Manifestations of Asperger's syndrome in children. Social and physiological characteristics

Asperger's syndrome has been considered a form of Asperger's syndrome for many years. Only 30 years ago did this condition become a separate diagnosis. However, despite some similarities, the condition of children with Asperger syndrome differs from the manifestations of early childhood autism.

Typical symptoms of Asperger's syndrome

The condition with this syndrome is called hidden dysfunction, since it is usually impossible to understand from appearance that something is wrong with a person. The syndrome does not affect the preservation of intelligence; often Aspie children, as they are called, have significant success in the field of exact sciences or in creativity. Problems manifest themselves in the areas of socialization and interpersonal communications.

Typical for this condition is the “triad of violations”:

Social interaction
Difficulties manifest themselves in establishing contacts with others. In addition to rare eye contact, Aspie children do not know how to maintain friendly relationships, do not perceive social norms accepted in society, and may seem tactless or annoying. At the same time, they are distinguished by a tendency to solitude and some detachment from others.
Social communications
Emotions are something that people with Asperger's syndrome do not have access to. They take everything literally. Facial expressions and gestures accompanying our speech are incomprehensible to them. They do not use sarcasm, metaphors, or anecdotes. In addition, the very beginning of a conversation and the ability to finish it on time causes great difficulties.
Social imagination
Asperger's does not exclude imagination in the broad sense. Carriers of this syndrome can be writers, artists, but empathy is not available to them. They cannot imagine an alternative resolution to the situation, and do not base their opinion about another person on his feelings and emotions expressed non-verbally.

Other characteristic signs of Asperger's syndrome:

Commitment to a certain order of things, schedule, traditions.
A pronounced passion for a particular topic.
Features of sensory sensitivity - excessively increased or, conversely, decreased.

Diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome

“Special” traits appear in a child at an early age. However, Asperger syndrome is diagnosed later, closer to school age. This is because the biggest problems Aspie children have are social skills.

In early childhood, this may be a problem-free child, developing on time and characterized by a calm temperament. Parents are not bothered by the baby, who can play with the toy for a long time and does not require unnecessary communication.
The intelligence of such children is also not a cause for concern - it is, as a rule, average or above average. Speech usually develops in accordance with age norms or even ahead of them.

Teachers or caregivers may notice traits characteristic of Asperger's in a child, or parents may begin to sound the alarm. A pediatrician, a neurologist, a child psychologist and a speech therapist (who is talking about the state of speech) should take part in the examination, but the last word remains with the child psychiatrist.

For diagnosis, various tests, questionnaires, and neurological examinations (EEG, MRI) are used to exclude brain damage.

What parents should pay attention to:

The child reacts negatively to new people, cries, and refuses to communicate.
Does not take part in outdoor games, is clumsy, avoids communication.
In preschool age, this is a “non-kindergarten child” who has difficulty breaking away from his mother and does not make contact.
Does not like or understand funny fairy tales or cartoons.
Irritated by touch and tactile interaction.
He is overly interested in one type of activity, does not allow himself to be distracted, and spends hours studying alone.
Has clearly limited food preferences.
The new environment, the change in usual rituals completely unsettle him.

Treatment for Asperger's Syndrome

There is currently no absolute cure for this condition. To correct severe manifestations of the syndrome, drug therapy is prescribed; in other cases, the work is carried out by psychologists, teachers and speech pathologists.
Undoubtedly, the sooner it is possible to identify symptoms and carry out a diagnosis, and therefore begin to apply corrective measures, the greater success can be achieved. However, we cannot talk about a complete cure.

It is worth noting, however, that adults with Asperger syndrome live quite full lives, create families and find work for themselves, achieving considerable results in it. Of course, these are the people who were able to adapt to society and went through some correctional work.

Psychologists and teachers help Aspie children learn to behave in society and help them develop correct behavioral stereotypes.

Why does a child with Asperger's syndrome need a speech pathologist?

