Parents of Aspergers Children, Don’t Be Intimidated
Posted on February 15th, 2010
Parents of Aspergers Children, Don’t Be Intimidated by Medical and Educational Professionals
After raising children for sixteen years, I’ve learned to trust my instincts. In fact, one psychologist told me that I have a PhD in my children. In this particular case he was referring to my autistic son, who was five years old at the time.
He said, “You’ve been studying him for five years now. That’s how long it takes some psychologists to earn their PhD. You are an expert on your son. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”
Medical Personnel:
I wish I had this much confidence in myself when my middle son was an infant. I kept taking him in for his well baby check ups and complained about developmental delays. He was months behind his brother for smiling, babbling, crawling, walking, talking, etc.
I was intimidated into not looking for answers for three years by one simple comment from his doctor. “Oh, you had the perfect child first.” When my son was three and a half years old, I ventured to ask my own physician in the same family practice. She administered some developmental tests on the spot. Then she immediately handed me a referral to a children’s developmental clinic.
It turned out I was correct in my concern. My son received the diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome from this clinic. Fortunately, my son was not adversely affected by the delay in a diagnosis and early interventions.
Educational Professionals:
When I took my son into preschool, the vice principal told me that my son was too young to receive a diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome. When I requested my son be tested for speech and language disabilities, I was told that he had none. The Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) my son had at the beginning of preschool was withdrawn.
In kindergarten my son came home thirty-eight days in a row having had a wetting accident during class. I thought I had complained to everyone that something was wrong. Maybe I did and maybe I didn’t. All I know is after a meeting between my attorney and specialists and the school board’s vice superintendent, attorney and the school’s principal, my son was immediately moved to a different classroom and teacher. The wetting accidents stopped.
There was a discrepancy between the quality of work he was bringing home and what he was doing at home. I felt my son had a learning disability. The school did not. I went to the local learning disability advocates who confirmed that the school did not have to do anything more for my child. I hired an attorney and educational consultant who affirmed my position.
In the end, I did not continue with the services of the hired professionals. Once I had begun to trust in my own instincts, I began advocating on my own for my son. Eventually we did receive a new IEP for my son. He went from a child in the top two thirds of his class to earning straight ‘A’ report cards and being placed in the Honors program.
http://www.justbecausemypickletalks.blogspot.com
I’m a mother of a nine-year-old son diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, ADHD and Anxiety Disorder. Although I don’t think what I do for him is beyond normal, most of the professionals we deal with suggest that I start sharing some of my ideas for helping my son.
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Is Asperger’s Syndrome Hereditary?
We need to do a lot more work, but it does look like there’s some very strong genetics to Asperger’s Syndrome and there is probably some connection to autism. Dr. Volkmar, M.D.: Fred Volkmar, M.D.
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Asperger’s Syndrome – How Can I Help My Child
Posted on February 2nd, 2010
Asperger’s syndrome is a neurological disorder. That means that it is something you are born with. You cannot catch Aspergers, nor can you "cure" it. Aspergers kids often have challenges in the communications area. An "Aspie" as someone with Aspergers is often referred, will tend to have a very literal interpretation of language. A major reason for an Aspie’s difficulties with social functioning is the lack of understanding of subtle social cues and patterns of speech, such as sarcasm.
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF THE BRAIN
The frontal lobe of the brain affects several processes such as speech, expressive language, emotion, reaction, habits, and judgment. The imaging that has been done suggests that in folks with Aspergers this area of the brain grows and develops much more slowly while other areas grow more rapidly. What you often get is a gifted student that does not know how to deal with people.
New studies that have been released over the past year have begun to explain what is not working correctly. We learn by the process of copying each other. We say things other people we know say. We eat things other people we know eat. We do things that other people we know do. We learn from them.
"MIRROR" NEURONS MAY BE A CAUSE
In the brain we have neurons. Little chemical signals that control what the brain does. These ones have been labeled "mirror" neurons because they make your brain think you are actually doing what you are watching someone else do. People with Autistic spectrums do not produce these neurons when they see someone else doing things. Therefore, if they see someone making a movement with their face and they don’t know what it means, they are not going to repeat the seemingly useless gesture at the right time, if at all. After a while they might stop paying attention to the movement at all.
