With a greater focus on mental health and increasing awareness, Americans are learning more and more about autism spectrum disorders, especially Asperger's Syndrome.
Asperger's Syndrome is a form of high functioning autism said to affect anywhere between 0.
26 and 4.
3 people out of 1,000.
(Statistically, boys are more affected than girls, but there is no research to explain this discrepancy.
) It is most often diagnosed in children.
In fact, it is said that as many as 20% of diagnosed children will grow out of its criteria as adults.
This does not mean that they are cured, or even that they do not need ongoing treatment for things such as anxiety and depression that often accompany diagnosis as an Aspie, but merely that they often learn skills that mean that they no longer meet the current diagnostic criteria for the condition.
However, do not think that this condition is exclusively a problem for parents and children.
Many must live with it their entire lives, and whether due to misdiagnosis or no psychiatric evaluation at all, many adults are being diagnosed with AS for the first time.
What are the symptoms? Diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome is notoriously difficult, especially in adults who have learned ways to cope with some of the most commonly used diagnostic criteria, but all diagnostic methods agree that these three primary symptoms must be present: ñdifficulty picking up on and using nonverbal communication ñhighly specific, consuming interests ñrepetitive, stereotyped behavior Of course, these are not the only symptoms associated with Asperger's Syndrome.
In addition to social troubles, special interests, and routines, many Aspies experience things like stimming (self-soothing behavior), as well as many comorbid disorders such as depression, anxiety, or even anorexia or seizure disorders.
Asperger's Syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder, meaning that a pattern of symptoms must be present, not just one.
These symptoms must negatively affect a person's life.
Unlike other forms of autism, there isn't a significant delay in language development as a young child for those with AS.
Those with Asperger's Syndrome are often of average to very high intelligence.
How does it develop? It is strongly believed that Asperger's Syndrome is genetic, but the specific gene related to it has not been identified.
The physiology behind it is still hotly debated, and there are many theories as to what part of the brain is responsible for its symptoms.
In fact, it has yet to be determined what physiological mechanisms distinguish AS from other forms of autism.
Because of this, the DSM-5, the new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association, has dropped Asperger's Syndrome as a specific diagnosis.
Instead, all forms of autism are classified under the general title of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
This highly controversial change considers the unaccounted-for difference of physiology and allows for those who meet some, but maybe not all, of the qualifications of AS to be treated, though there is some worry that higher functioning Aspies may fall out of the diagnostic spectrum.
As you can see, there is still a lot to be learned about Asperger's Syndrome.
But increasing awareness de-stigmatizes it and hopefully leads to more diagnoses.
And more documented cases leads to more information to learn from and help better understand this condition.
Asperger's Syndrome is a form of high functioning autism said to affect anywhere between 0.
26 and 4.
3 people out of 1,000.
(Statistically, boys are more affected than girls, but there is no research to explain this discrepancy.
) It is most often diagnosed in children.
In fact, it is said that as many as 20% of diagnosed children will grow out of its criteria as adults.
This does not mean that they are cured, or even that they do not need ongoing treatment for things such as anxiety and depression that often accompany diagnosis as an Aspie, but merely that they often learn skills that mean that they no longer meet the current diagnostic criteria for the condition.
However, do not think that this condition is exclusively a problem for parents and children.
Many must live with it their entire lives, and whether due to misdiagnosis or no psychiatric evaluation at all, many adults are being diagnosed with AS for the first time.
What are the symptoms? Diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome is notoriously difficult, especially in adults who have learned ways to cope with some of the most commonly used diagnostic criteria, but all diagnostic methods agree that these three primary symptoms must be present: ñdifficulty picking up on and using nonverbal communication ñhighly specific, consuming interests ñrepetitive, stereotyped behavior Of course, these are not the only symptoms associated with Asperger's Syndrome.
In addition to social troubles, special interests, and routines, many Aspies experience things like stimming (self-soothing behavior), as well as many comorbid disorders such as depression, anxiety, or even anorexia or seizure disorders.
Asperger's Syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder, meaning that a pattern of symptoms must be present, not just one.
These symptoms must negatively affect a person's life.
Unlike other forms of autism, there isn't a significant delay in language development as a young child for those with AS.
Those with Asperger's Syndrome are often of average to very high intelligence.
How does it develop? It is strongly believed that Asperger's Syndrome is genetic, but the specific gene related to it has not been identified.
The physiology behind it is still hotly debated, and there are many theories as to what part of the brain is responsible for its symptoms.
In fact, it has yet to be determined what physiological mechanisms distinguish AS from other forms of autism.
Because of this, the DSM-5, the new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association, has dropped Asperger's Syndrome as a specific diagnosis.
Instead, all forms of autism are classified under the general title of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
This highly controversial change considers the unaccounted-for difference of physiology and allows for those who meet some, but maybe not all, of the qualifications of AS to be treated, though there is some worry that higher functioning Aspies may fall out of the diagnostic spectrum.
As you can see, there is still a lot to be learned about Asperger's Syndrome.
But increasing awareness de-stigmatizes it and hopefully leads to more diagnoses.
And more documented cases leads to more information to learn from and help better understand this condition.
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