Speech therapy correction work is also of great importance. Despite the fact that speech in children with Asperger's syndrome develops on time, it is characterized by many disorders, which must be solved by a speech pathologist-defectologist:

The accelerated development of speech leads to the presence of a fairly extensive vocabulary, but even such an “academic” vocabulary does not give the child the opportunity to build communication and sometimes even scares away peers. In addition, the narrow focus of his interests leaves an imprint on his vocabulary.
Repeated repetition of individual words or entire phrases is also a hallmark of Asperger's syndrome. Correctional classes are aimed at building correct oral speech.
A characteristic symptom of the syndrome is also semantic dyslexia (mechanical reading). A child can read a text well and quickly, but not understand its content.
The speech of Aspie children is characterized by an accelerated or, conversely, slow pace and monotony. In order to eliminate this deficiency, various games and tasks are used to allow the child to take control of this area. The classes use logorhythmic techniques, tasks for combining movements and speaking.
Here we come to another characteristic feature of the syndrome - impaired motor skills and coordination. Aspie children have significant problems tying shoelaces, have poor handwriting, and are clumsy and awkward. Exercises to develop fine motor skills and coordination will help them cope with these difficulties.
A large part of speech therapy work is the development of communicative speech. The classes use didactic games in which children learn to build dialogue, understand the rules of communication and building social communication.
Sometimes Aspie children experience dysarthria, which also requires correction and development of the articulatory apparatus.

Asperger's syndrome is also called high-functioning autism. Many qualities of Aspie people can become their strength, allowing them to achieve a lot in life - logical thinking, attention to detail, independent thinking, high intelligence. Parents who strive to help their child correct the negative manifestations of the syndrome give him the opportunity to successfully build his life. In principle, he is in good company - next to Newton, Einstein and other outstanding personalities.

Emotions are what makes us human. We express our feelings through facial expressions, gestures, intonation, and, perceiving these same signals, we judge the emotional state of those around us. Children with Asperger's syndrome have difficulty expressing emotions and have difficulty communicating with peers, preferring a small range of interests and hobbies. It is believed that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein had this disease. Next, we will talk about the treatment and main symptoms of Asperger's syndrome.

Asperger's syndrome - symptoms

Asperger's syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and a limitation of interests and activities to a small, stereotypical repertoire. Outwardly, this disorder may resemble autism, but unlike the latter, speech and cognition abilities are preserved.

Symptoms of Asperger's syndrome are combined into a characteristic “triad”:

Communication disorders;
Difficulties in maintaining cooperation;
Social imagination.

Communication disorders imply difficulties in understanding gestures, facial expressions and intonations, and choosing topics for conversation. Children with Asperger's syndrome cannot start and finish a conversation, do not understand jokes and metaphors, and do not distinguish the meaning of complex words and phrases, although they can use them.

These guys have difficulty maintaining friendships, do not understand ethical standards, often exhibit inappropriate behavior and appear withdrawn, indifferent, indifferent and aloof.

As for the imagination, such children have a rich and varied imagination, but it is quite difficult to demonstrate its results to others. They do not always understand the point of view of other people and mistakenly interpret their feelings, actions, and thoughts. A characteristic sign of Asperger's syndrome: role-playing games are difficult, but logic games are well mastered.

In general, the disease is characterized by anxiety and restlessness during communication, obsession with hobby, desire for order, unnatural speech, often all this is accompanied by sensory disturbances. If these signs are identified, it is worth testing for Asperger's syndrome.

Asperger's syndrome and communication difficulties

From birth to three years of age, for known reasons, signs of Asperger's syndrome are absent, but appear at the time of socialization. Speech becomes monotonous and weakened, facial expressions become frozen, the voice becomes quiet and harsh, and the range of interests is limited to a narrow set of monotonous activities. The child is characterized by active, but short-term attention, his gaze remains empty.

All these external manifestations leave their mark on the child’s personality. At a tender age, such a child may be overly calm or overly irritable, have difficulty falling asleep and have capricious food preferences. When the time comes to attend kindergarten, such children have difficulty adapting to the group, do not want to part with their parents and withdraw from other children.

Experiencing stress when communicating, children often get sick and, deprived of communication with peers during their illness, become even more alienated. As a result, the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome worsen by school.

At school, such children often become outcasts, and it is not difficult to understand why this happens. Unable to express their emotions, schoolchildren with Asperger syndrome seem inadequate, selfish, and callous to their classmates, which is not surprising given the fact that such children react poorly to the touch of other people, avoid looking their interlocutor in the eyes, and do not accept other people’s ideas. And although it may seem that they do not strive for social contacts at all, such children have difficulty enduring loneliness.

