regardless of external demands and sometimes refuse to learn about anything outside their limited field of interest. For particularly recalcitrant children, it may be necessary to initially individualize all assignments around their interest area (e.g., if the interest is trains, then offer grammar sentences, math word problems and reading and spelling tasks about trains). Gradually introduce other topics into assignments. Students can be given assignments that link their interest to the subject being studied. For example, during a social studies unit about a specific country, a child obsessed with trains might be assigned to research the modes of transportation used by people in that country.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome are often off task, distracted by internal stimuli, are very disorganized, have difficulty sustaining focus on classroom activities (often it is not that the attention is poor but, rather, that the focus is "odd" ; the individual with Asperger’s Syndrome cannot figure out what is relevant, so attention is focused on irrelevant stimuli), tend to withdraw into complex inner worlds in a manner much more intense than is typical of daydreaming and have difficulty learning in a group situation. A regimented external structure must be provided if the child with Asperger’s Syndrome is to be productive in the classroom. Assignments should be broken down into small units, and frequent teacher feedback and redirection should be offered. The teacher must actively encourage the child with to leave his or her inner thoughts and fantasies behind and refocus on the real world. This is a constant battle, as the comfort of that inner world is believed to be much more attractive than anything in real life. For young children, even free play needs to be structured, because they can become so immersed in solitary, ritualized fantasy play that they lose touch with reality. Encouraging a child with Asperger’s Syndrome to play a board game (My son loves Connect Four) with one or two others under close supervision not only structures play but offers an opportunity to practice social skills.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome are physically clumsy and awkward, have stiff, awkward gaits, are unsuccessful in games involving motor skills, and experience fine-motor deficits that can cause penmanship problems, slow clerical speed and affect their ability to draw. Do not push the child to participate in competitive sports, as his or her poor motor coordination may only invite frustration and the teasing of team members. The child with Asperger’s Syndrome lacks the social understanding of coordinating one's own actions with those of others on a team.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome usually have average to above-average intelligence (especially in the verbal sphere) but lack high-level thinking and comprehension skills. They tend to be very literal. Many are good at math and science (My son scored in the top 97% in math at his grade level last year). Their images are concrete, and abstraction is poor. Their impressive vocabularies give the false impression that they understand what they are talking about, when in reality they are merely repeating what they have heard or read. It is important not assume that these children understand something just because they repeat back what they have heard.

Children with Asperger;s Syndrome have the intelligence to compete in regular education but they often do not have the emotional resources to cope with the demands of the classroom. These children are easily stressed due to their inflexibility. Self-esteem is low and they are often very self-critical and unable to tolerate making mistakes. Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome, especially adolescents, may be prone to depression (a high percentage of depression in adults with Asperger’s has been documented). Rage reactions or temper outbursts are common in response to stress and frustration.

Children with Asperger’s rarely seem relaxed and are easily overwhelmed when things are not as their rigid views dictate they should be. Interacting with people and coping with the ordinary demands of everyday life are a constant struggle. Prevent outbursts by offering a high level of consistency. Prepare these children for changes in daily routine, to lower stress. These children often become fearful, angry and upset in they face unexpected changes. Be calm, predictable, and matter-of-fact in interactions with the child with Asperger‘s Syndrome, while clearly indicating compassion and patience. Hans Asperger (1991), the psychiatrist for whom this syndrome is named, remarked that "the teacher who does not understand that it is necessary to teach children with Asperger’s seemingly obvious things will feel impatient and irritated". Do not expect the child to acknowledge that he or she is sad nor depressed. In the same way that they cannot perceive the feelings of others, these children can also be unaware of their own feelings. They often cover up their depression and deny its symptoms.

Prognosis With Asperger’s Syndrome

Individuals afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome appear to have normal lifespans, but have an increased prevalence of other psychiatric conditions such as depression, mood disorders, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome can learn to manage their differences, but they may continue to find social situations and personal relationships challenging. Many adults with Asperger’s Syndrome are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life. They may make great intellectual contributions in areas such as computer science, mathematics, and physics.

