What is Asperger Syndrome

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=260016" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=125 BGCOLOR="#996699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0d4467d1erlcll.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Healthmood.com </b></FONT><B>     </b><B>|     </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Healthmood.com "><U><B>home</b></U></A></div> <div> <B>What is Asperger Syndrome</b>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Asperger Characteristics"><U>Asperger Characteristics</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7 Characteristics of AS Treatment Techn"><U>7 Characteristics of AS & Treatment Techniques</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Asperger and Nonverbal Learning Disorder"><U>Asperger and Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AS Thoughts for Management in School"><U>AS & Thoughts for Management in School</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AS: Meds Psychosis"><U>AS: Meds & Psychosis</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AS Adulthood"><U>AS & Adulthood</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Asperger Syndrome Case Study"><U>Asperger Syndrome Case Study</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Asperger Online sources"><U>Asperger On-line sources</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AS References"><U>AS References</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Link</b></div> <div> <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Asperger Syndrome"><U><B>Asperger Syndrome</b></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pediatrics"><U><B>Pediatrics</b></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id84.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Occupational Therapy"><U><B>Occupational Therapy</b></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=355 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> What is Asperger Syndrome</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Asperger Syndrome is considered a disorder at the higher end of the autistic continuum. Comparing individuals within this continuum, it is noted that the low-functioning child with autism "lives in a world of his own," whereas the higher functioning child with autism "lives in our world but in his own way"</b></I></div> <div> <I><B>(Wing, l99l p.99).  </b></I></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="539" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="529"><div> What is Asperger</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 468 WIDTH="529"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Asperger Syndrome is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. </div> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Pervasive developmental disorders are a group of neuropsychiatric disorders. Characterized by specific delays in social, communicative, and cognitive development, usually noted in the first year of life. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">It is a life long condition and the attributes will change with different stages of life. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Asperger Syndrome is part of the Autism spectrum (considered a disorder at the higher end of the autistic continuum).</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The major difference between Asperger and Autism is language skills. Most Autistic children never develop normal speech, or may be nonverbal. Where as Asperger children usually develops language skills at or slightly below the average.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Studies suggest that Asperger is dominant among males.  It has been suggested that this may not really be true.  Those girls just have a better ability to blend in and often are never diagnosed. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Naturally, not all children with AS are alike. Just as each child with AS has his or her own unique personality, "typical" AS symptoms are manifested in ways specific to each individual. Therefore there is no exact recipe.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Statistics</b></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">According to the National Institutes of Health, the prevalence rate for Asperger Syndrome in the United States is 1 in 500.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Higher than Multiple Sclerosis, Downs Syndrome, or Cystic Fibrosis. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">It is estimated that over 400,000 families are affected by this disorder.</div> <bR> <div> <B>History of Hans Asperger</b></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Hans Asperger, born in Vienna in 1906. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">In 1931 he graduated from medical school and started working for the Children's Hospital of the University of Vienna and worked most of his working years there. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">His first publications  (Siegl & Asperger, 1934) focused on not symptom, rather the child who is suffering, genetic factors, the effect of his or her environment, and the connection between these things.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">When he was the director of the unit for special education at the Children's hospital he coined the term "autistic psychopathy" (Article: Das psychish abnorme Kind). </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">In 1944 he published his post graduate thesis Autistic Psychopathy in Childhood about the children that he dedicated his life to learn about.</div> <div> He described the ways these children expressed themselves, tried to gain insight into their being. He believed that this disorder was determined by genetic factors and after studying more than 200 Children and getting to know their parents and relatives and found the same abnormal traits.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">1957 he became the director of the Children's hospital of the university of Innsbruck.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">1963 he was named the director of The Children's Hospital of the University of Vienna.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">1949 on he published many articles about children with impairment in social responsiveness/interest in others, serious communicative impairments, as well as the differences in personality structure and cognitive skills.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">1980 Hans Asperger died in Vienna</div> <bR> <div> <B>Theorists Research & Observations of Higher Functioning Autism & AS</b></div> <bR> <div> <B>Onset</b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Hans Asperger found that children with autism who were higher functioning were  " having problems by the age of 3, showing early facilitation in language development  (language developed early and the children they had an interest in language that served as their lifeline for them</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> apparent perspiration of social skills early on </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> reported by family "early oddity of social, communication or behavioral functioning</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> desire for interaction, but marked problems negotiating it </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Unusual interests and  (Robinson and Vitale, 1954) to the extent to which they are all absorbing and interfering with learning other skills and social adaptation.