Asperger's Syndrome Research Paper
Commonly confused with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome is a type of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). These types of disorders (PDD) have delays is the development of basic skills such as, the ability to socialize, to communicate, and to use imagination. Children with Asperger’s typically have normal intelligence and language development, but these could change as they get older. This disorder was declared official in 1944 by an Austrian doctor, Hans Asperger.
How is Asperger’s different from Autism? Children with AS don’t have a delay in cognitive development or developing language skills. Children with Autism tend to have difficulty with symbolic thinking and pretend play. Another difference is the severity in symptoms, someone with AS …show more content…
can just be mistaken for a normal person behaving differently. Autistic kids will seem uninterested and stand-offish, where AS you want to fit in and interact with others (NAMI).
Symptoms of Asperger’s can range from mild to severe, common symptoms are, problems with social skills, eccentric or repetitive behavior, unusual precautions or rituals, limited range of interest, coordination problems, lastly, skilled and talented (WebMD).
I wouldn’t necessarily say that the symptoms of AS are normal types of symptoms you would see in other disorders, but beneficial. Normal to above average intelligence is normal for AS but they usually have troubles with social interactions. Anxiety, frustration, and depression are 3 common contributed behaviors. The cause for Asperger’s remains unknown, but it has been seen to run in families so it could possibly be inherited. This disorder is classified under unique, the exact number of people with this disorder is unknown but they estimate 1 in every 250 children (WebMD). Studies say it is four times for likely to appear in males than females and is usually diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old …show more content…
(WebMD).
Diagnosing Asperger’s is not the easiest, there is no specific test that can tell you if you have Asperger’s Syndrome, you have to go through a series of test such as, x-rays and blood work. Doctors will also complete a physical examination because it has been see that patients with Asperger’s have low muscle tone and dyspraxia. If there is no physical disorder found you may be sent to see a specialist in childhood development disorders.
There is no cure for Asperger’s but there is treatment to help improve. The treatments include special education, behavioral modifications, speech, physical and occupational therapy, and last, social skills therapy (WebMD). With effective treatment, children with Asperger’s can learn to overcome or control their disability and repetitive tendencies. Adults with this disorder work successfully but sometimes still struggle with maintaining an independent life. All treatments work differently for everyone, some not at all. In an article on treatments for AS from Psych Central It stated that “According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the ideal treatment for Asperger’s coordinates therapies that address the three core symptoms of the disorder: poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.”
Parenting a child with Asperger’s is not easy, it has its difficulties. If you have a child who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, take the time to educate yourself. By educating yourself you will be able to help your child grow to their fullest. A daily schedule has shown to help a lot. In the schedule include specific times for therapies, school, meals, and bedtime. If you have to make a change to the schedule, alert your child beforehand so they can adjust. Having a “safe place” in your home will benefit your child because they will have a place to relax and feel secure. Children with Asperger’s tend to get irritated somewhat quickly, causing them to lash out, if your child does so, sending them to their safe place can help them collect, and calm down.
A main concern with parents who have a child with AS is their social life at school, “will my child have friends?” is a common question most parents ask. Most kids still live a normal social life throughout school. They make new friends; it’s just harder on some than others. Identifying children with the same interest as yours can make it a lot easier on the child. Encouraging your child to develop their strengths and interest and to join clubs or participate in any after school activities is a great way for their social skills to become stronger, especially as they grow older and move into middle/high school. Many people don’t know when a child has AS because it is so hard to see, it’s not like other syndromes or disorders that develop physical traits.
When you are the sibling of an AS patient it can also be stressful for you. Some siblings can become jealous or embarrassed of their brother/sister because the parent(s) focus more of their time and attention on them. Some siblings may need to learn how to look out for themselves because some AS patients have a hard time controlling their frustration or anger. Sticking up for a brother/sister whom suffers from AS is the best thing a sibling could do, it shows that even though you may not always get along, you love them and care for them. This can make them feel accepted or normal because it’s something that a “normal” sibling would do for another.
I have a younger sister who has AS and it can be hard. She is 8 years younger than I so we tend to bicker. When she is put in a situation where she has to be independent, say ask a stranger for directions, she becomes very nervous and her anxiety shoots through the roof. If she is upset and you continuously ask her what is wrong, she will lash out and become violent. Sometimes she won’t remember what she said or did. When she has these tantrums we usually let her calm down and relax until we confront her about them. Sports and horses have been a huge help with her anxiety and AS. By interacting with other kids her age she has learned to be less socially awkward. Medications does play a role in her daily life, she takes medicine once a day at night before bed. The medication is supposed to help with her anxiety and aggressive tendencies.