Features of intelligence

Signs of Asperger's syndrome interfere with socialization, but they do not affect intelligence. In terms of mental development, such children not only do not lag behind the age norm, but often exceed it. As a rule, their memory is phenomenal, and their knowledge about the world is truly encyclopedic, and yet in practice this knowledge is difficult to apply.

As we have already noted, the range of interests of such children, as a rule, is limited, but thanks to the ability to concentrate on little things in their favorite activities, they achieve stunning success. They are usually impressed by subjects such as mathematics, philosophy, history, and geography.

Children with Asperger's syndrome are reluctant to communicate, but do not experience speech problems. They construct grammatically correct sentences, but pronounce them in a monotonous and unnatural voice, and the speech itself may seem too bookish and formulaic. However, such children express their thoughts much better in writing than in conversation.

Motor and sensory skills

Children with Asperger's syndrome are characterized by pedantry - they prefer an orderly life and routine, and any spontaneous interference with the usual routine only provokes anxiety. This can be expressed in the fact that the child refuses to try new dishes, reacts painfully to various unexpected stimuli - bright light, machine noise, tactile contacts with other people.

If ordinary children are afraid of the dark, strangers or do not want to be left alone, then with Asperger's syndrome there are completely different phobias, such as fear of wind, rain, sharp sounds, etc. And yet, the instinct of self-preservation and the necessary caution in potentially dangerous situations are not characteristic of such children.

As for motor skills, children with Asperger syndrome have difficulty developing coordination of movements. This manifests itself during such simple operations as fastening buttons, tying shoelaces, and for the same reason their handwriting suffers. In general, such children are clumsy, they may have disturbances in gait and posture, and stereotypical obsessive movements are observed.

Asperger syndrome test and treatment

It may seem like the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome are simply the result of poor upbringing, but in fact, the disorder is associated with certain changes in brain development. Possible causes of the disease include genetic predisposition and viral infections in the first months of pregnancy.

To diagnose the disease, a test for Asperger's syndrome, developed by psychologists at the Cambridge Center for the Study of Autism, is used, as well as other neuropsychological studies. However, sometimes the results of surveys also include people who are quite adequate in emotional terms. In addition to the test for Asperger's syndrome, methods of observing the child, questioning parents and teachers, as well as neurological diagnostic methods are used, which make it possible to exclude organic brain damage.

There is no specific treatment for Asperger's syndrome. In mild cases, deviations are compensated by the work of teachers and psychologists. In complex cases, neuroleptics, psychostimulants and antidepressants are required, as well as training, physical therapy and classes with a speech therapist. As a rule, the problems of a child with Asperger syndrome cannot be completely solved, but as he grows up, he can start a family and achieve great success in areas that interest him.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

Social relationships: To detect key manifestations of Asperger's symptoms, observe your child's behavior.

Asperger's syndrome may involve your child initiating communication but having difficulty maintaining the communication process. For example, in the middle of playing with another toddler, your son or daughter may get up and leave the room.
Children with Asperger's syndrome prefer to play alone, and the approach of another child may upset them. They are inclined to make contacts only when the desire to communicate comes from themselves (for example, they are attracted to some kind of toy or want to discuss something).
You should be wary if your child has a poor culture of communicating with other people. For example, they may interrupt mid-sentence or avoid making eye contact. Another symptom of Asperger's may be limited use of facial expressions, gestures, pantomime (posture) and other physical manifestations of emotion.
The imagination of children with Asperger's develops in a special way. For example, they may not like group games and even resist accepting their rules. They may prefer games with a clearly established algorithm of actions, for example, repeating their favorite fairy tale or TV show over and over again. They may also love their own dream worlds, but almost always resist playing social roles. Such a child may prefer “his own fantasy world” to playing with peers. Even when playing with friends, they often try to impose their own games.
A child with Asperger's often has difficulty recognizing and understanding other people's emotions. For example, a child with Asperger's syndrome cannot understand others' desire to be alone. Disregard for the feelings of others may seem like indifference, but this is not a conscious manifestation of the child’s will, but something that he cannot yet cope with.

See who your child prefers to play with. If he always strives to be with adults rather than with peers, this may indicate Asperger's syndrome.

