Symptoms Of Asperger’s Syndrome, A Misunderstood Disease

Do you know the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome? It is a neurobiological disorder that is triggered by an abnormality and mainly influences the patient’s social behavior. Asperger’s syndrome is relatively common, affecting between three and five children between the ages of 7 and 16 in 1,000. Most patients are male.

Asperger’s syndrome was discovered in 1944 by Hans Asperger, an Austrian pediatrician. Asperger’s observed that various behavioral abnormalities present in some children follow a certain pattern.

It has been shown that this disorder has a fixed trajectory and can persist throughout life. The symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome can be alleviated with the help of treatments.

In the IVth edition of the Manual of Diagnostic and Statistical of Mental Disorders ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-4), Asperger syndrome was considered to be a disease in itself. But the DSM-5 calls it a subcategory of autism. Therefore, currently all patients with Asperger’s syndrome are diagnosed with autism.

A large number of disorders have been classified on the autism spectrum. Among them are various anomalies, the severity of which varies. People with Asperger’s Syndrome are at the forefront of “highly functional” autism.

Characteristics of Asperger’s syndrome

Most people, including those working in the medical field, do not have much information about Asperger’s syndrome. This disorder is difficult to detect because it does not cause obvious symptoms.

In fact, patients seem to be completely normal. Their intelligence is not affected by the disease, and many of them even tend to have special abilities in certain areas.

The main problems caused by Asperger’s syndrome are somewhat inappropriate social behaviors. In everyday life, individuals with this disease have normal performance, but they are immature in terms of social relationships.

It is very easy to label a person with Asperger’s syndrome as eccentric. It can also cause difficulties when it comes to certain motor skills, but this symptom can be taken as clumsiness.

Symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome

Computed tomography and MRI did not reveal common patterns in the brains of patients with Asperger’s syndrome. Researchers suspect that this disease has a genetic component.

Those affected often have relatives who suffer from Asperger’s syndrome, but scientists still cannot say with certainty that genetic inheritance is an important factor. However, they were able to identify the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome. These include:

• Restricted interests
• Reduced motor skills
• Low tolerance for frustration
• Difficulties in building friendships
• Exceptional skills in recognizing patterns
• Exaggerated emotional reactions
• The need to follow a strict routine (and anxiety if the routine is interrupted)
• Emotional manifestations that are inappropriate for the situation in question
• Difficulty establishing or maintaining eye contact
• Selective mutism
  • Patients with Asperger’s syndrome only talk to people around whom they feel comfortable. (Generally, this symptom can be remedied with psychotherapy.)
  • It is not uncommon for these individuals to talk a lot, but in a strange way (for example, as if they were singing or with a foreign or invented accent).
  • Another trend is represented by the literal interpretation of language (in other words, I do not understand figurative language).
  • Because they tend to be disinterested in what others say, it is very difficult to have a long conversation with these patients.
  • They do not understand the rules of the game and want to invent their own rules.
• Inability to feel empathy (has difficulty interpreting both body language and the emotions of others)

Diagnosis and prognosis

Asperger’s syndrome is very difficult to diagnose. If a child manifests the symptoms characteristic of the disease, those around them often interpret them as character problems. As a consequence, early intervention does not take place, which affects the prognosis.

Only a child mental health specialist can diagnose a child with Asperger’s syndrome. It will subject the child to a thorough psychological evaluation, examining communication problems and establishing a detailed history of the symptoms detected.

Many patients with Asperger’s syndrome are able to successfully engage in daily activities. During childhood, they need a lot of support from parents and teachers. Ideally, adults caring for a child with Asperger’s syndrome should learn how to behave in certain situations.