How to treat a child with aspergers
Asperger's Syndrome: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Overview
Signs & Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Seeking Help
What is Asperger’s Syndrome?
Asperger’s Syndrome is a developmental disorder. Young people with Asperger’s Syndrome have a difficult time relating to others socially and their behavior and thinking patterns can be rigid and repetitive.
Generally, children and teens with Asperger’s Syndrome can speak with others and can perform fairly well in their school work. However, they have trouble understanding social situations and subtle forms of communication like body language, humor and sarcasm. They might also think and talk a lot about one topic or interest or only want to do a small range of activities. These interests can become obsessive and interfere with everyday life, rather than giving the child a healthy social or recreational outlet.
Boys are three to four times more likely than girls to have Asperger’s Syndrome. Most cases are diagnosed between the ages of five and nine, with some diagnosed as early as age three.
What Is the Difference Between Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder?
The name for Asperger’s Syndrome has officially changed, but many still use the term Asperger’s Syndrome when talking about their condition. The symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome are now included in a condition called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is now the name used for a wide range of autism-like disorders. Some providers may still use the term Asperger’s Syndrome, but others will say “ASD – without intellectual or language impairment.” These two syndromes are, for the most part, the same.
What are the Symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome?
Children with Asperger’s Syndrome exhibit poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, limited facial expressions and other peculiar mannerisms. They might engage in obsessive routines and show an unusual sensitivity to sensory stimuli.
While all children with Asperger’s Syndrome are different, what sets them apart are their unusual social skills and obsessive interests. For a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, you may see one or more of the following symptoms:
- Inappropriate or minimal social interactions
- Conversations that almost always revolve around themselves or a certain topic, rather than others
- Not understanding emotions well or having less facial expression than others
- Speech that sounds unusual, such as flat, high-pitched, quiet, loud, or robotic
- Not using or understanding nonverbal communication, such as gestures, body language and facial expression
- An intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects
- Becoming upset at any small changes in routines
- Memorizing preferred information and facts easily
- Clumsy, uncoordinated movements, including difficulty with handwriting
- Difficulty managing emotions, sometimes leading to verbal or behavioral outbursts, self-injurious behaviors or tantrums
- Not understanding other peoples’ feelings or perspectives
- Hypersensitivity to lights, sounds and textures
Children with Asperger’s Syndrome often show no delays in their language development.
They are likely to have good grammar skills and an advanced vocabulary, but they also tend to be very literal. They have trouble using language in a social context.
There may be no obvious delay in their cognitive development. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome can have problems with attention span and organization, but they usually have average intelligence.
What Causes Asperger’s Syndrome?
The causes of Asperger’s Syndrome are unknown. Genetics and brain abnormalities may be involved.
We do know that Asperger’s Syndrome is NOT the result of a child’s upbringing or poor parenting. Asperger’s Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder, meaning it is just a part of the child’s brain development, whose causes are not fully understood.
How is Asperger’s Syndrome Diagnosed?
As mentioned above, Asperger’s Syndrome is no longer diagnosed as a condition in and of itself. It is part of the range of conditions included in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
If a parent is concerned about a child’s social development, unusual language patterns, and odd behaviors, a pediatrician should be consulted.
The pediatrician can determine if the child should be seen by a specialist, such as a developmental pediatrician, psychologist, or other clinician who is familiar with ASD.
Testing and assessment usually involve a team of medical and psychological professionals. The specialists will ask the parent many questions about the child’s development and current skills and problems. They will also interact with the child and conduct assessments to evaluate what symptoms the child shows when interacting with others. They may also assess the child’s language and intellectual abilities. A medical doctor might ask questions or order tests to make sure there are no other medical concerns for the child.
Asperger’s Syndrome (also known as “Autism Spectrum Disorder - without intellectual or language impairment”) may be difficult to diagnose. Sometimes this condition can be confused with other conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).
Making sure to evaluate the child’s social and communication skills, their patterns of behavior and thinking, and how these symptoms have developed over time will help the assessor provide the correct diagnosis.
How is Asperger’s Syndrome Treated?
Because each case is different, treatment plans must be built according to each child’s needs. They should be adjusted over time as those needs change.