Pay attention if the child speaks in a flat, monotonous voice. This is one of the clear signs of Asperger's syndrome. In some cases, all speech may sound strange or in a raised voice. Asperger's can also impair the emphasis of words and the overall rhythm of speech.

Be vigilant during the development of speech, when the child begins to connect words (in most cases, this process begins at the age of two).

Please note that in some cases, a child with Asperger's syndrome has excellent language skills and is very sociable. For example, he can easily name all the objects in the room. In this case, you need to be wary if the speech sounds too formal, or if it seems that the child is listing facts rather than trying to convey thoughts and emotions. You also need to be attentive if a sociable child experiences speech difficulties in certain situations, for example, in a new environment or outside the family. Do not attribute this only to shyness, relying on the fact that the child communicates normally with close relatives.

In modern psychotherapy, Asperger syndrome (Aspie) is considered one of the most curious and unexplored conditions of the human psyche. It is often said about Asperger's syndrome that it is a manifestation of autism. Indeed, this disorder belongs to the autism spectrum.

But, unlike autism, Aspie pathology is not accompanied by a mental disorder (with autism, such deviations are observed in 90% of cases). Modern doctors are inclined to believe that Asperger's syndrome is not a disease, but a peculiar feature of brain function. More often it develops in men (85% of cases).

People with Asperger's syndrome cannot feel the emotions of others

The disorder owes its name to the Austrian psychiatrist Hans Asperger. The scientist devoted a lot of time to studying and observing children aged 6-18 years suffering from this disorder. The psychiatrist himself called this condition “autistic psychopathy.” According to statistics, Aspie affects 4-5% of the world's population.

There are no intellectual impairments associated with Asperger's syndrome. On the contrary, the intellectual abilities of children far exceed the average indicators of their peers.

If you manage to interest a child with an Aspie in suitable activities, he will achieve excellent success and may even join the ranks of geniuses. This syndrome has been observed in:

Dan Ackroyd (talented comic actor);
Steven Spielberg (brilliant film director);
Mary Temple Grandin (female professor of animal husbandry, biologist);
Vernon Smith (Nobel Prize winner in economics);
Bob Dylan (film actor, writer, poet, performer of his own songs).

Some researchers, studying the biographies of outstanding individuals, concluded that Newton, Van Gogh, Socrates, Einstein, Carol Lewis were also Aspers.

The essence of pathology

Asperger's disease is a congenital disorder characterized by specific problems in social relationships with others. Aspies don't have empathy.. Simply put, in the minds of aspers, the place where assumptions about the thoughts and feelings of others are formed is closed by a “white impenetrable spot.”

Patients with Asperger's syndrome do not understand emotions; for them, such manifestations of feelings are a by-product and unnecessary product of thinking. For such individuals, everything is extremely simple: you need to strive to get what is pleasant, and what is unpleasant should be avoided.

But life mercilessly makes its own adjustments to this perception, and the life of aspers takes on painful anxiety. Such people have huge communication problems (are unable to establish, develop and maintain friendly relationships).

Strengths of people with Asperger's syndrome

The essence of pathology comes down to vivid manifestations of a lack of relationships, problems of normal adaptation and perception of the surrounding reality. This syndrome is manifested by a sharp restriction of social acceptance. Asperger's disease is classified as a "hidden" disorder. It is almost impossible to determine the problem by a person’s appearance.

How to identify Asperger's syndrome

Modern luminaries of psychiatry describe disorders by viewing them through a triad of main symptoms:

Social and communication difficulties

People with Aspies have a very difficult time expressing and expressing themselves as individuals socially and emotionally. To understand what Asperger syndrome is in simple terms, get to know the most common manifestations of such patients. They:

do not understand the gestures, tone of voice, facial expressions of the interlocutors;
cannot determine when to start and end communication/conversation;
are not able to determine which topic of conversation is suitable and interesting;
use overly complex phrases, but do not fully understand their meaning;
They are too “literal”, have difficulty accepting jokes, and are inaccessible to sarcasm and complex metaphors.

Difficulties in perceiving the world (spatial and sensory)

Aspers strive to be sociable and establish some kind of social relationships, but when faced with a lack of understanding of the behavior of others, they become withdrawn. They have the following features:

misunderstanding of “personal space”;
coldness in relationships of any kind;
incorrect behavior and conversation;
indifference, alienation, detachment from others;
inability to maintain accepted distance and decorum.