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Circumscribed Interests</b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Where as the autistic child are more likely to involve object manipulation, visual spatial tasks, music, AS the focus is on assuming large amounts of factual information relative to the child's topic of interest </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Usually does not change over time but usually dominates the life of the child in terms of time and energy spent in pursuit of the topic (and often family). </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The child interest may seem developmentally appropriate when they are younger, but as time goes on and their array of info increased, it becomes inappropriate.</div> <bR> <div> <B> Social Function</b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Share some features with autism/oppose others.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Both have social isolation, but the AS child is usually NOT unaware or disinterested in others. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">In fact, some of the behavioral difficulties that are clearly different form an autistic child is that the child with AS makes constant, but inappropriate approached to others.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Uses social interaction to engage the friend in a long winded conversation about a particular topic of interest</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Express interest in friends/mates, but become frustrated form their failed attempts</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">In the older AS child/adolescent, social difficulties include problems with spontaneous social interaction requiring quick intuitive social judgment</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Higher functioning Autistic children are more frequently described as withdrawn and unaware and or disinterested in others </div> <bR> <div> <B>4) Communication</b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Even though early speech development, abnormalities in communication (especially conversational/pragmatic, (seen as the child matures, impacting on child's social deficit).</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Abnormal quality of voice is not as pronounced as in autism. Marked monotone voice in autism not in AS child (Klein, 1994)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Instead AS child will use a small number of inflection patterns w/out adjusting to content of speech (telling a joke).</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Abnormal Rate/volume of speech in both A & AS (may speak at erratic speed, not modulate volume whether in church, a playground, library, funeral</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS speech appears to be one-sided, monologues, tangential</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Markedly verbose at any time on topic of interest</div> <bR> <div> <B>5) Motor Functioning</b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Hans Asperger found that higher functioning autistic children often had delays in motor skills as well as motor incoordination and persisted over time (Asperger, 1944, Tantum 1988, Gillberg 1990)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Same for both Autistic and AS and is listed in DSM-IV as associated but not necessary diagnostic feature because motor skills can be dependent upon age with developmental aspects, such as body image, social and self perception</div> <div> <B> </b></div> <div> <B>(Asperger 19944, Robinson & Vitale 1954, Volmar, Sparrow, Groudreau, Cicchetti, Paul, & Cohen, 1982, Volkamar, 1994, Wing & Gould, 1979,)</b></div> <bR> <div> <B>(Aspergers Syndrome, Klin A., Volkmar F., Sparrow S., (2000), Guilfford Publications, NY)</b></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>DSM-IV / ICD-10</b></div> <bR> <div> <B>Inclusion of AS into the revised DSM-IV and ICD-10 became a debate</b></div> <bR> <div> Since definition of Autism evolved over time (from DSM-III (1980), III-R (1987) ICD-10 (1993), research on AS, although carrying some similarities to autism, called for recognition of the difference from it.</div> <bR> <div> Interest in Asperger Syndrome was slow to develop until the 1980's following its official recognition in the U.S. Diagnostic System (DSM-IV; American Psychiatry Association, 1944) and the international classification of disease 10th edition (ICD-10, World Health Organization, 1993). </div> <bR> <div> As preparation for revision of the new DSM-IV and ICD-10 and inclusion of AS, raters for the DSM-IV criteria completed a set of ratings that included various diagnostic criteria for autism as well as for AS and included information on age, IQ, communicative ability. 21 sites and 125 raters evaluated 1000 cases with clinical programs for individuals with autism and PDD.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Observations AS compared to more abled (IQ>85) individuals w/autism </b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The AS individuals where had significantly fewer symptoms of deviance in language and comprehension.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS were more likely to exhibit verbal IQ scores greater than performance IQ's</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The opposite result was obtained for higher functioning individual w/autism. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">As had fewer symptoms of social deviance than those w/autism</div> <bR> <div> <B>Observations as compared to atypical autism or PDD </b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS was seen as a variant of autism</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS had greater disability in the areas of social deviance and resistance to change</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS had difficulties w/ boundaries w/ others non verbal learning disability</div> <bR> <div> Asperger Syndrome (As) is a serious and chronic neurodevelopemental disorder which is presently defined by social deficits of the type seen in autism, restricted interests as in autism, but in contrast to autism, relative preservation of language and cognitive abilities (at least early on in life).</div> <bR> <div> <B>ICD-10 Research Diagnostic Guidelines for AS (how it differs form Autism)</b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">"Lack of any clinically significant general delay in language or cognitive development (p. 154)."