Treatment of Asperger’s Syndrome usually includes:
- Social skills training
- Behavior supports
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Parent education and training
- Speech-language therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Special education classes
- Medication
At present, there is no “cure.” By learning to cope with the symptoms and pick up on social cues, a child can learn to overcome some of the challenges he faces. With help, parents can learn how to best support their child. People with Asperger’s Syndrome can do well in school and go on to be contributing members of their community.
When Should I Seek Help?
Treatment should be done while a child's brain is still developing. If you notice signs of Asperger’s Syndrome or any of the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in your child, see your pediatrician. She or he can refer you to a mental health expert who specializes in diagnosing this type of disorder.
Related Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Raising a Child With Asperger’s Syndrome
It takes patience, structure, and sometimes a special dog to raise a child with Asperger’s.
Written by Mary Walsh
- Diagnosing Asperger’s Syndrome
- Asperger’s and OCD
I began noticing something was different about my son, Matthew, when he was about two years old. He didn’t make good eye contact. Noise bothered him. He had trouble with some of his motor skills, such as using a spoon.
He was also having a tough time at day care. He’d cry when I dropped him off. He couldn’t relate to other kids. He would get bothered if toys got out of order. And he clapped a lot, more than normal. When I look back at pictures of him at that age, he looked really sad, really serious. My husband and I thought that was just the way he was, that he would grow out of these behaviors. But he didn’t. The behaviors got worse.
Diagnosing Asperger’s Syndrome
Finally in January 2005 -- when he was about to turn 3 -- his preschool teachers told us they were concerned about his lack of sociability and obsessive tendencies. Our pediatrician reviewed the preschool’s notes and said that just one symptom isn’t unusual, but several point to something more serious.
Then she mentioned Asperger’s syndrome. I had no clue what that was. But after a pediatrician who specializes in developmental problems evaluated Matthew, the diagnosis was confirmed.
Asperger’s is similar to autism, with some differences. Autistic kids often have delayed speech, for instance, while the speech of children with Asperger’s tends to develop normally. But children with Asperger’s have trouble with “expressive language,” as well as with empathy and reading social cues.
Asperger’s and OCD
Many children with Asperger’s also develop obsessive interests. That explains why Matthew started focusing on garbage at an early age. He knows more about it than most people who work for garbage companies. Asperger’s sometimes has other components of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), too. Matthew feels a need to shut doors and push in chairs. He gets very upset when his routine changes. Plus he has anxiety and anger management problems. That’s why he claps: It helps him organize himself when he’s upset.
But to some extent, Asperger’s and OCD are just labels. What’s most important is figuring out how best to help him. So we try a lot of different things: reducing the triggers for his aggressive behavior, occupational and physical therapy, a very routine schedule, medications, and finding friends who will be good role models for him. Last year, we also bought him a golden retriever puppy named Tiger. It’s been helping him develop social skills -- Matthew can talk to Tiger, play with Tiger, tell Tiger he loves him. It’s good practice for relating to people.
Asperger’s is not insurmountable. It’s not the kiss of death. Matthew’s a very bright child, but his wiring is different. That’s all.
Asperger's syndrome: how to help a child
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Asperger's syndrome: how to help your child
Asperger's Syndrome is a developmental disorder in which a child has problems with social communication and non-verbal communication.
This disease differs from other manifestations of the autism spectrum in that there is a distortion of normal speech and problems with the development of intelligence. nine0003
The disorder is named after Australian pediatrician Hans Asperger. In 1944, he published a paper in which he described four children who lacked non-verbal communication skills and had little understanding of the feelings of strangers. They did not understand how to show empathy for their peers. Because of these characteristics, it was difficult for children to integrate into society. Asperger gave this condition a name - "autistic psychopathy".
Symptoms
It is difficult for children with Asperger's syndrome to express themselves emotionally, they do not perceive gestures, facial expressions, voice intonations, it is difficult for them to choose a topic for conversation, to understand when a conversation can be started or ended, it is difficult for them to understand humor, sarcasm, allegory.
