Getting An Understanding Of Asperger Syndrome

high functioning autism

It can be hard to differentiate between Asperger syndrome and a high functioning autistic disorder, because both of these disorders are in the autistic spectrum. However those with AS do not display delays in either cognitive or language development skills. But because this can also be said of those with high functioning autism, it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between the two.

Hans Asperger, an Austrian pediatrician, was the first to pinpoint the disorder in 1944, when he described his patients as failing to demonstrate empathy, as well as lacking nonverbal communication skills. It wasn't until 50 years later that this syndrome was finally recognized and classified as an actual disorder. Today, there are still many questions about the autistic disorder-like impairment. There has long been doubt about the differences in high functioning autistic individuals and those that have AS.

The symptoms of Asperger syndrome are managed by different treatments and individual plans to help the patient develop increased vocational and communication skills. These plans are made depending on the age of the patient and their individual needs and can be adapted as each individual progresses. While several methods are used, it is not completely conclusive that certain intervening methods work. Physicians can use similar procedures to treat autism patients who are highly functioning and AS patients.

There are many forms of disorders within the autism spectrum, and asperger syndrome is just one of them. Since it was first found, there have been many different studies to try to fully understand this disorder, yet there is still not enough information to allow physicians to understand it completely. It is understood that individuals with AS share some of the same symptoms as those who have high functioning autistic disorders. It will take much more research to try to fully understand why these disorders, even though they are part of the autism spectrum, so closely resemble each other.