Asperger's Syndrome

Justin

One thing I learned about was Asperger's Syndrome which was a new medical condition that is coined high functioning Austism. Asperger Syndrome or (Asperger's Disorder) is a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper which described a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also exhibited autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills. In spite of the publication of his paper in the 1940's, it wasn't until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was added to the DSM IV and only in the past few years has AS been recognized by professionals and parents.

Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see.

There is a general impression that Asperger's syndrome carries with it superior intelligence and a tendency to become very interested in and preoccupied with a particular subject. Often this preoccupation leads to a specific career at which the adult is very successful. At younger ages, one might see the child being a bit more rigid and apprehensive about changes or about adhering to routines.

Now that I gave you a little background on it you might even be interested in learning more about the disorder. One thing tho, is that my new stepson has the disorder, and he is an amazingly smart young boy. He is now in the 5th grade and science is his greatest passion. Sometimes I can see some Asperger's in him with his frustrations with people as well as when he starts something and he needs to feel the accomplishment of finishing it up, as well as his boundaries of space; nonetheless, people that I have talked to who has Asperger's teenagers find that their intelligence is beyond belief and they're ability to comprehend is above normality.

I encourage you to do some research on the subject, its quite fascinating.