SUBTLE VOICE CHANGES ARE MISSED
Sarcasm is cue based. The words are the same but the voice changes. This would be considered a subtle cue and these are often missed. Analogies are not understood unless the connection is understood.
But there is hope. Specific training can often be highly effective in helping Aspergers children learn the skills needed.
HOW TO TEACH ASPERGERS KIDS TO UNDERSTAND THESE SUBTLE CLUES
Basically, Aspergers is treated by training the child how the world outside of their mind works. Because they have trouble recognizing that other people are having different thoughts than them, they have to be taught this. Once they have learned that, they can be trained to respond to other people in a way that will help them get what they need. Then they will be taught about relationships and the give and take of conversations and friendships.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Kendall
Additional Posts on Asperger’s Syndrome:
Aspergers and Sensory Problems
How to cope with my son with Aspergers‘ sensory problems? Answer. Having a child with sensory integration issues can be a challenge for a parent.
Holistic Nutrition & Neurology: Understanding Food Allergies …
This blog serves as a forum for discussing the holistic approach to addressing a wide range of neurological disorders including Autism, Aspergers, AD/HD, Tourette’s, Parkinson’s.
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3 Tips on Stopping Aspergers Temper Tantrums
Posted on January 29th, 2010
Do you feel exhausted from toddler Aspergers Temper Tantrums? Effective parenting, whether a child has asperger syndrome or not, is learning that you are in control, not the child. This is not a popularity contest. You are not there to wait on your child and indulge her every whim. Buying her every toy she wants isn’t going to make her any happier than if you say no. There is no easy way out of this parenting experience . Sometimes you just have to dig in and let the tantrum roar.
Temper Tantrums and Asperger
A temper tantrum is very straightforward. A child does not get his or her own way and, as grandma would say, “pitches a fit.” This is not to discount the temper tantrum. They are not fun for anyone.
Tips on stopping aspergers temper tantrums
1. Speak with your kid
Asperger’s sufferers don’t really have the knowledge to solve when their behaviors are improper. Talk to your kid about his meltdowns when he is calm and relaxed. This will probably not be until the child is seven or eight years old. Then, tell him that sometimes he does things that are not appropriate. Have him talk to you about a sign you can give him to let him known when this happens.
When my son begins to experience a meltdown, he and I have agreed that I can let him know by laying my hand on his shoulder and saying, “Please stay calm.” This works fantastically for me but may not work for others. So, you have to learn by trail and error.
2. Be Patient
All you can do is be patient with your child while he is having a meltdown, though they are emotionally exhausting for you as well as he. Never punish him for experiencing a meltdown.
3. Asperger’s children don’t like surprises and some don’t like to be touched.
Never rush to your child and give him a hug. If you want to hug him, tell him exactly what you are going to do. A surprise hug can send him into an even worse meltdown than he is already experiencing.
In conclusion about aspergers temper tantrums:
If you feel like you are being manipulated by a tantrum, you are right. You are. A tantrum is nothing more than a power play by a person not mature enough to play a subtle game of internal politics.
To all of you PARENTS feeling HOPELESS, MISERABLE and EMBARRASSED about your child- Help for Asperger
Asperger Syndrome Details – Avoid The # 1 One Biggest Mistake That Parents Make When The Asperger Kid Misbehaves
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karel_Micek
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A Parent’s Introduction to Aspergers Syndrome
Posted on January 3rd, 2010
By Judson Greenman
Aspergers Syndrome (AS) is in the category of developmental disorders of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) that is under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders or PDD. It is different from Autism because there is not a specific delay of language or cognitive development, but does share the clumsiness (tripping, bumping, dropping things, etc.) aspects, although these are not particular to the diagnosis.
Why call it Aspergers? It is named after Hans Asperger who, in 1944, described children in his pediatric practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, were non-empathetic with their peers, and were physically clumsy. It is sometimes referred to as a high functioning autism.
Treatment Aspergers Syndrome is treated mainly through behavioral therapy that is designed to work on communication skills, social skills, coping mechanisms, and helping with obsessions and repetitive routines. Most people with AS learn to cope with their differences, but may need support and encouragement to maintain their independence.
