2. Def i ni t i on :
I t i s a devel opment al di sabi l i t y t hat i s def i ned by
i mpai r ment i n soci al r el at i onshi ps, ver bal & non- ver bal
communi cat i on and by r est r i ct i ve and r epet i t i ve pat t er ns
of behavi or s, i nt er est s and act i vi t i es.
• Asper ger ’ s i s cl assi f i ed as one of t he aut i st i c
spect r um di sor der s ( ASD) .
• I t i s somet i mes mi st akenl y di agnosed as Aut i sm or
At t ent i on def i ci t hyper act i vi t y di sor der .
• Pr eval ence of
Aut i sm i s 10 per 10000 &
AS i s of 2 i n 10000
• Mal e : f emal e r at i o i s 4 : 1
3. 3
Identified in the 1940’s by Hans Asperger
• Vi ennese pedi at r i ci an ( 1906- 1980)
• Descr i bed a gr oup of boys wi t h:
– poor soci al i nt er act i on
– f ai l ur e i n communi cat i on
– devel opment of nar r ow i nt er est s
• Used t he t er m “ aut i st i c
psychopat hy” , a per sonal i t y
di sor der .
• Lor na Wi ng Tr ansl at ed i n 1981
• DSM- I V Cr i t er i a i n 1994
4. • Lack of “ common sense” and an i nabi l i t y t o i dent i f y
soci al cues
• Nai ve soci al r esponses
• Unawar e of Ot her s Feel i ngs
• Super i or use of gr ammar and vocabul ar y
• Poor mot or coor di nat i on
• Repet i t i ve r out i nes
• Enf or cement of soci al r ul es ( Rul e Pol i ce)
• Over l y sensi t i ve t o sensor y st i mul us ( sound, t ouch,
smel l , t ast e, si ght )
• Mar ked del ay i n non- ver bal behavi our s
• I mpai r ment s i n est abl i shi ng peer r el at i onshi ps
• Pr eoccupat i on wi t h one r est r i ct ed ar ea of i nt er est
• St er eo- t yped and r epet i t i ve mot or movement s
• Pr eoccupat i on wi t h par t s of obj ect s
• Ver y Accur at e memor y f or Det ai l s
• Few f aci al expr essi ons and di f f i cul t y r eadi ng ot her s’
body l anguage
• Obsessi ons wi t h a si ngl e t opi c such as musi c, di nosaur s,
car s or t he mechani cs of a t oast er
5. Aut i sm Aspergers
Sympt oms evi dent by 30 Mont hs of
Age
Masked t i l l 5 yr s of Age
Shows l ess soci al i nt er est /
i ni t i at i ve
Di spl ays soci al desi r e but of t en
unsuccessf ul
Del ayed/ Devi ant l anguage
devel opment
Language devel opment advanced but
devi ant
I Q’ s show PI Q > VI Q VI Q > PI Q
Good Gr oss Mot or Ski l l s Poor Gr oss Mot or Ski l l s
Rar el y ent er i nt o r el at i onshi ps
or have chi l dr en
Of t en ent er i nt o r el at i onshi ps and
have chi l dr en
I nsensi t i ve & not awar e of
emot i ons
I nsensi t i ve, but can ver bal l y
descr i be emot i ons
Al oof ness / wi t hdr awn even wi t h
f ami l y memebr s
Est abl i shes at t achment t o f ami l y
but i nappr opr i at e appr oach wi t h
peer s
6. Speech & Language in Asperger’s Syndrome
• I nappr opr i at e comment s or t opi cs f or cont ext
• Monol ogues or scr i pt s
• Di f f i cul t y wi t h di f f er ent poi nt s of vi ew.
• Li t er al i nt er pr et at i on ( pr obl ems wi t h f i gur es of
speech, i di oms, sar casm)
• Sel f - t al k i s common.
• Lack of change of vocal t one & vol ume t o i ndi cat e
emot i on.
• Monot one.
• Hi gh- pi t ched or nasal t one.
• Excessi ve t echni cal det ai l s.
• Adul t qual i t y gr ammar or phr ases.
• Need t o cor r ect er r or s.
• Pr eci se i nt onat i on.
7. Cognition in Asperger’s Syndrome
• I Q usual l y nor mal
• Not good at t i med t est s because of pace
• Encycl opedi c memor y.
• Fear of Fai l ur e
• Ref usal t o do somet hi ng unl ess per f ect
• Or i gi nal i t y i n pr obl em sol vi ng
• Li mi t ed f l exi bi l i t y i n t hi nki ng
8. 8
DSM-IV Criteria for AS
• I mpai r ment i n soci al i nt er act i on
( At l east 2 )
– i mpai r ment i n non- ver bal behavi or s
– l ack of appr opr i at e peer r el at i onshi ps
– l ack of spont aneous shar i ng of at t ent i on
– l ack of soci al / emot i onal r eci pr oci t y
9. 9
DSM-IV Criteria for AS
• Rest r i ct ed r epet i t i ve and
st er eot yped pat t er ns of behavi or ,
i nt er est s and act i vi t i es ( At l east
1 )
– pr eoccupat i on wi t h one or mor e
r est r i ct ed pat t er ns of i nt er est wi t h
abnor mal i nt ensi t y or f ocus
– i nf l exi bl e adher ence t o speci f i c
nonf unct i onal r out i nes/ r i t ual s
– r epet i t i ve mot or manner i sms
10. How “Aspie’s” View Themselves
• Loner s
• Di f f er ent
• Exper t on speci f i c
t opi c
• No f r i ends
• Loser s
• Low sel f - est eem
• Mi sunder st ood
• Have t hei r own “ r ul es”
11. How “Aspie’s” Want to be Treated
• Nor mal
• Wi t h r espect
• Recogni zed f or uni queness
• Accept ed by ot her s
• As f r i ends
• Wi t h under st andi ng
• Wi t h l ove and car i ng
at t i t udes
12. CAUSES
• Ther e ar e no def i ni t i ve r esear ch st udi es t hat poi nt t o
a par t i cul ar pr obl em i n t he br ai n t hat can l ead t o
aut i sm or Asper ger ’ s Syndr ome
• Ther e seems t o be a Her edi t ar y Component
( Fami l y I nher i t ance on Fat her s Si de )
• Envi r onment al f act or s t hat af f ect Br ai n Devel opment .
• Genet i cs ?
• Ot her s = Bi r t h Pr obl ems / Lack of O2 / CNS Dysf unct i on
NOT CAUSED BY :
•Asper ger ’ s Syndr ome i s not r el at ed t o par ent i ng
pr act i ces or how a chi l d i s r ai sed by hi s or her
par ent s
•I t i s not caused by Emot i onal Depr i vat i on
13. What are some treatment options?
• Al t hough t her e i s no par t i cul ar
t r eat ment f or AS, t he most ef f ect i ve
appr oaches ar e t her api es t hat f ocus
on:
• I mpr ovi ng poor communi cat i on ski l l s
• obsessi ve or r epet i t i ve r out i nes
• physi cal cl umsi ness
• Ot her t r eat ment opt i ons may i ncl ude:
• Par ent Educat i on & Tr ai ni ng
• Soci al ski l l s t r ai ni ng
• Cogni t i ve behavi or t her apy
• Language t her apy
• Speci al i zed hel p i n school f or t he chi l d
• Psychophar macol ogi cal I nt er vent i on