Inability to socially imagine (emotional deficits)

Patients with Asperger's syndrome can boast of a developed imagination. But they don’t know how to “connect” it to everyday life. It is easier for them to listen and obey the rules of logic. Aspers are characterized by:

absolutely not aware of the point of view of others;
find it difficult to predict any future events;
engage more in logical actions without the participation of creative ideas;
do not perceive the emotional background that pushes people to certain actions;
misunderstanding of what the interlocutor wants to tell if he uses facial expressions and gestures in communication.

Other signs characterizing Asperger syndrome

In addition to the three main categories characteristic of people with Aspie, other signs also indicate the presence of pathology. They are observed to one degree or another in every such person:

Creating a Specific Order. When an asper encounters an incomprehensible, confusing world, he, on a subconscious level, tries to bring the environment into order that is peculiar to him. The creation of template rules helps in this. If something or someone violates the routine, people with Aspies become extremely anxious..

For example, changes in opening hours, train or bus delays. Aspers prefer to go to the store or to work along only one route; if something changes, this leads them to great frustration.

Problematic aspects of a person with Asperger's syndrome

Special hobbies. People with Asperger's syndrome are more likely to enjoy hoarding or collecting. These individuals will enthusiastically find information and study everything related to their favorite hobby.

Aspers are distinguished by their exceptional, very deep and extensive knowledge of what truly fascinates and interests them.

Sensory difficulties. Sensory difficulties in aspers manifest themselves in some kind of sensation. May suffer:

taste;
hearing;
vision;
touch;
sense of smell.

One of these senses is either undersensitive (underdeveloped) or oversensitive. Patients may be irritated by nonspecific lighting, loud sounds, strong aroma, and certain surfaces. To relieve stress, patients with Asperger's syndrome can spin or sway evenly in one place for a long time.

Increased sensory sensitivity creates difficulties for such individuals in perceiving their own body. Some aspers find it very problematic to move from room to another room and avoid obstacles. Activities that require fine motor skills (tying shoelaces, fastening buttons) also cause difficulties.

Signs of Asperger's syndrome in children

The distinctive symptoms of Asperger's syndrome in children begin to appear after 4-5 years of age. Even in kindergarten, such individuals are noticeably different from their peers. Children with Aspies often become outcasts in kindergarten society. The inability to make friends and establish friendly relationships “pushes” such children to the margins of a noisy childhood life.

Children with Asperger syndrome become outcasts among their peers

Little outcasts have nothing against them; they willingly settle into their own world. They are difficult to understand, because poor facial expressions and stingy emotions do not show the child’s inner state. Asper babies tend to show the same type of behavior and expression of their feelings. Such children:

They get irritated by loud music and songs.
They do not want to participate in noisy group games.
They are strongly attached to their family and familiar home environment.
They react sharply (even to the point of hysteria) to the appearance of strangers.
They do not like funny, funny cartoons due to their inability to appreciate jokes.

Children with Asperger's syndrome love to play with construction sets, put together puzzles, and enjoy quiet, logical system games.

Attention moms. Although obvious signs of Asperger's syndrome appear at the age of kindergarten, it is worth paying attention to unusual symptoms that are visible at an earlier age. The following signs may be warning signs:

sudden tears caused by sounds, light, smell;
clumsy gait compared to other peers, there is a certain unsteadiness, swaying, awkwardness;
unpleasant sensations from smooth objects, the baby explains that they are prickly, rough and unpleasant.

These early signs do not indicate the presence of Asperger's disorder, but should prompt additional consultation with a neurologist.

Growing up, children with Asperger syndrome show a certain arrogance, even arrogance, and are indifferent to the people around them. But this is just a defensive reaction, an attempt to hide and protect yourself from a chaotic, unpleasant world.

Emotions, tightly driven and hidden inside, give rise to a high level of anxiety, which requires release and release. This manifests itself as attacks of aggression and many somatic manifestations:

temperature;
pressure surges;
problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
spasms of the esophagus;
cardiovascular diseases.