A typical treatment program for a child with Aspergers Syndrome includes:
* The training of social skills for more effective interpersonal interactions
* Cognitive behavioral therapy to improve stress management relating to anxiety or explosive emotions, and to cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines
* Medication, for coexisting conditions such as depression and anxiety
* Occupational or physical therapy to assist with poor sensory integration and motor coordination
* Social communication intervention, which is specialized speech therapy to help with the pragmatics of the give and take of normal conversation
* The training and support of parents, particularly in behavioral techniques to use in the home
Kids with Aspergers don’t usually share the withdrawn isolation of children with autism and will openly, but often very awkwardly, approach and engage others in social situation. However, their inability see things through others eyes, and the tendency to go overboard going on and on about their latest obsession, makes them appear selfish, uncaring and insensitive toward other people. This is not necessarily true, they just don’t realize how they are perceived or that other people have different interests and feelings than they do.
Many of the children with Aspergers will actually memorize reactions in specific social situations, and recite definitions or examples of emotion, but have a very hard time acting on any of that knowledge in a real situation. Or they will use a rigid application of the specific social rules they have memorized. This can come across as forced eye contact, or the plastered on smile, or laughing at the wrong time. They want friends and do seek out social contact, but over the years their failures in these situations can be devastating.
Kids with Aspergers will sometimes develop very focused and intense interest in something or some activity, that will completely dominate their time and their life, almost to the exclusion of everything else, and they will try to draw whoever they can into the same interest. This is usually seen as normal childhood interest and behavior at first, until the obsessive qualities become apparent and problems relating to anything or anyone else starts happening.
Diagnosis The diagnosis uses the identification of the stereotypical and repetitive behaviors as a central part of how it is diagnosed, but confirmation is done by ruling out anything else that can cause the same symptoms. The motor behaviors that are observed are things like the hand flapping or twisting, complex whole body movements and walking on tip toes, repeating the same word or sound over and over again are all typical repetitive behaviors of AS.
Other Issues Your child may display symptoms that aren’t a part of an Aspergers Syndrome diagnosis, but still affect the child and your whole family. They may have perception difficulties, and problems with fine or gross motor skills, handling emotions, and difficulty sleeping. Many kids on the spectrum (Autism Spectrum) have trouble with SI, or Sensory Integration, and can be overly sensitive or under sensitive to sound light, touch, texture, taste, smell, pain, temperature and other things that stimulate the senses. It may feel soft and nice to you, but to them, it can be actually painful.
Children with Aspergers are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty in falling asleep, waking up often at night, and early morning awakenings. Aspergers is also associated with alexithymia, which means having problems identifying and describing ones emotions. My daughter certainly has emotions and feelings, but she has no idea how to describe them or even what they are, or why they are there. Very frustrating.
Special Education Children with AS may require special education services because of their social and behavioral difficulties, although many attend regular education classes. Teens and tween with Aspergers may have difficulty with self-care, organization and disturbances in social and romantic relationship. They are usually very smart, but the inability to properly express and the awkwardness of social contact keep many from leaving home as adults, although some gain independence in work and domicile, even marrying and raising a family. Teen and preteen years are hard enough on kids without social difficulties, but can be very traumatic for a kid dealing with Aspergers.
Coexisting Conditions Anxiety with AS is very common, and is usually centered on change or transition. That is why a consistent schedule is so important. Anxiety and stress during social situations is inevitable because of the constantly changing nature of humans and relationships and situations, there isn’t a single right thing to do in every situation. Stress and anxiety will show up usually as a behavior, such as withdrawal, an obsession, hyperactivity, or even aggressive or oppositional behavior.
Depression, and other mood disorders, can be the end result of the constant stress and frustration of failing to properly socialize and make friends. Medication and behavior therapy can be used to deal with co-existing problems such as anxiety, depression, inattention, obsessive compulsion, and aggression.
Getting the family involved by helping them to understand what is going on with their child or brother or sister, will have a big impact on the child’s future. It will also help with being able to deal with everything that is involved in dealing with a child with Aspergers Syndrome and bring some semblance of normalcy back to the family. Getting help early and involving the whole family as a built in support system has the best effect on long term outcomes for a child with Aspergers Syndrome.
Judson Greenman, advocate and father of four very special girls started these websites as a way of sharing the joys and challenges of Raising Special Kids – from one parent to another. See it all at http://www.raising-special-kids.com and http://www.anieleirose.org
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Differences Between Autism & Aspergers
Posted on December 15th, 2009
Autistic Disorder or Autism is a developmental disability that has a crucial impact on the normal development of the brain. It affects the cognitive portions that are significant for social integration and everyday living skills. People who suffer with Autism have deficits in the areas of social interactions and communication skills.