</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Age 2 or earlier: Single word development</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Age 3 or earlier:  Phrases, </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">During first 3 years; self help and adaptive behavior  and curiosity about the environment should be consistent w/ normal  intellectual development</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">motor developments may be delayed</div> <bR> <div> <B>ICD-10; AS has to meet the same criteria for Autism in the following:  </b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Qualitative impairments in social interactions</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Restricted, receptive, and stereotype patterns of behavior, interests and activities </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Also observed but not required for diagnoses: </div> <div> Early motor delays, motor clumsiness were usual</div> <div> Isolated special skill (abnormal pre occupations) might also be present and more likely than the stereotypical behavior/preoccupation with PART objects exhibited in autism (but by ICD definition</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS cannot be attributed to other varieties of PDD or schizotypical disorders, reactive attachment disorder, simple schizophrenia, obsessional personality disorder, or OCD disorder.</div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Rockwell" >(World Health Organization (1993, p 154-155))</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Critique of DSM-IV and ICD-10  </b></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">AS id differentiated for Autism by the basis of onset criteria regardless of the patients social impairments later on in life</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.gif" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Failure to specify differentiating diagnostic features (relating to social or communicative difficulties relative to restricted interests)</div> <bR> <div> <B>Despite Official Classification, there need to be much more research</b></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="537" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 39 ><NOBR><div> <B>Seven defining characteristics of Asperger Syndrome </b></div> <div> <B>& OT strategies for addressing these symptoms</b></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <B>Characteristic</b></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <B>Description</b></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 133 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#1. Insistence on Sameness</b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with AS are easily overwhelmed by minimal change, are highly sensitive to environmental stressors, and sometimes engage in rituals</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Provide a predictable and safe environment</div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Telling children what we will be doing</b></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Rules of OT Movement</b></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Choice of equipment</b></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 134 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#2. Impairment in Social Interaction</b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with AS show an inability to understand complex rules of social interaction</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Most children with AS want friends but simply do not know how to interact. They should be taught how to react to social cues and be given repertoires of responses to use in various social situations </div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">(OT Club)</b></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 134 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#3. Restricted Range of Interests</b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with AS have eccentric pre occupations or odd, intense fixations (sometimes obsessively Collecting unusual things)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Do not allow the child with AS to perseveratively discuss or ask questions about isolated interests</div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Inform the teacher about preservations during therapy</b></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#4. Poor Concentration </b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with AS are often off task, distracted by internal stimuli</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Are very disorganized</div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">(OT Movement Club)</b></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 209 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#5.Poor Motor Coordination</b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">are unsuccessful in games involving motor skills</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">experience fine-motor deficits</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">(<B>OT Movement)</b></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Handwriting w/out tears/</b>(<B>writing boards</b>/<B>paper with lines)</b></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">VMI/copy a paragraph test that we was to be times, take speed into account </b></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">taking exams in a quiet space (VMI) room provided the added structure and therapist redirection that these children need to focus on the task at hand</b></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 247 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#6. Academic Difficulties</b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with AS usually have average to above-average intelligence (especially in the verbal sphere) but lack high level thinking and comprehension skills</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Do not assume that children with AS understand something just because they parrot back what they have heard</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Emotional nuances, multiple levels of meaning, and relationship issues as presented in novels will often not be understood</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">These children frequently do not know the difference between general knowledge and personal ideas and therefore assume the teacher will understand their sometimes abstruse expressions </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 115 WIDTH="117"><div> <B>#7. </b></div> <div> <B>Emotional Vulnerability</b></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="405"><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Individuals with AS, especially adolescents may be prone to depression (a high percentage of depression in adults with AS has been documented)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Rage reactions/temper outbursts are common in response to stress/frustration.</div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">(OT club/emotions sheet/social skills)</b></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>