Timely diagnosis (when working with children, psychologists resort to specific testing of patients) and diagnosing Asperger's syndrome at an early stage, allow for competent correction and significantly improve the perception of reality in such children.

Signs of the disorder in adults

If the pathology is not identified at an early age and the necessary psychological correction is not carried out, the disease provokes the appearance of persistent, acute social self-isolation. Symptoms of Asperger's syndrome in adults are expressed in the following way:

Aspers have absolutely no idea what humor is.
Patients are not able to understand where the lie is and where the truth is.
Friends and acquaintances are missing. Asper cannot find the same interests as those around him.
Problems arise in your personal life. The person does not know how to maintain close relationships.

People with Aspies are not able to occupy leadership positions where the ability to manage and organize subordinates is valued. Even if they have a thorough knowledge of their own company and are well versed in calculations and accounting, such individuals prefer to engage in routine, monotonous duties. They don't care about their career at all.

People with Asperger's syndrome don't care about career issues

People with Asperger's syndrome are not particularly liked by their colleagues because of their strange behavior and perceived impoliteness. After all, aspers:

do not understand how the interlocutor feels;
say everything to your face, what is necessary and what is not necessary;
make insensitive public remarks;
they don’t see the point in maintaining office etiquette;
do not think about making a good impression;
They can cut off the conversation and leave because of their own sudden thoughts.

As they get older, aspers develop increased suspicion, even to the point of phobia. Because of this, such individuals are considered by others to be tactless, arrogant and petty, unpleasant bores.

Reasons for the development of the syndrome

Doctors have not identified the exact culprit that triggers the development of Asperger's disorder. The provoking factors of pathology are the subject of noisy debates and discussions among psychiatrists. Most scientists are inclined to believe that the leading factors provoking the disease are:

intrauterine infection;
brain injuries during childbirth;
traumatic brain injuries;
hereditary factor (genetic);
intoxication of the developing fetus during pregnancy;
toxic effects on the fetus in the first trimester (smoking, drugs, alcohol);
congenital hormonal imbalance (excess testosterone, unstable cortisol levels);
maternal autoimmune reaction of the body (this provokes an abnormality in brain development in the child);
consequences of unsuccessful vaccination (high mercury content, preservatives), creating an unbearable burden on children's immunity.

Advanced computer diagnostics and specific medical and psychological testing help to more accurately identify the cause of the pathology.

Is the syndrome dangerous?

Asperger's disorder is not a health risk. If pathology is identified at an early age, with the help of psychologists such a child can be adapted and helped to painlessly integrate into the surrounding society. The disease can cause harm to adults due to antisocialization, namely:

It prevents a person from finding his own place and purpose.
Causes severe depression due to loneliness and constant anxiety.
May provoke the development of fears and phobias. Such disorders are persistent and difficult to correct.

Treatment for Asperger's Syndrome

The main task of parents is to try to instill social and communication skills in their child.. Learn to adapt and accept the variability of everyday life.

The main methods of treatment for Asperger's syndrome come down to psychological training and courses aimed at increasing people's adaptive qualities to society. Treatment takes place under constant supervision of a psychiatrist.

In addition to psychological treatment, patients are prescribed a course of medication consisting of sedatives. In some cases, taking antidepressants is appropriate. It is impossible to completely get rid of such a problem. But with proper therapy, a person with Aspie can be adapted by adjusting his perception of reality.

Then a person with Asperger syndrome will independently strive to overcome communication difficulties, trying to work with social problems on their own.

This disease is characterized by monotonous actions, limited interests and a pronounced deficit in social communication. Asperger syndrome is often diagnosed in children of primary school age.

Pathology affects the perception of the world around us, attitudes towards other people and the processing of information.

It is not possible to visually determine Asperger's syndrome in adults and children. Scientists believe that famous figures such as Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein had this syndrome.

People with Asperger's syndrome have difficulty communicating, interacting, and imagining. The term social “triad of disorders” is applied to them. It is very difficult to determine from the facial expressions of people with Asperger's syndrome, their voice and body language what they are experiencing, whether they are happy or not. Ordinary people do not understand people with Asperger's syndrome; they find it difficult to communicate.