Children and adults alike who are diagnosed with Autism typically have difficulty with normal verbal or non-verbal communication such as eye-to-eye contact, facial expressions, body postures and general gestures associated with simple interactions.
Basically, normal peer relationships are diminished due to the lack of social skills. People with Autism tend to migrate toward exclusive activities. Unfortunately, this disease also affects self-help daily living skills. It affects toileting, feeding, dressing and/or brushing teeth, etc. Moreover, one person with Autism may experience very different symptoms and behaviors than the next.
Due to this broad range of symptoms, Autism has been called the "Spectrum" Disorder. Specifically, a person that is suffering with mild autistic symptoms is at one end of the spectrum. A person with severe autistic symptoms is at the other end of the spectrum. Autism is now often referred to as the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). One of the conditions of ASD is the Asperger’s Syndrome.
Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of the Autistic Disorder where people have relatively fewer developmental delays. Asperger’s Syndrome is actually said to be hereditary by researchers as it has been simultaneously diagnosed with depression and bipolar diseases. Asperger’s Syndrome is applied to identify the mildest and highest functioning end of Autism spectrum. It is a high functioning form of Autism. Therefore, it is at the mild spectrum of Autism. There is no prescribed regimen of treatment for this disease; however adults may live productive, independent lives.
Three basic aspects of development are affected by Aspersers. They are the use of language for communicative purposes and certain behaviors with stylistic characteristics, social relatedness and social skills, and a limited, but intense range of interest.
Interestingly enough, the language is lucid before age four. Although speech is sometimes repetitive, the grammar is usually very good. Their voices tend to be flat and emotionless. Individuals with Aspergers are obsessed with complex topics and are often described as eccentric. Ironically, they are in the above-average range in verbal agility, yet many have dyslexia, writing problems as well as difficulty with mathematics. The Autism Asperger individual is socially aware, however displays inappropriate reciprocal interaction. Their movements may be clumsy or awkward and they present odd forms of self-stimulatory behavior.
The main characteristic of Aspergers Syndrome that makes its children unique and fascinating is their peculiar areas of "special interest". This is very different from typical Autism in that those children’s interests are more likely to be objects or parts of objects.
The Asperger’s Syndrome children are fascinated with the intellectual dynamics of subjects. Even prior to attending school, these children will display an obsessive interest in areas such as math, science, reading or even some aspect of history or geography.
Another major characteristic that identifies Autism Aspergers from the typical Autism is the socialization deficit. In most cases, children with AS express a desire to fit in socially. Typical Autism victims suggest complete exclusion and seclusion. In fact, AS individuals tend to become frustrated because they aren’t able to interact appropriately.
Lastly, the use of language skills is can be used to determine if a child should be diagnosed with the Autistic Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome. AS children have language skills that are very strong and tends to be very concrete. AS children have difficulty dealing with humor; tendency not to get jokes or laughing at odd times because they have difficulty with give or take with conversations, since their conversations tend to be self-oriented. Thus, these are differences that identify each disease as separate afflictions as they are very difficult to diagnose.
Author: Jon Arnold
For more insights and additional information about Autism and Aspergers please visit our web site at http://www.autism-explained.com
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Asperger’s Diagnosis
Posted on February 25th, 2009
Asperger’s Syndrome Diagnosis – Should I Tell My Child?
by: Nelle Frances
To tell or not tell your child or others of their diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome? It’s really a personal decision that has pros and cons on either side. Some parents may struggle with telling a 3 year old they have Asperger’s Syndrome, fearing they may not understand; that it could frighten them.
While saying directly ‘The doctor says you have Asperger’s Syndrome,’ may be unnecessary, talking about the characteristics of Autistic Spectrum Disorder in a way the child can relate to is vital in helping the child towards self-acceptance as they mature.
Being open about your child’s different way of thinking and processing, and connecting those traits to Asperger’s Syndrome characteristics is the key to success in helping your child towards self-acceptance. The earlier they become comfortable with Asperger’s Syndrome ‘shop-talk’ the easier it will be when they are pre-teen and adolescent age. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome need to be able to focus on their strengths more than ever at this age when their social-skill deficits can seem more prominent.
