Aspergers Symptoms & Aspergers Diagnosis

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Have you ever wondered what is needed to diagnose aspergers disorder? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about aspergers disorder.

As there are no specific genetic or biological markers indicative of a person being afflicted with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers diagnosis is as a matter of necessity based on behavior. The Autism Spectrum Disorder (“ASD”) is used to describe a series of related disorders which can include Aspergers disease, autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (“PDD-NOS”) and is often displayed in conjunction with ADHD.

For those looking to identify Aspergers symptoms as a precursor to Aspergers diagnosis, there are three main areas of difficulty which are common to people with Aspergers. These are:
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Oct 11, 2010 Comments Off Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Thirteen Things Parents of Teens with Autism Need to Know

Adolescence and autism together form a volatile mix. Chantal Sicile-Kira in The Autism Advocate

 

Lately, I have been receiving an abundance of emails from parents about their children with autism who are now entering the teen years. “Help,” they write. “His / her autism is getting worst; what can I do?” The reality is – their autism is not getting worse, they are becoming teenagers! Having a teenager on the spectrum and one that is neurotypical  provides a parent with  great perspective on  what is normal teenage behavior, and what is due to autism. I used to preface the seminars I give on autism and adolescence by saying, “I have two teenagers: one severely impacted by autism, the other by hormones.”  I also tell my audience that the year my oldest son hit puberty is the year I discovered martinis and began running 4 miles a day instead of two. Adolescence and autism each on their own can be difficult, together they form a volatile mix, and as a parent you need to find ways to relieve the resulting stress.

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Jan 15, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

An investigation into social information processing in young people with Asperger syndrome

manchester.ac.uk Paul Wallis Central Manchester and Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK Abstract Deficits in social functioning are a core feature of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), being linked to various cognitive and developmental factors, but there has been little attempt to draw on normative models of social cognition to understand social behaviour in ASD. The current study explored the utility of Crick and Dodge’s (1994) information processing model to studying social cognition in ASD, and examined associations between social information processing patterns, theory of mind skills and social functioning. A matched-group design compared young people with Asperger syndrome with typically developing peers, using a social information processing interview previously designed for this purpose. The Asperger syndrome group showed significantly different patterns of information processing at the intent attribution, response generation and response evaluation stages of the information processing model. Theory of mind skills were found to be significantly associated with parental ratings of peer problems in the Asperger syndrome group but not with parental ratings of pro-social behaviour, with only limited evidence of an association between social information processing and measures of theory of mind and social functioning. Overall, the study supports the use of normative social information processing approaches to understanding social functioning in ASD.

Asperger syndrome social cognition social skills social functioning

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Jan 08, 2012 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Idiom understanding in people with Asperger syndrome/high functioning autism

 

 

Ioannis VogindroukasI; Olga ZikopoulouII

IMedical Psycho-Pedagogical Centre of North Greece – Thessaloniki, Grécia
IIDepartamento de Política Educacional e Social, University of Macedonia – Thessaloniki, Grécia

Endereço para correspondência

 

 

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To extend previous research in the development of idiom comprehension by investigating this ability in children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or with High Functioning Autism (HFA).
METHODS: Three groups participated in the study. The first group consisted of 27 children with AS/HFA (mean age 11.3 years) and the other two consisted of typically developing children and adults, respectively. The Comprehension Test of Idiomatic Phrases (CTIP) was administered to all participants.
RESULTS: Children with AS/HFA had lower performance compared to the other two groups. No difference was found in the performance between the two typically developing groups. Also, there was no significant correlation between the IQ and the performance for the children with AS/HFA, while positive correlations were revealed between performance and age for the two groups of children.
CONCLUSION: The results provide further evidence that children with AS/HFA have difficulties in understanding idioms and they confirm their tendency to make literal interpretations. These impairments are irrelevant to their intelligence and they affect their communication with others. The understanding of these difficulties is important in order to find ways to limit the confusion and the misinterpretations which are observed during the communicative acts with this clinic group.

Keywords: Comprehension; Aptitude; Psycholinguistics; Child language; Cognition; Asperger syndrome; Autistic disorders

 

 

INTRODUCTION

The acquisition of non literal – figurative language is a key issue in language development, because it depends on the interrelationships between linguistic, cognitive, and pragmatic skills. Linguistic skills on its own are not able to explain the ability to process and acquire figurative language. This is true if we consider that the traditional components of language, phonetics, semantics, and syntax, adequately characterise the structure of language, but they can not explain the variety and richness of meanings that arise whenever language is used to communicate. Idioms are key components of non literal language. An idiom is a phrase where combined words have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words and from the literal definition of the phrase itself. An idiom functions as a single unit and it is syntactically fixed and semantically conventionalized. The meaning of idioms is often thought to be metaphorical or proverbial(1).