Not only do children struggle with AS but so do adults. An adult with AS may have difficulties understanding other people emotions, they can misinterpret others facial expressions and body language for something else. This can cause someone with AS to come off as selfish, egotistical, or uncaring (Better Health). When a person with AS is notified about their actions they may come off as shocked and upset because neurologically they are unable to understand other people’s emotions. Overall adults have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses; they are able to learn social skills
People think that just because you have a disability, it means you can’t have a romantic relationship with someone. Adult with AS still have romantic relationships, according to the Better Health Channel “Studies suggest that individuals with Asperger syndrome are as interested in sex as anyone else, but many struggle with the myriad of complex skills required to successfully negotiate intimate relationships”. Sometimes they can come off as inappropriate or immature because they are unaware of what is right and wrong to say or do. When in a relationship, a partner can become frustrated because of unfair distribution of responsibilities. When the partner expresses their feelings of frustration to the AS partner, they come off baffled because they don’t realize what they are doing.
Having a career and being an AS patient is very normal, you could be working with someone with AS and not even know it.
People with AS can excel in a lot of different areas, such as mathematics, music, or being visually creative. Some careers for AS patients that are visual thinkers are computer programming, drafting, photography, or equipment design (Better Health). If you are a music or math fanatic some career choices may be accounting, telemarketer, pianist, or a journalist. Working with an AS person is not hard, communicating clearly is a good way for your AS employee to work to their fullest ability. Only expect one project at a time, putting too much stress on them can cause anxiety or them to lash out. Being specific with what you want from them is another way for them to be the best employee. When they know what is expected from them they will give it, just like any other employee, you just have to be clear, straight forward, and specific. AS employees are seen to be the most hardworking and dedicated employees a business could
have.
In conclusion to my research paper, I think that Asperger’s Syndrome is a rare diagnosis that carries beauty. These people are so bright and intelligent that you’d never even know they had AS. They live normal lives and have good jobs just like a number of normal people. They may have some social setbacks here and there but with time and the right treatments they can overcome anything. I think that everyone should be given an equal chance no matter what they’re disability may be. My sister being 12 and a AS patient, she is heading into middle school, a stressful time for someone with AS. Between her therapies and medications she has learned to control her symptoms and by participating in after school activates, even though they might stress her out, she has gained so many friends, more friends than I ever did in middle school. I hope this paper helped you learn about Asperger’s Syndrome and can help you understand more of what it really is.
How is Asperger’s different from Autism? Children with AS don’t have a delay in cognitive development or developing language skills. Children with Autism tend to have difficulty with symbolic thinking and pretend play. Another difference is the severity in symptoms, someone with AS …show more content…
can just be mistaken for a normal person behaving differently. Autistic kids will seem uninterested and stand-offish, where AS you want to fit in and interact with others (NAMI).
Symptoms of Asperger’s can range from mild to severe, common symptoms are, problems with social skills, eccentric or repetitive behavior, unusual precautions or rituals, limited range of interest, coordination problems, lastly, skilled and talented (WebMD).
I wouldn’t necessarily say that the symptoms of AS are normal types of symptoms you would see in other disorders, but beneficial. Normal to above average intelligence is normal for AS but they usually have troubles with social interactions. Anxiety, frustration, and depression are 3 common contributed behaviors. The cause for Asperger’s remains unknown, but it has been seen to run in families so it could possibly be inherited. This disorder is classified under unique, the exact number of people with this disorder is unknown but they estimate 1 in every 250 children (WebMD). Studies say it is four times for likely to appear in males than females and is usually diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old …show more content…
(WebMD).
Diagnosing Asperger’s is not the easiest, there is no specific test that can tell you if you have Asperger’s Syndrome, you have to go through a series of test such as, x-rays and blood work. Doctors will also complete a physical examination because it has been see that patients with Asperger’s have low muscle tone and dyspraxia. If there is no physical disorder found you may be sent to see a specialist in childhood development disorders.
There is no cure for Asperger’s but there is treatment to help improve. The treatments include special education, behavioral modifications, speech, physical and occupational therapy, and last, social skills therapy (WebMD). With effective treatment, children with Asperger’s can learn to overcome or control their disability and repetitive tendencies. Adults with this disorder work successfully but sometimes still struggle with maintaining an independent life. All treatments work differently for everyone, some not at all. In an article on treatments for AS from Psych Central It stated that “According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the ideal treatment for Asperger’s coordinates therapies that address the three core symptoms of the disorder: poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.”