Remembering though that people on the Autistic Spectrum do not always ‘connect the dots’ in the correct order, it may be necessary at some point to say ‘You have Asperger’s Syndrome’ for clarification.
So should you tell your child’s part-time employer about Asperger’s Syndrome…and if so, when?
When they are applying for a job? When they get the job? Or never?
This also comes down to personal choice. However, sometimes it can be helpful to have an employers support contributing to the success of your child’s employment experience.Our son doesn’t like to mention it when he’s applying for a position or when he initially begins work. He doesn’t want it to influence the employers’ decision to hire him, one way or another.
Then he doesn’t like to tell them of his Asperger’s Syndrome too soon, because he doesn’t want to ‘freak them out’. But ultimately he likes to tell them of his diagnosis, and explain to them what that means, because he feels like he’s hiding a secret if he doesn’t. As he says, ‘It’s a part of me, and they can’t know who I really am unless they know of my AS.’ (Sometimes I swear he’s a 44 year old inside a 14 year olds body!)
So far we’ve been very fortunate in the employer’s who have given our son a job. They’ve been very understanding, and have helped by finding out about Asperger’s Syndrome, and matching the strengths of Asperger’s Symdrome with the duties/tasks assigned to him. They’ve praised his work ethic, his efficiency, his enthusiasm and manners. They’ve been understanding and compassionate when his anxiety or depression has caused him to miss work, and not held it against him the next time he’s there. Just as someone may miss work due to asthma, or the flu they understand that depression/anxiety is part of Asperger’s Syndrome.
The members of our family have reached the stage where telling about Asperger’s Syndrome is just like saying ‘my eyes are blue’ – a comment that helps the listener come to know you (or your son or brother) a little better. After all, life is a never-ending quest to make connections with others, whether fleeting or lasting!
About The Author
Nelle Frances is the mother of a 15 year old with Asperger’s Syndrome, a Special Needs Educator and Author of the Ben and His Helmet series of books for Asperger children. She is also an active member of 5 Asperger’s Syndrome Support and Advocacy Groups. For more information and Support Strategies visit www.nellefrances.com.
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This is the "official" diagnosis….
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Treating Asperger’s Naturally
Posted on February 18th, 2009
It is difficult to find a ‘good thing’ about Asperger’s syndrome. But one positive concerning the disorder is that it can be treated and that there are many different all natural treatments available that can not only subdue many triggers, but also help your child lead a normal life. There are many different ways that you can go about treating Asperger’s naturally which will normally require involvement by the school and at home to achieve the best possible results. There are also changes to the child’s diet and even supplements that he or she can take that are believed by some to help with Asperger’s treatment.
1.The first thing that every parent who has a child diagnosed with Asperger’s needs to understand is that treatment can be very hit and miss. What might work with one child may not work with yours. Different children have reacted in different ways when it comes to diet modification.
Some children have shown improvement once dairy products were removed from their diet. With others, it was gluten and wheat-related products. Some show improvement when additives like artificial colors and food preservatives were removed. It appears that mono-sodium glutamate and tartrazine are the biggest offenders.
Removing some or all of these items may help your child, but what you need to remember is that he or she still needs to have a balanced diet.
So if you remove one major food group, make sure the child is still receiving all the proper nutrients, vitamins and minerals from other foods. The best advice is to consult a professional nutritionist who is an expert in dealing with kids who have Asperger’s syndrome or autism.
2.A good way to help supplement your child’s diet if you do find that excluding a major food group helps is with multi-vitamins. These are all natural ways to help boost your health and the health of your child.
3.Some people believe that herbs like Ginkgo biloba can help sharpen the mind and help with cognitive and neurological health. Also, bee pollen is thought to help the body regain balance and make for a sound mind and a fit body.
While there is no perfect treatment for Asperger’s syndrome, some parents have found that diet modification and the use of supplements can make a difference. Your child may respond or not to these treatments, so to monitor reactions accurately keep a diary of what treatments you are trying and note down any changes in behavior.
For more information about other natural treatments for Asperger’s Syndrome, sign up for the free newsletter below.
It’s worth remembering that when treating Asperger’s naturally it can take several weeks or months before changes can be seen. However, anything that has a detrimental effect on behavior or symptoms should be stopped immediately.