It is strongly suggested that in typical development acquisition of idiom meaning is an ongoing process, extending from late childhood to adolescence(2). Interestingly, studies have proved that ability to acquire the figurative meaning of idioms goes beyond 18 years into adulthood(3,4). Researchers mostly agreed that individuals gradually increase their accuracy of idiom explanations during late childhood and adolescence, and then continuously improve it in adulthood. More specifically, the acquisition of the skills and abilities which are used to understand figurative language is placed between 7 and 11 years of age(5). Before 7 years of age, young children have the tendency to interpret idioms literally. Progressively the piece-by-piece literal interpretation is suppressed and more mature forms of elaboration, namely figurative, become apparent. The most dramatic change in the figurative language process is placed at the age of 8 years, when the literal interpretation gives place to the elaboration of contextual information(5). More recent studies show that the language processing skills that aid idiom comprehension are still not fully developed until 11-12 year-olds(6) and so incomplete understanding of these expressions is still present in adolescents(7). In adults, moderate age-related improvements are observed between 19 and 55 years of age(2). It is already known that children with language comprehension problems and language-based learning disabilities present significant difficulties in figurative language interpretation. These difficulties are due to their tendency to understand language literally, their deficiencies in pragmatic skills and/or their difficulties in reading comprehension(8).

Pragmatics is the domain of language concerned with how speakers use language to have a successful communication. It can be defined as the conventions and rules which govern communication. These conventions and rules may concern the social knowledge (such as an appropriate use of language for communication with friends as opposed to adults) or socio-cognitive understanding (such as trying to understand the relationship between what speakers say and what they mean or intend to communicate). Thus, the ability to communicate is based on higher order abilities, while knowledge of context and language and interacting cognitive systems can combine to generate novel inferences that are specific to each communicative act. For this reason pragmatic language is considered the most complex aspect of linguistic functioning and necessary for understanding both what speakers say and what is implicit in their utterance(9). This is not surprising, if we take into consideration that much of what we need to understand in order to communicate with language is not directly stated, written, or depicted, but we succeed in understanding it because we construct meaning via a process of inference(10).

Inferencing is a key component of pragmatics, as meaning is constructed by making connections between information and linking information together(11). The same expression can have a different meaning in different communicative situations and, by exploiting context it is possible to understand the speaker’s intention. This means that understanding and using language involves not only decoding the text but also the construction of meaning through the integration of knowledge and text, via a process of inference(11). Inference can be seen as a cognitive process connecting information from different sources. It is an especially important ability when deriving an implied meaning of an utterance, as shown by studies about text comprehension in children(6).

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Dec 28, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Home-School Collaboration for Children with Learning Disabilities

The transition into elementary school can be especially tough for our children with learning disabilities and challenging behavior. Whether they’ve been at home or in a preschool program, they’ve been in an environment that is more flexible and usually less overstimulating than the average kindergarten or first grade classroom. Once in elementary school, there are usually more kids to deal with; the day may be longer; the schedule may be less flexible; and the demands on them are greater.

Whatever the diagnosis, Attention Deficit Disorder (with or without Hyperactivity), an auditory processing disorder, Dyslexia, Aspergers, etc., our kids do better in school when we parents do our share. As stressful as it can be to reinforce learning at home, as difficult as it is to add regular contact with the school to our schedules, as much as we’d like to just let the teachers take on the challenges of our kids for some part of the day, our children are more likely to get more out of the school year if we’re enthusiastically involved. Here are some helpful reminders from the

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Dec 08, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Group intervention for siblings of children with disabilities: a pilot study in a clinical setting.

Granat T, Nordgren I, Rein G, Sonnander K.Source

Habilitation and Assistive Technology Services, Uppsala County Council , Sweden.

Abstract

Purpose: To study the effectiveness of a group intervention in a clinical setting designed to increase knowledge of disability and improve sibling relationship among siblings of children with disabilities. Method: A self-selected sample of 54 younger and older siblings with typical development (ages 8-12 years) of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (9), Asperger syndrome (7), autistic disorder (13), physical disability (8) and intellectual disability (17) participated in collateral sibling groups. The Sibling Knowledge Interview (SKI) and Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ) were administered pre- and post-intervention. Results: SKI scores increased (p?