Famous Cases of Asperger’s Syndrome

Asperger’s Syndrome is sometimes viewed as a syndrome with both advantages and disadvantages. Notable adults with Asperger's Syndrome or autism have achieved success in their fields. Asperger’s Syndrome-diagnosed individuals include Nobel Prize-winning economist Vernon Smith, electro-pop rocker Gary Numan, Vines frontman Craig Nicholls, and Satoshi Tajiri, creator of Pokémon.

Other cases include:

• Dan AykroydDan Aykroyd, actor: stated he has Asperger's, but some feel he was joking

• William Cottrell, student who was imprisoned for fire-bombing SUV dealerships

• Dawn Prince-Hughes, PhD, primate anthropologist, ethologist, and author

• Judy Singer, Australian disability rights activist

• Liane Holliday Willey, author of various Asperger books and education professor

• Luke JacksonLuke Jackson, author of Freaks, Geeks and Aspergers Syndrome

• Bram Cohen, inventor of BitTorrent, diagnosed himself with Asperger's

Well-Known Adults With Unspecified Types of Autism

• Daryl HannahDaryl Hannah, American actress

• Christopher Knowles, American poet

• Matthew Laborteaux, actor on Little House on the Prairie

• Katherine McCarron, autistic child murdered at the age of three by her mother.

• Jason McElwain, high school basketball player

• Michael Moon, adopted son of author Elizabeth Moon

• Jasmine O'Neill, author of Through the Eyes of Aliens

• Sue Rubin, subject of documentary Autism Is a World

• Birger Sellin, author from Germany.

Speculation on others who may have had Asperger's Syndrome

Some Asperger’s Syndrome researchers speculate that well-known figures, including Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein, Isaac NewtonIsaac Newton, Glenn Gould, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Stanley KubrickStanley Kubrick, had Asperger’s Syndrome because they showed some Asperger’s Syndrome-related tendencies or behaviors, such as intense interest in one subject, or social problems.

Einstein did not start talking until he was three and he frequently repeated sentences obsessively up to the age of seven. As an adult his lectures were notoriously confusing. During his education, Einstein was very successful at Physics and mathematics but did less well in some other subjects. At 16 he failed history and language examinations for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. This can demonstrate science ability with poorer language skills.

Isaac Newton showed similar genius and similar difficulties to Einstein.

In Conclusion

Teachers, parents and caregivers can play a vital role in helping children with Asperger’s Syndrome learn to negotiate the world around them. Because these children are frequently unable to express their fears and anxieties, it is up to significant adults to make it worthwhile for them to leave their safe inner fantasy lives for the uncertainties of the external world. Professionals who work with these youngsters in schools must provide the external structure, organization and stability that they lack. Using creative teaching strategies with individuals suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome is critical, not only to facilitate academic success, but also to help them feel less alienated from other human beings and less overwhelmed by the ordinary demands of everyday life.

Education of families is critical in developing strategies for understanding strengths and weaknesses associated with Asperger’s Syndrome. Helping the family to cope improves the outcome in children with Asperger’s by helping them better understand the child‘s disability.

Prognosis may be improved by diagnosis at a younger age that allows for early interventions, while interventions in adulthood are valuable but less beneficial. There are legal implications for individuals with Asperger’s syndrome as they run the risk of exploitation by others and may be unable to comprehend the societal implications of their actions.

The world needs to stop labeling people with Asperger’s Syndrome as deviant, trouble makers, insubordinate, odd or eccentric and embrace the fact that they simply lack appropriate social skills. The more negative stigmas placed on a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, the more they react and believe the stigmas placed on them. They want to fit in and be accepted. Through knowledge and further education on this subject, it is my hope that people learn to accept a person with Asperger’s Syndrome for who they are.