Understanding Asperger’s Syndrome

Asperger’s syndrome, or Asperger’s, is a condition that affects a child’s neurological development. The condition is characterised by repetitive behaviour and difficulty in nonverbal communication and social interaction.

Until 2013, Asperger’s syndrome was a diagnosis on its own. However, the condition is now a part of autism spectrum disorder or ASD. Read on to understand about Asperger’s syndrome and how the condition is different from autism spectrum disorder.

What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

Asperger’s syndrome is a neurodevelopmental condition that makes it difficult for a child to be in social situations and understand certain forms of communication, such as humour, sarcasm and body language. The condition usually gets diagnosed when a child is between 5-9 years old. However, some cases of Asperger’s syndrome can also be diagnosed at an early age of 3 years.

Causes

The causes of Asperger’s syndrome are still not clear. As per experts, this neurodevelopmental condition can be a result of genetics, brain abnormalities and exposure to certain environmental toxins.

Symptoms

Some symptoms that people with Asperger’s syndrome may exhibit include:

• Feeling awkward during social interactions

• Having a high-pitched, flat, or robotic voice

• Being highly sensitive to light, sound and taste

• Feeling anxious and depressed

What is the Difference between Asperger’s and Autism?

When it comes to Asperger’s vs. autism, Asperger’s generally features less severe symptoms and higher functioning. Children with Asperger’s may have less severe symptoms and no language delay. In fact, people with Asperger’s may even have advanced speech and language skills, but poor pragmatic or socially appropriate language.

People who may have previously received an Asperger’s diagnosis instead now receive an autism diagnosis. But for many people who were diagnosed with Asperger’s before the diagnostic criteria changed in 2013, they are still perceived as “having Asperger’s.”