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Nov 30, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Mainstream Classroom

Barbara Boroson?s : How to Reach and Teach Students with ASDs is an engaging, thoughtful and valuable resource for instructors, parents and administrators that enable them to reach, understand and help students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) so that they may succeed in school. 

Barbara Boroson holds an undergraduate degree in creative writing from Cornell and a masters degree in social work from Columbia University.  She has worked in autism spectrum education for 20 years in clinical, administrative and advisory capacities. She currently works as a consultant and supports teachers and school districts as they integrate their students on the spectrum into mainstream environments.  Her stated goal is in the development of inclusive classrooms where all students can learn and grow. 

Her writing is clear and accessible. It gives her readers an understanding of the complexity of ASD by using concrete examples and provides the instructor with the tools and techniques that help steer students towards success.  : How to Reach and Teach Students with ASDs is highly recommended for all instructors and families wishing to teach and better understand individuals with ASDs.

The autistic spectrum, also called autism spectrum disorders is characterized by widespread abnormalities of social interactions and communication, as well as restricted interests and repetitive behavior.  The ?ve forms of ASD are classic autism, Asperger?s syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Speci?ed (PDD-NOS), Rett syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.  The number of reported cases of autism increased dramatically in the 1990s and early 2000s.  This increase is largely the result of changes in diagnostic practices, availability of services and public awareness, although current research shows that unidenti?ed environmental risk factors cannot be ruled out. 

Classic autism is a disorder of neural development and affects information processing in the brain by altering how neurons and their synapses connect and organize in ways not yet well understood.  While autism has a strong genetic basis, the genetics are complex and it remains unclear whether any of the disorders in the spectrum are explained more by rare mutations or rare combinations of genetic variants. 

Controversies surround other proposed environmental causes of ASD, such as pesticides, heavy metals or childhood vaccines, but no convincing scienti?c evidence has been presented for any of these proposed causes.  Boroson?s work is valuable in that it offers tested preventive strategies that cooperatively build a classroom setting that includes students with ASDs.

Boroson begins by de?ning and explaining many of the terms and acronyms encountered while helping students across the autism spectrum.  She gives us the ill-de?ned and yet textbook characterization of ASDs stated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services? Center for Disease Control and Prevention Autism Information Center (2009):

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Nov 27, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Visual Memories are Great! Well, Sometimes…

Images are powerful things. They can nourish and deplete you. Published on October 26, 2011 by Liane Holliday Willey, Ed.D. in The Pragmatic Aspie

I have a photographic visual memory. It’s part of the Aspie way of life. We think in pictures, as Temple Grandin says. Most of the time this is a glorious way to go. We can relive the great and grand views, activities, times, moments we love to remember, like they were happening this second not days or years ago. What a gift to think back on the second my first baby was put in my arms and the second I knew my twins were both born healthy. 

Alas, to every good thing there is a negative. The light and the dark. Two sides to every coin, one showing a won bet, one signifying a loose. The deep down dark side to having visual memories bite badly. I lost my much-adored father two years ago to a head injury. And like a sharp slap upside the face, my eyes sting with fresh tears every single time I think about the moment we had to take him off life support. As if I was holding him just now, I feel the same pain, the same searing agony of having to say goodbye to someone I can barely live without. 

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How does someone move beyond the bad and into a place of mostly good, when the bad can come so sharply into focus so dang easily? And so unexpectedly? Just mention a restaurant my dad liked or let me hear a bar of one of his favorite songs, and I am reduced to mush followed by a blinding panic attack. I cannot profess to be very good at getting past the sad and bad, but I can say I want to work on my ability to at least control how I react to what I vividly recall. Here are a few ideas that tend to work for me when the visuals weigh heavily on my heart.

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Nov 22, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Asperger’s Syndrome Signs and Symptoms

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

It’s important to understand that while certain types of symptoms are common in Asperger’s syndrome; these symptoms will vary in intensity and severity among affected individuals. Moreover, some individuals may have only some of the associated symptoms, and the overall level of functioning of a given person can vary widely.

Note: The term Asperger’s disorder is the preferred diagnostic term according to the DSM-IV-TR.