Parenting a child with Asperger’s is not easy, it has its difficulties. If you have a child who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, take the time to educate yourself. By educating yourself you will be able to help your child grow to their fullest. A daily schedule has shown to help a lot. In the schedule include specific times for therapies, school, meals, and bedtime. If you have to make a change to the schedule, alert your child beforehand so they can adjust. Having a “safe place” in your home will benefit your child because they will have a place to relax and feel secure. Children with Asperger’s tend to get irritated somewhat quickly, causing them to lash out, if your child does so, sending them to their safe place can help them collect, and calm down.
A main concern with parents who have a child with AS is their social life at school, “will my child have friends?” is a common question most parents ask. Most kids still live a normal social life throughout school. They make new friends; it’s just harder on some than others. Identifying children with the same interest as yours can make it a lot easier on the child. Encouraging your child to develop their strengths and interest and to join clubs or participate in any after school activities is a great way for their social skills to become stronger, especially as they grow older and move into middle/high school. Many people don’t know when a child has AS because it is so hard to see, it’s not like other syndromes or disorders that develop physical traits.
When you are the sibling of an AS patient it can also be stressful for you. Some siblings can become jealous or embarrassed of their brother/sister because the parent(s) focus more of their time and attention on them. Some siblings may need to learn how to look out for themselves because some AS patients have a hard time controlling their frustration or anger. Sticking up for a brother/sister whom suffers from AS is the best thing a sibling could do, it shows that even though you may not always get along, you love them and care for them. This can make them feel accepted or normal because it’s something that a “normal” sibling would do for another.
I have a younger sister who has AS and it can be hard. She is 8 years younger than I so we tend to bicker. When she is put in a situation where she has to be independent, say ask a stranger for directions, she becomes very nervous and her anxiety shoots through the roof. If she is upset and you continuously ask her what is wrong, she will lash out and become violent. Sometimes she won’t remember what she said or did. When she has these tantrums we usually let her calm down and relax until we confront her about them. Sports and horses have been a huge help with her anxiety and AS. By interacting with other kids her age she has learned to be less socially awkward. Medications does play a role in her daily life, she takes medicine once a day at night before bed. The medication is supposed to help with her anxiety and aggressive tendencies.
Not only do children struggle with AS but so do adults. An adult with AS may have difficulties understanding other people emotions, they can misinterpret others facial expressions and body language for something else. This can cause someone with AS to come off as selfish, egotistical, or uncaring (Better Health). When a person with AS is notified about their actions they may come off as shocked and upset because neurologically they are unable to understand other people’s emotions. Overall adults have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses; they are able to learn social skills
People think that just because you have a disability, it means you can’t have a romantic relationship with someone. Adult with AS still have romantic relationships, according to the Better Health Channel “Studies suggest that individuals with Asperger syndrome are as interested in sex as anyone else, but many struggle with the myriad of complex skills required to successfully negotiate intimate relationships”. Sometimes they can come off as inappropriate or immature because they are unaware of what is right and wrong to say or do. When in a relationship, a partner can become frustrated because of unfair distribution of responsibilities. When the partner expresses their feelings of frustration to the AS partner, they come off baffled because they don’t realize what they are doing.
Having a career and being an AS patient is very normal, you could be working with someone with AS and not even know it.
People with AS can excel in a lot of different areas, such as mathematics, music, or being visually creative. Some careers for AS patients that are visual thinkers are computer programming, drafting, photography, or equipment design (Better Health). If you are a music or math fanatic some career choices may be accounting, telemarketer, pianist, or a journalist. Working with an AS person is not hard, communicating clearly is a good way for your AS employee to work to their fullest ability. Only expect one project at a time, putting too much stress on them can cause anxiety or them to lash out. Being specific with what you want from them is another way for them to be the best employee. When they know what is expected from them they will give it, just like any other employee, you just have to be clear, straight forward, and specific. AS employees are seen to be the most hardworking and dedicated employees a business could
have.
In conclusion to my research paper, I think that Asperger’s Syndrome is a rare diagnosis that carries beauty. These people are so bright and intelligent that you’d never even know they had AS. They live normal lives and have good jobs just like a number of normal people. They may have some social setbacks here and there but with time and the right treatments they can overcome anything. I think that everyone should be given an equal chance no matter what they’re disability may be. My sister being 12 and a AS patient, she is heading into middle school, a stressful time for someone with AS. Between her therapies and medications she has learned to control her symptoms and by participating in after school activates, even though they might stress her out, she has gained so many friends, more friends than I ever did in middle school. I hope this paper helped you learn about Asperger’s Syndrome and can help you understand more of what it really is.