Parent’s Guide to Understanding Asperger’s Disorder

Asperger’s Disorder is a devastating development disorder that has its onset in early childhood, in children as young as two years old. Its best thought of a less impairing form of autism (Pervasive Development Disorder). If you’re a parent of a toddler diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder, no doubt you have many questions about this condition and how if affects your child now and in the future. Although it’s not wise to “sugar coat” your child’s impairment from this disorder, please don’t give in to feelings of hopelessness. Just as children with autism or Downs Syndrome live productive lives, the same is true of children with Asperger’s Disorder.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Version Four, Text Revision, Asperger’s Disorder is characterized by the following symptoms:

- Impairment in social interaction as evidenced by reduced non-verbal behaviors such as eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, and gestures.

- Failure to develop social peer relationships; the child is uninterested in same-age peers.

- Lack of spontaneous seeking to enjoy bonding with others; the child is uninterested in sharing pleasurable experiences with others.

- Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior such as intense necessity for routine and organization, adherence to strange rituals, movements such as hand or finger flapping, twisting, or rocking.

- The disturbance causes significant impairment in social behavior.

- There is no clinically significant delay in language and communication single words. Unlike autism, children with Asperger’s Disorder have much less social and learning impairment.

Now that you have familiarized yourself with the major characteristics of Asperger’s there are a few more things that you can do to help your toddler cope with the world. Look into getting professional help. A reputable specialist familiar with the disorder can offer advice on your child’s development and a clinical psychologist can work in tandem with your pediatrician to help improve your child’s social skills through therapy and/or medication. When your toddler is of age to begin pre-school, seek the counsel of a special education expert as well, as school is a very social and academic environment.

The exact cause of Asperger’s Disorder is still a mystery, and although there is no “cure” for this condition, there are many behavioral and psychiatric interventions that will help your child achieve a meaningful life.