Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome

Asperger’s syndrome is a neurodevelopmental condition that makes it difficult for a child to develop basic skills, such as the ability to socialise, make eye contact with others, and understand signs of non-verbal communication. While they might be smart as other kids or probably more, they repeat certain behaviours and show little or no emotions.

Until 2013, Asperger’s syndrome was a diagnosis on its own. However, the condition is now a part of autism spectrum disorder or ASD. Although it shares some symptoms with different kinds of autism spectrum disorders, Asperger’s is the less severe type. Read on to know more about Asperger’s signs and symptoms.

Signs & Symptoms

People with Asperger’s syndrome exhibit following symptoms:

• Find difficult to respond to anyone

• Feel awkward in social situations

• Face difficulty to make eye contact

• Miss common signs of nonverbal communication, such as expressions on a person’s face, humour, anger, and body language

• Speak in a flat, high-pitched, or robotic tone

• Showcase no or very few emotions

• Have an interest in a small range of activities, mostly in one or two specific subjects

• Engage in one-sided conversations often

• Have distinctive strengths

• Want to follow a routine and finding it difficult to make any changes to them

• Hypersensitive to loud sounds, bright lights, and strong tastes

• Feel shy, moody, anxious, and depressed

• Have low social esteem

• Prefer social isolation and loneliness

• Become clumsy

• Face difficulty with handwriting and fine motor skills

A child with Asperger’s syndrome may talk about a particular subject most of the time and repeat topics they are interested in. They may want to follow a set routine and resist or dislike change.

Children with Asperger’s syndrome may also have some distinctive strengths that distinguish them from the rest. These include the following:

• They pay attention to detail

• They have amazing focus and determination

• They can memorise information and facts effortlessly

• They can recognise patterns