Author: Rachel Evans
Sign up for Rachel Evans free Asperger’s syndrome newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about Treating Asperger’s Naturally. In the newsletter you’ll receive regular information like this article on overcoming Asperger’s Syndrome along with additional natural treatments to help alleviate symptoms.
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Asperger’s Disease vs Autism
Posted on February 17th, 2009
There has been a lot of debate about the nature of Asperger’s syndrome and where it fits within the Autism spectrum. The one thing that is known for sure is that Asperger’s IS a type of autism, but without many of the debilitating symptoms. There are many differences between what most people think of when they imagine an autistic child and one that suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. Let’s take a look at some of the basic differences.
1.A child who is typically autistic will show severe lapses in the development of language. A high percentage of autistic children may never develop language skills at all. With a child or an adolescent who has Asperger’s syndrome, language skills are usually not affected at all and in fact can be above average. A child with Asperger’s syndrome can show impaired social development that may lead to a lack of language usage, but the actual development of the language itself is on par with other children of the same age.
2.A second way to differentiate Asperger’s disease from classic autism is the cognitive abilities of Asperger’s children. Most kids that have Asperger’s show normal or even above average cognitive ability in classroom settings and on I.Q. tests. This extends into the later years of development too. However, children with classic autism show cognitive impairments that usually do not improve with age.
3.A third and major difference between kids with autism and Asperger’s is the way the two interact socially. In most cases, although there are variances since each child with autism and each child with Asperger’s reacts differently, a child who is autistic can sometimes come across as being cocky or not really caring about children around them. However children with Asperger’s syndrome in most cases want to be social but are just very, very awkward. They tend to be too formal in social situations, and they are thought to not show empathy to other children. They may also appear to have no knowledge of social rules and proper mannerisms. They can also show almost complete lack of eye contact, which many regard as a lack of interest in being social, but it is more out of awkwardness than a lack of wanting to be social.
4.A final way that you can tell if a child has Asperger’s syndrome and not traditional autism is the way an Asperger’s syndrome child becomes obsessed with things. The subject of the obsession can range something like sports statistics to obscure things like names of Russian czars or any other bizarre thing you can think of. This obsessive behavior also has an impact on the child’s socialization. They tend to only want to talk about whatever their current obsession is with other people, including kids their own age. This can add to the awkward social interaction that is common for those with Asperger’s syndrome.
For more information about symptoms and the various treatments for Asperger’s Syndrome sign up for the free newsletter below.
When talking about Asperger’s vs Autism, children with Asperger’s are sometimes referred to as having ‘high functioning autism’. This is a subjective term and has no medical definition. However it is often used to refer to children with typical Asperger’s symptoms or mild autism symptoms.
Author: Rachel Evans
Sign up for Rachel Evans free Asperger’s syndrome newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about Asperger’s vs. Autism. In the newsletter you’ll receive regular information like this article on overcoming Asperger’s Syndrome along with additional natural treatments to help alleviate symptoms.
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Asperger’s Syndrome & Autism
The goal of the website should be to provide a treatment strategy by attending to the various causes, symptoms, and all round treatment for the disease.
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Diagnosing Asperger’s
Posted on February 17th, 2009
If you feel that your child might suffer from Asperger’s syndrome, there are many different ways to diagnose it. Most doctors will recommend a full battery of tests that check many different aspects of the child’s development. There is no one definitive test that can tell a parent if their child suffers from Asperger’s, so an entire group of tests are usually performed for diagnosing Asperger’s.
The first step for most kids in getting a proper Asperger’s diagnosis is undergoing screening at the doctor’s that measures things like cognitive development.
As any mother can tell you, these screenings are completely normal and every child goes through them. It is usually at these screenings that a doctor can tell if there is a problem or not and whether a referral should be made to a specialist.
The second step is actually when your child would be assessed in order to make a diagnosis. This can be carried out by more than one health professional, so it may involve a number of appointments who would want to see your child and also speak in detail to you about their behavior.
The team of doctors that the child will interact with is wide-ranging. It usually includes a speech therapist to determine if the child’s language skills are developing correctly, a psychiatrist to help analyze the mental development of the child, a neurologist to look for any problems in the child’s nervous system and any other doctors that the child’s pediatrician feels is necessary to properly diagnose the child.
