In 1944, a physician named Hans Aspergers wrote a paper that described the behaviour of several young boys who had regular intelligence and language skills but also had autistic like characteristics. It was noticed that these boys had trouble in social and communication skills.

Even though Aspergers was recognized and publicized in 1944, it was not until 1994 that this disorder was added to the DSM IV and only for the past couple of years that doctors and parents have recognized Aspergers.

A person with Aspergers often has social difficulties and has a hard time with change. They may also have obsessive routines that may be related to a particular subject or interest. It is also common for a person with this disorder to have difficulty reading body language and it is very common to have problems judging proper body space. Many people with this disorder have overly attuned senses, smell, sight, and taste.

It is very important to realize that a person with Aspergers Syndrome sees the world from a whole different perspective so that some actions or gestures may seem weird, rude, or just plain bad behaviour. Parents of these children may blame it on bad parenting, but that is usually not the case.

It is known that a person with this disorder has a normal IQ but may excel in a certain subject. Due to what is portrayed as strange behaviour, young people with Aspergers often become victims of bullying. People with Aspergers often have an extensive vocabulary but are very literal and have trouble talking in a social manner.

Presently, there is a big disagreement about where Aspergers fits today as it is considered an autism spectrum disorder. Some doctors think Aspergers is the same as high functioning autism; other doctors think it’s more like a nonverbal learning disability. Aspergers share some similarities with other disorders: PDD-NOS, HFA, and NLD and because of this people with the disorder are often misdiagnosed. Aspergers is also often confused with ADD and ADHD.

Youth CSO Client

Remember, not all disabilities are visible!

List of Symptoms:

• Slow development of fine motor skill
• High attention span (stare into space with intense concentration)
• Social difficulties
• Good memory
• Often repeat words they have already said
• Difficulty reading body language
• Use few facial expressions
• Dislike change preferring a regular daily routine

While researching this article, I found that there are many ways to help cope with this disorder. A lot of little things that can make the world of difference.

• When you talk to someone with Aspergers, remember to keep the conversation as simple and related as possible.
• Usually a person with this disorder cannot take a straight yes or no, so give reasons for your answers or requests.
• Constantly remind and explain why they should look at you when you are talking to them.
• Give lots of encouragement and give lots of credit for achievements.
• Shorten the amount of time a day they spend doing their special activity to an hour or two.
• Get them to do things that involve taking turns on a regular basis.
• Before doing something that will interfere with their daily routine, let them know before so they can write it on a calendar.
• Try to keep any promises you make because, they will hold you to that promise.
• Changing of diet can be helpful

Medication such as Paxil, Prozac, or Zoloft may be offered to help with certain parts of the disorder such as the obsessive component. If you are unsure about something or want to know more, use the Internet because I found lots of information on the web about this topic.
Youth CSO Client