Symptoms of Asperger's syndrome become noticeable from about 2-3 years of age. Symptoms can range from moderate to severe. Let's consider the main symptoms of Asperger's syndrome disease:

Difficulty finding friends;
Problems communicating with other people;
Preoccupation with one's own world;
Lack of understanding of other people's feelings;
Repeating certain actions;
Insensitivity to emotions;
Not sharing achievements and interests with others;
Inappropriate emotional and social reactions;
Limited interests;
Same type thinking;
Psychological problems when changing the schedule or regime;
High interest in several topics;
Repeated repetition of words and phrases;
Limited language skills;
Good mechanical memory, but information is not perceived;
Concentration on details;
Difficulty with abstract thinking and fantasy;
Poor eye contact;
Difficulties with nonverbal communication;
Clumsy movements;
Ability to read without understanding words;
Poor coordination;
Hand vibrations;
A small amount of emotion;
An obsessive desire to complete any tasks started;
Not accepting criticism

Reasons for the development of the disease

The causes of Asperger's syndrome are similar to the causes of all autism spectrum disorders. The main causes of the syndrome are a combination of biological and genetic factors. Also, Asperger's syndrome in children can develop under the influence of toxic substances that affect the development of the fetus in the first months of pregnancy.

How to treat Asperger's syndrome?

It is currently not possible to cure Asperger's syndrome; there are no special medications or treatment methods for this pathology. During treatment, symptoms of Asperger's syndrome are monitored to improve the patient's social skills.

Treatment for Asperger's syndrome involves taking the following medications:

Psychotropic drugs;
Stimulants;
Medicines to control seizures;
Antipsychotics, such as risperidone.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as sertraline, citalopram, paroxetine and fluoxetine

This treatment helps reduce the risk of attention deficit disorder and mental health problems.

In addition to taking medications, treatment for Asperger's syndrome is based on behavioral therapy. Behavioral treatment for Asperger syndrome will help your child develop social skills.

How do people with Asperger's syndrome live?

Some people with Asperger's Syndrome (1/3 of those with Asperger's Syndrome) are able to live independently and do "normal" work, but in most cases they are unable to do such activities. The most capable (about 5%) do not differ from ordinary people, and problems with adaptation are revealed during neuropsychological testing.

Asperger's syndrome in children leads to difficulties in communicating with peers. Such problems become very serious in childhood and adolescence: the child is attacked and bullied by other children. This leads to the fact that such children, growing up, become disconnected from the world around them.

Children with this syndrome may show abilities in mathematics, language, music, sometimes these abilities reach the level of “gifted”, but in other areas the child has significant delays.

Many teachers consider children with Asperger's syndrome to be underachieving and problematic. A child’s low motivation is perceived by teachers as arrogance and disobedience, while the child, sitting silently, feels unfairly offended and upset.

People with Asperger's syndrome are not doomed to a miserable life. The tendency to solve problems characteristic of people with this syndrome often makes it possible to achieve high results in their area of interest.

Many people with autism can have children without the syndrome necessarily being inherited. Many patients notice their difficulties and try to adapt to healthy people. But often Asperger's syndrome in adults leads to them remaining lonely throughout their lives.

Family members and partners of people with Asperger's syndrome often suffer from the fact that sufferers are very literal and do not express emotions. But just because they're not emotional doesn't mean they're less sensitive. Understanding this will help family members and partners not feel rejected. If you describe your emotions, avoid using unclear language, this will make it easier for a patient with Asperger's syndrome to understand you. Asperger's syndrome in adults is such a problem that others cannot accept their characteristics. Such people are expected to behave in the same way as other people. It is very important to understand that people on the autism spectrum can be successful and talented in some things and incompetent in others. Therefore, family members and partners of people with this syndrome need to read as much literature as possible about this disease.

Record your child's favorite TV shows so he can watch them at any time;
Limit the time your child spends on a single, obsessive activity;
Avoid using figures of speech; when communicating with your child, use precise words;
It should be taken into account that a child with this syndrome may not understand what is said, even if he repeats words, he does this mechanically. Therefore, explanations should be given to the child;
From an early age, a child needs to be explained how he should behave in public places;
You cannot threaten a child and give him empty promises;
Be sure to praise your child for his achievements, especially his social skills.

Children with Asperger's syndrome most often have a normal IQ and can attend mainstream schools, but they may need additional support and teachers should be made aware of the diagnosis.