The team of doctors and analysts will submit a neurological assessment of the patient, as well as a genetic assessment to see if things like autism of Asperger’s runs in the family. The child will also undergo I.Q. tests, tests to judge his psychomotor development, and a complete evaluation of communication skills as well as the ability to maintain eye contact and to understand verbal cues that a healthy child at the same age would react to.
Once all the testing is complete, the test results will be combined with any symptoms that the child is showing and also take the child’s developmental history into consideration before making a determination. At this point, a decision is usually made one way or the other.
Asperger’s disorder can change the way you and your child live your life, and while it is not nearly as debilitating as a diagnosis of autism, it will impact almost all aspects of your child’s life, depending on the severity. He or she can still go on to live a full, enriching and rewarding life, but things socially may be very awkward as years go on.
For more information about symptoms and the various treatments for Asperger’s Syndrome sign up for the free newsletter below.
While there is no conclusive proof, it is thought that people such as Albert Einstein and even Sir Isaac Newton might have had Asperger’s syndrome. So, diagnosing Asperger’s is far from a social death sentence for any child, it just means living your life in a different way than you might have originally imagined.
Author: Rachel Evans
Sign up for Rachel Evans free Asperger’s syndrome newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about Diagnosing Asperger’s. In the newsletter you’ll receive regular information like this article on overcoming Asperger’s Syndrome along with additional natural treatments to help alleviate symptoms.
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Asperger’s Disease
Posted on February 8th, 2009
Differentiating Between Autism and Aspergers by JON ARNOLD
Autism & Aspergers are sometimes two disorders that are often diagnosed as just plain autism. This condition that is defined as “classical autism” can be found in the ASD’s known as autism spectrum disorders. The main characteristics of autism are impaired social interaction, unusual, repetitive activities that are severely limited and problems with communication both on the verbal and nonverbal levels.
Other ASD’s include Rett syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder, Aspergers syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. Experts estimate that out of every 1,000 children, 3 to 6 will be diagnosed to have autism or aspergers to some degree. Males are much more likely to suffer with autism than females.
Common Signs of Autism and Aspergers
There are several sign of autism aspergers that one may likely get confused with autism. Autism is characterized by three distinctive behaviors. The autistic child has difficulty with social interaction, has repetitive behaviors or may have narrow, obsessive interests, and will have problems with verbal as well as with nonverbal communication. These behaviors may range from only mild to disabling.
The one characteristic that seems to stand out in an autistic child is the impaired social interaction. Signs of autism may manifest themselves as early as infancy with a baby being unresponsive to people. They may also focus intently on one object for a long period of time, much to the exclusion of others.
A child with Aspergers Disorder has a milder form of autism. Both autism aspergers are subgroups of a larger diagnostic category. As previously mentioned, these two disorders are found in the larger category named Autistic Spectrum Disorders. It is commonly known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders in the United States. In Asperger’s Disorder, children affected by this are usually characterized by social isolation and of having eccentric behavior. There are impairments both in non-verbal communication and in two-sided social interaction. They may have a peculiar sounding speech due to the abnormalities of inflection as well as a repetitive pattern. They may appear to be clumsy in gross motor behavior and in articulation. The name “Asperger” came from Hans Asperger who was an Austrian physician who first characterized the disease in 1944.
Autistic children may fail to respond when their name is called, and many times, they may avoid eye contact with others. They have a difficult time in interpreting what other people are feeling or thinking, mainly due to the fact that they cannot understand social cues such as facial expressions or the tone of one’s voice. Children with autism do not watch the faces of other people to pick up on clues about appropriate behavior. They also lack empathy.
Autism aspergers children may engage in repeated movements such as twirling and rocking, or in behavior that is self-abusive such as head banging or biting. Children who are characterized with these disorders may begin speaking later than other children ordinarily would and they may even refer to themselves by their own name instead of “I” or “me”. Autistic children do not know how to interact with other children.
It is too bad that there is no cure for autism aspergers. Perhaps soon there will be a medical breakthrough that will unlock the mind of the autistic child. For more insights and additional information about Autism Aspergers as well as learning how to cope with children afflicted with these disorders, please visit our web site at http://www.autism-explained.com.
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Symptoms of Aspergers Syndrome
Posted on February 3rd, 2009
Symptoms of Asbergers Syndrome – an Answer to the Question "Does My Child Have Aspergers?"
