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What is Aspergers Syndrome?


You are probably confused as to what Aspergers Syndrome is, specially if your child has just been diagnosed with it. Here are some answers to the most common questions of parents with children with AS.

Aspergers Syndrome was named after an Austrian physician, Hans Asperger. It is considered an autistic disorder but is a milder form. However, both of these conditions are just part of a larger group of neurological disorders popularly known in the US as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).

Most common symptoms of these disorders include self-imposed social isolation and eccentric behavior. Motor skills, as well as speech, may sometimes be affected. A child with AS may indulge with extreme attention over such subjects of interest, such as computers or science. The child may want to know absolutely everything about a particular subject that interests him, thus resulting in social isolation. Even in terms of communication or conversation, all the child wants to talk about is his area of interest only.

Asperger Syndrome - What are the Causes?

Most medical experts agree that there is yet no clear explanation as to what causes Asperger Syndrome. They, however, believe that AS and autism both have underlying causes that are biological in nature. It is a known fact that these disorders are somehow caused by certain abnormalities in the brain structure. But as to why they occur, no one knows for sure yet.

But are Aspergers Syndrome and Autism Really Different?

A child with Aspergers Syndrome may develop symptoms usually later in his childhood, but these is also a greater chance of a hopeful outlook. Children with this disorder also seem to function much better. Though they tend to be clumsy at times, these children generally suffer less neurological disorders than autistic ones.

Though it is difficult for doctors to know for certain if a child has Aspergers Syndrome since there is no determinative test for Aspergers, there are certain patterns which may help in the diagnosis.

 
       
         
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