Difficulties in communication affect social interactions. So, children with this pathology experience difficulties in communicating with other children, in maintaining relationships. In games, it is difficult for such children to accept a role, to show imagination. They prefer logical and mechanical games more. From the outside, these children seem clumsy, they can talk out of place, start inappropriate topics of conversation, get too close to strangers. Children with Asperger's Syndrome sometimes develop semantic dyslexia - reading without understanding the meaning of what is read. nine0003
Problems in social communication with peers - lack of non-verbal social behavior, which is required for social communication with each other. It starts with poorly developed verbal and gestural communication. It can develop to the complete absence of adequate facial expressions.
Stereotypical body movements, thoughtless use of objects or verbal constructions (for example, constant movements in the same ways, following patterns of behavior and movement, meaningless repetition of new words and phrases).
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The lack of full communication with people in children in the future can lead to the development of clinical depression or anxiety neurosis. Therefore, parents should turn to specialists as soon as possible and begin psychological and pedagogical correction of a child with Asperger's syndrome, aimed at social adaptation.
Doctors of related specialties are involved in the diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome: a child psychiatrist, a psychologist, a child neurologist, a teacher-defectologist. First of all, an anamnesis is collected from the parents, as well as a conversation with the child in a playful way. The level of intelligence, psychoverbal development of the child and his ability to communicate are assessed. nine0003
The treatment of this syndrome is psychotherapeutic. The main task is to teach the child to live with this syndrome, to help him adapt to social life. Classes are held with a psychologist, teacher, speech therapist, neuropsychologist. The prognosis of the disease is favorable.
By adulthood, the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome subside and such people can have a full social life, work and create families.
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Treatment of Asperger's syndrome in children in the Primorsky district of St. Petersburg
Relatively recently, Asperger's syndrome in psychiatry began to stand out as a separate diagnosis. Previously, this pathology was considered a type of autism, since there are some common symptoms of the autism spectrum - difficulties in social interaction, lack of desire to make contact with other people. However, despite some similarities, the condition of children with Asperger's syndrome differs from those diagnosed with autism primarily in relatively normal speech and more developed intelligence. nine0003
How Asperger's syndrome manifests itself in children
This type of dysfunction in children is secretive and does not affect the level of intelligence, so very often children diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome have great success both in the exact sciences and in creative activities.
To determine this state, psychologists define the so-called “triad of disorders”:
- Communication problems are manifested primarily in difficulties in establishing personal contacts with others, the child’s inability to establish friendly relations with peers, a tendency to solitude; nine0046
- Difficulties with social interaction are expressed in problems with establishing and maintaining social relationships. A child with Asperger's syndrome is inaccessible to human emotions, he understands everything in a literal sense and feels awkward at the very beginning of a conversation with an interlocutor;
- Difficulties with imagination appear in a child in the absence of this function when playing with other children.
The child cannot perceive everything that happens in a holistic way (for example, during the game, attention is focused on some small part of the toy, and not on the whole object as a whole). nine0046
Possible causes of Asperger's syndrome in children
Psychologists have not yet established the causes of Asperger's syndrome in children, but the prevailing view is that genetic risk factors and environmental influences are linked. The congenital nature of the pathology was also established.
Research is ongoing into the effects of various types of vaccinations on the formation of the disorder. Some features of the child's behavior can be considered as the initial symptoms of the development of Asperger's syndrome:
- When walking and other active actions, the child shows uncertainty and the effect of “clumsiness”;
- Low level of development of communication skills;
- Low eye contact;
- Speech becomes faster or slower;
- Exacerbation of sensory sensitivity - taste and smell, acute reaction to sounds.
Diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome in children
"Special" behavioral traits can appear in a child at a very early age, but child psychologists diagnose this disease in babies from 4-5 years old, when the child has problems with social skills. nine0003
Diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome in children in the multidisciplinary clinic "Osnova Deti" is carried out by a highly qualified child psychologist with extensive practical experience working with young patients. During a conversation with a child and a survey of parents, the doctor carefully studies the psychological characteristics of the baby, his behavior and reactions. Particular attention is paid to the study of social skills, the level of development of speech, social conditions of life.
Treatment options for Asperger's syndrome in children
The psychologist of the Osnova Children multidisciplinary clinic, together with the involved specialists, will prescribe all the necessary therapeutic and corrective measures, based on the results of the diagnosis and the individual characteristics of the patient.