By Benjamin Sayer
How to determine if your child has Aspergers.
Aspergers Syndrome is a neurological condition which is categorized by virtue of it’s qualitative impairment in social and behavioral functioning. The symptoms of Aspergers Syndrome, whilst varied, are frequently encapsulated by a distinct, severe and prolonged impairment in social interaction, peculiarities in communication, and an emphasis on repetitive routines or ritualized patterns of behavior.
Whilst there is typically no differentiation in developments such as preliminary linguistic skills, adaptive behavior and self assertiveness in children suffering from aspergers syndrome, parents may recognize latency in motor coordination in young children as a preliminary indication of the condition.
Often parents are simply able to sense that their child’s development doesn’t accord either with their past experience with child rearing, or their own children’s peer group. When the cause for this derivation is unclear, it can be a source of ongoing concern. The concern is a valid one. Many children with aspergers are demonstrably active in early childhood, but as their difficulties with socialization and communication persist into adulthood, they can experience associated psychiatric conditions, and depression.
Recognizing Aspergers Syndrome Behavior
By having some knowledge of what the classic symptoms of aspergers syndrome are, it’s possible to ascertain whether your child is exhibiting them to a degree which might necessitate seeking a professional diagnosis.
With children grown beyond infancy, two of the more marked aspergers syndrome symptoms are firstly, the repetitive stereotyped patters of behavior, and secondly, a qualitative impairment in social interactions. The manifestation of these respective symptoms can be recognized as follows:
Impairment In Social Functioning
Children with aspergers syndrome may exhibit a clear difficulty in developing age appropriate relationships with their peer group, and demonstrate an aversion to the use of non-verbal communication cues, such as eye contact, facial expressions, or body language. Similarly, they will have difficulty deciphering such cues, and to that degree operate without the benefit of the integral ability most of us unconsciously apply to all our day to day interactions. To use an example, sarcasm may well be lost on an aspergers child, as will variations in tones and speech patters. They will find inferential reasoning, general problem solving and abstract concepts taxing.
A child’s level of spontaneous engagement in shared interests and social activities can be a further symptom of aspegers syndrome. Often children with aspergers syndrome can be animated in their discussion but demonstrate a lineal focus on topics of interest to them, almost to the point that their communication seems eccentric, or at times inappropriate. An asperger child’s apparent inability to reciprocate a shared interest goes beyond what might be described as age appropriate egocentricity.
An individual with aspergers syndrome may also lack obvious capacity for empathy, and this inability to appreciate the emotions of others serves, perhaps unfairly, to reinforce their social awkwardness insofar as their behavior is outwardly perceived. Speech and linguistic irregularities such as stilted, formal or monotone language may also be an indication of aspergers syndrome behavior.
Repetitive Patterns Of Behavior
An all-encompassing pre-occupation with a topic to the exclusion of others is one of the more distinguished symptoms of aspegers syndrome. A sufferer’s obsession can lead some children to become fixated on a particular item or topic. Frequently the child will want to know everything relating to their interest, and may develop what can objectively appear to be an admirable knowledge base in relation to it. However, in discussion, facts or explanations may be divulged with incessant randomness, and an obvious point or direction in the dialogue is at times absent.
Another form of aspergers syndrome behavior are stereotyped repetitive motor mannerisms, such as hand or finger movements, and an inflexibility to changes in their routine. A pre-occupation beyond normal levels of curiosity in parts of larger objects may be one of the symptoms of aspergers.
Being able to recognize asperger syndrome symptoms can be an important factor in early diagnosis, treatment and behavior management. Unlike the subjective withdrawal characteristically associated with autism, people with aspergers syndrome are vulnerable to becoming isolated as a consequence of their underdeveloped social skills. This is notwithstanding any desire they may in fact have for continued interaction with their peers.
Taking Notice Of The Signs
For parents, teachers, or those otherwise concerned with the care, welfare and development of a child who may be suffering from aspergers, the above behavioral considerations become integral in not simply classifying a child as a ‘bad’ child. Aspergers syndrome may co-exist with other conditions, including Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD). Proper diagnosis can assist in waylaying the development of anxiety or depression associated with aspergers syndrome.
Want more information? Before spending thousands in consultancy fees, be ‘in the know’ by discovering insider tips about the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of Aspergers Syndrome Here
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benjamin_Sayer
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