Aspergers Disorder - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Asperger's Disorder is a milder form of Autistic Disorder. Children with Aspergers Disorder face challenges that affect their daily life. Many lead productive, independent lives in adulthood. Asperger's Disorder is affected people are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior, and curiosity about the environment in childhood. Aspergers Disorder also has the inability to communicate their feelings of anxiety or distress, further challenging the ability to diagnose or understand their moods.  Severe impairment occurs when inability to interact with peers, socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior occurs, lack of desire to interact with peers, or lack of appreciation of social cues occurs. Clumsiness is prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior. They usually have a circumscribed area of interest, which usually leaves no space for more age appropriate, common interests. Some examples are cars, trains, French literature, doorknobs, hinges, cappuccino, meteorology, astronomy, or history. Qualitative impairment in interaction is usually caused from either a marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction or a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.

Aspergers Disorder may also suffer depression as a result of extreme anxiety or loneliness.  Asperger's syndrome affects males more than females. Depression in people with Aspergers Disorder may stem from a growing awareness of their disability. The disturbances cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities are usually caused by encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is either in intensity or focus. There is no specific treatment or "cure" for Asperger's Disorder. All the interventions are mainly symptomatic and/or rehabilitational. Psychosocial interventions include, individual psychotherapy to help the individual to process the feelings aroused by being socially handicapped, parent education and training, behavioral modification, social skills training, or educational interventions. Psychopharmacological interventions include hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, clonidine, and tricylic antidepressants. They also include other medications such as mood stabilizers, beta blockers, clonidine, naltrexone, and neuroleptics. The child with Aspergers Disorder needs to be taught problem solving skills, relaxation techniques, and skills to recognize when their emotions are being impacted by external events. 

Causes of Aspergers Disorder

• Genetics factors ( Neurobiological disorder).
• Area of debate and controversy.
• Digestive problems and even childhood vaccinations.
• Bad parenting.

Signs and Symptoms of Aspergers Disorder

Common sign and symptoms of Aspergers Disorder

• Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors
• failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
• Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.
• Lack of social or emotional reciprocity.
• Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped.
• Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals.
• Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms.
• Change in sleep patterns.
• Aggression.
• Lack of energy.
• Inability to concentrate. 

Treatment of Aspergers Disorder

Common treatment of Aspergers Disorder

• The child with Aspergers Disorder needs to be taught problem solving skills, relaxation techniques, and skills to recognize when their emotions are being impacted by external events. 
• Maintaining optimal health is also a deterrent to depressive symptoms or feelings of low energy or stress.
• Children with Asperger's Syndrome can be helped to learn social skills by an experienced psychologist. Body language and nonverbal communication can be taught in much the same way as one would teach a foreign language.
• Children with Asperger's can learn to interpret nonverbal expressions of emotion and social interaction.
• Take advantage of your child's strengths by encouraging him or her to explore interests at home and at school. Activity-oriented groups and focused counseling can also be helpful.