Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's Syndrome is an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
What system does Asperger’s affect?
Asperger's affects the nervous system.
- Researchers have found that, in children with ASDs, the embryo cells move while the brain is developing and later damages the neurons that are concerned with behaviors and thoughts.
They have also found that, when presented with a task required judgement, brain activity in the frontal lobe was less than a child without ASD.
- Another discovery was that children with ASD had abnormally high or low levels of proteins that result in repetitive behavior.
Onset of Asperger's
People with Asperger's may start to have social problems in school or at work.
When they see a doctor, they might think their problem is an issue such as anxiety, depression, or ADHD. Asperger's Syndrome is caused by genetic abnormalities, but the cause of them is unknown. While there has been no single gene found for the disorder, it is most likely multiple genes whose differences put together causes Asperger’s.
When they see a doctor, they might think their problem is an issue such as anxiety, depression, or ADHD. Asperger's Syndrome is caused by genetic abnormalities, but the cause of them is unknown. While there has been no single gene found for the disorder, it is most likely multiple genes whose differences put together causes Asperger’s.
How is Asperger's diagnosed?
Asperger's is often confused with other behavioral issues.The child may not have much muscle tone and they may have trouble with coordination. To diagnose, the doctor will conduct a physical exam, a neurological exam, and may use blood tests and x-rays. The physician will also assess the level of development compared to other children the same age, but with Aperger's, the level is barely lower.
How was Asperger's discovered?
In 1944, Hans Asperger, a pediatric doctor in Austria, noticed that four of his young patients showed some of the same symptoms. He wrote about these children, but his writing was mostly unknown until 1981, when more doctors and scientists started to notice the symptoms of the condition that Dr. Asperger described. In 1994, the disorder was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used by the American Psychiatric Association.
What will their life be like?
Asperger's doesn't directly cause an early death but related problems might cause complications. Some people with Asperger's rely on family or friends for daily living, but since most of them are on the high-functioning end of the Autism Spectrum, most can do a lot of things on their own.