Asperger’s Syndrome “Not ANOTHER diagnosis!”

Asperger’s Syndrome was first identified in 1944, but was only officially recognized as a diagnostic category in the DSM IV in 1994. As a result, many children were misdiagnosed over the years as ADD/HD, Autistic, OCD or even schizophrenic.

Many different terms are currently applied, leading to great confusion on the part of parents and educators. Asperger’s Syndrome may also be referred to as High Functioning Autism (HFA), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD – NOS), Atypical PDD or even Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD).

There is still debate as to exactly how Asperger’s Syndrome should be classified. In addition, it is not always an easy, clear cut diagnosis to make. As a result, diagnostic errors continue to be made and this often affects treatment, as well as access to appropriate help and information.

Parents may find themselves going from one doctor to another, becoming more and more confused and frustrated in their attempts to help their child. (See bottom of the page for information about natural remedies for Asperger’s Syndrome)

Continue reading " What Is Asperger’s Syndrome? "

Many parents who first hear the words “Your child has autism” are shocked and dismayed.

While we have all heard about autism, many of us have only vague ideas of what the diagnosis means and what can be done to help children and adults lead as normal a life as possible.

The truth is that autism, being a spectrum disorder, affects different people in different ways and no two autistic children are exactly alike. There are also many different theories about what causes autism and what can be done to treat it.

This makes things very confusing for parents who are struggling to come to terms with what is best for their child.

Diagnosis and symptoms of autism

Autism is a neurological disorder and one of five developmental disorders classified under the heading of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).

Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) is made up of 5 different disorders:

• Autism
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
• Rett’s Disorder
• PDD – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD – NOS)

Continue reading " Your Child Has Autism… "

If you have lived all your life with not being able to fully participate in small talk because you do not understand the body language, and other non-verbal communications that goes on with small talk, or you just do not understand the need for such nonessential language, or if you have difficulty dealing with any kind of social situation at work, school or at home perhaps you are an adult who has undiagnosed Aspergers Syndrome.

The reason people reach adulthood and go undiagnosed is because it is common for there to be misdiagnosis or for physicians and parents to not recognize the signs and symptoms of this relatively new neurological disorder.

Typically when adults come to be diagnosed they are given an IQ test. People with Aspergers Syndrome (AS) typically have normal or above normal IQs. An assessment of adaptive skills that are designed to test the individual’s ability to manage complex social situations is then administered.

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Adults who have Asperger’s Syndrome have a developmental disorder that affects how their brain processes information. Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) usually have trouble making or keeping friends, have a great deal of difficulty communicating with others at work, school or home, and are unable to understand social rules or to interpret or understand body language.

Symptoms may be mild to severe and involve many different symptoms or just a few symptoms.

The more common symptoms that an adult may have who has AS are as follows:

> An IQ that is normal or above normal

> An inability to think in abstract terms

> An inability to empathize with others or to see things from another person’s point of view

> Lacks in conversational ability, usually talks out of turn, or initiates and continues one-sided conversations even if the other person isn’t listening or is showing signs of being bored that the person with AS is completely unaware of.

> Has difficulty controlling feelings of anxiety, anger and depression

Continue reading " The Symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome In Adults "

You may have been told that your child has Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), a neurobiological disorder this is part of a group of similar conditions called “autism spectrum disorders”. These similar conditions can have different combinations and different degrees of severity of similar symptoms.

Any two children who receive the same diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome may have similar behavior patterns and different skills and abilities. These children with the same diagnosis of AS may have different terms used to describe them such as low-functioning, or high-functioning, or autistic tendencies, and pervasive developmental disorder.

Kids who have been diagnosed as having high-functioning autism often share the same symptoms as kids diagnosed with AS.

Asperger’s Syndrome is often difficult to diagnosis and treat. Your child may have been misdiagnosed along the way to the diagnosis of AS.

A Viennese Pediatrician first described the set of behaviors in 1940 that later became known as Asperger’s Syndrome, his name was Hans Asperger. He noticed that children had the following behaviors: normal to high intelligence and language development, severely impaired social skills, an inability to effectively communicate with others, and had poor movement coordination.

Continue reading " Your Child And Asperger’s Syndrome "