High Functioning Autism;

Unraveling the Mystery behind Asperger’s Syndrome

You may or may not have previously heard of Asperger’s syndrome, which is a branch of autism under the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder. Those who are affected by Asperger’s Syndrome find it difficult to pick up on body language and facial expressions, making it complicated to effectively carry on a conversation with others. Because of this, those who suffer from Asperger’s find it difficult to both communicate with and relate to others.

When first meeting someone, people tend to make judgments about the other person through body language and tone of voice. Determining whether someone has good or ill intentions towards you depends largely on almost imperceptible cues such as slight changes in facial expressions. You can also use these cues to properly guide the conversation by recognizing whether someone is happy, sad, or angry. Being able to pick up on these cues is an important part of social interaction, since carrying a conversation depends on being able to pick up on the other person’s emotions.

People with Asperger’s syndrome tend to have a high level of cognitive functioning and good language skills, as opposed to those diagnosed with other subtypes of autism spectrum disorder. They typically have average or above-average vocabularies and develop speech at the same rate as other children their age. They tend to have an interest in interacting with others, though find it difficult due to their inability to recognize certain social cues. Because of this, they are commonly thought of as lacking empathy or having a disinterest in their peers.

How do I know if my child is displaying Asperger’s Syndrome ?

So how do you know if your child is suffering from Asperger’s syndrome? Some common Asperger’s symptoms in children are:

formal speech,
obsessive interests,
social isolation,
and the tendency to follow repetitive routines.

Children with Asperger’s tend to speak in a strange manner, such as speaking faster or slower than others or speaking as though they are much older than they are.

Since they find it hard to follow social cues, they aren’t able to change the tone and pitch of their voice to accurately match their surroundings. They tend to get fixated on one particular subject and desire to become an expert of it. This subject may be anything from lawn mowers to particular mathematical equations, but regardless of the subject they find it hard to learn or focus on anything else.

Because their interests are so narrow, people with Asperger’s syndrome have difficulty forming lasting friendships and relationships. Due to their inability to relate to others, those suffering from Asperger’s typically find it easier to isolate themselves and focus solely on their obsessive interest.

Children may try to deal with the confusion in their own mind by having particular methodical daily routines. They may eat the exact same thing for breakfast every morning or insist on wearing identical clothes every day. Any disruption to their routine may make them anxious and upset, though they are able to adapt to change if they are given notice in advance.

What is an Autistic Savant?

Though Asperger’s in children tends to negatively affect the daily lives of those with the disorder, it is commonly referred to as high functioning autism. This is due to the fact that many people with Asperger’s actually have an above average intelligence, regardless of their lack of social skills. Many people who have been referred to as autistic savants – individuals with autism who exhibit extraordinary skills have actually been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.

Autistic savants typically have extraordinary skill in math, music, or memory. Savants are extremely rare, so if your child can play the piano particularly well or perform at the top of their math class, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are an autistic savant. In order to be declared a savant, the child or person in question must have abilities that far exceed those of normal people.

It’s difficult to determine whether or not someone has this disorder, as there is no specific Asperger’s syndrome test that can pinpoint an exact diagnosis. High functioning Asperger’s symptoms in adults can make it an even more difficult disorder to diagnose, as many adults are able to function so well that they don’t notice anything is wrong with them – except for a couple of symptoms that they may simply see as ‘quirks’!

Because of this, it’s important to catch early Asperger’s symptoms in children in order to ensure proper development into adulthood. Those with autistic spectrum disorder can live healthy, successful lives once diagnosed – whether they have Asperger’s or another one of the subtypes of autism.

We have found this handy online Asperger’s syndrome test is a good one for you to try.

Here we cover your emotional journey when you find out your child is autistic and offer some handy ideas to get to you through your emotions see saw.