People with Asperger’s syndrome typically have trouble with the kind of social skills involved in making and sustaining friendships. Their lack of understanding of social cues may cause them to behave in inappropriate ways, such as violating personal space, interrupting conversations, or having trouble understanding when they have hurt others’ feelings. While individuals with Asperger’s syndrome may report that they want to have friends, they may not understand the true meaning of friendship for others. For example, they may believe they have many friends or believe that anyone they know is their friend. Persons with Asperger’s syndrome may also be confused about the emotional aspects of friendship, such as sharing and helping. It may be difficult for them to break away from their own interests and obsessions in order to listen to others’ needs and opinions.

Asperger’s syndrome can be characterized by an unusual, formal style of speaking that lacks appropriate intonation or gestures. People with this disorder can speak at length and be very wordy about topics that hold their interest, yet they may not be able to participate in the give and take of a normal conversation. Those with Asperger’s syndrome often attempt to “hijack” the conversation and may go off on tangents that are not related to the topic being discussed. They may interrupt conversations and appear to be insensitive to what others are saying.

Parents of children with Asperger’s syndrome may notice that their children have unusually keen attention to detail and sensory sensitivity. Children, teens, and adults with this disorder may be especially sensitive to loud noises, sounds, tastes, textures, light patterns, smells, temperature, or climate. Alternatively, they can appear overly resistant to pain or other unpleasant circumstances, appearing not to be bothered.

Finally, one of the best known and characteristic symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome is an intense interest in a restricted subject that may even be said to be an obsession or preoccupation. For example, a person with Asperger’s syndrome may be consumed and fascinated by trains, cars, or geography. Still others may have more unusual intense preoccupations such as suitcases, road signs, amusement parks, or bottle caps. On a positive note, many successful adults with the condition have been able to turn their preoccupations and fascinations into a meaningful career or job.

REFERENCES:

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, D.C., 2000.

Attwood, Tony. The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007.

Attwood, Tony. Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1998.

Golombek AA, Toth K, King B. Autism spectrum disorders. In, Developmental Disabilities from Chidhood Through Adulthood: What Works for Psychiatrists in Community and Institutional Settings. R. Dryden-Edwards and L. Combrinck-Graham, editors. Baltimore: John’s Hopkins University Press, 2010.

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Nov 22, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Predictive models for subtypes of autism spectrum disorder based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms and magnetic resonance imaging.

Jiao Y, Chen R, Ke X, Cheng L, Chu K, Lu Z, Herskovits EH.Source

Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Southeast University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, of which Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism are subtypes. Our goal is: 1) to determine whether a diagnostic model based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), brain regional thickness measurements, or brain regional volume measurements can distinguish Asperger syndrome from high-functioning autism; and 2) to compare the SNP, thickness, and volume-based diagnostic models.Material and Methods: Our study included 18 children with ASD: 13 subjects with high-functioning autism and 5 subjects with Asperger syndrome. For each child, we obtained 25 SNPs for 8 ASD-related genes; we also computed regional cortical thicknesses and volumes for 66 brain structures, based on structural magnetic resonance (MR) examination. To generate diagnostic models, we employed five machine-learning techniques: decision stump, alternating decision trees, multi-class alternating decision trees, logistic model trees, and support vector machines.Results: For SNP-based classification, three decision-tree-based models performed better than the other two machine-learning models. The performance metrics for three decision-tree-based models were similar: decision stump was modestly better than the other two methods, with accuracy

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Nov 20, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome

Teens, Autism and Work: Build on Passions and Find Mentors

Building on strengths and finding mentors can create job opportunities. Published on November 1, 2011 by Chantal Sicile-Kira in The Autism Advocate

I do not understand the reason for having a boring job unless you are getting well paid. I think it is justly unrealistic to expect people with autism to work hard to learn skills to apply to a job they hate. Hopefully they are enjoying what they are doing. My mom tells me I am not realistic about hoping that all people will enjoy their work but I have to believe people must be working hard for something other than money.    – Jeremy Sicile-Kira, A Full Life with Autism (Macmillan March 2012)

In my last post I wrote about the necessary life skills we need to be teaching teens on the spectrum (or any for that matter) and what employers look for when hiring. Another important area to consider is what your teen or student likes or is passionate (ie obsessed) about. Then figure out how that can help him earn money. In most cases, people on the spectrum can be difficult to motivate – unless it involves something they are really into. My son Jeremy has a really hard time with fine and gross motor skills and muscle initiation, and so learning new physical tasks requires a lot of work. Honestly, he is not going to work hard at learning new activities unless he is really interested in it, or he can be convinced that learning that skill is going to help him in an area of interest. For some on the spectrum, it is quite obvious what they are particularly interested in because they don’t let you forget. The trick is to figure out how to use that interest and turn it into a moneymaker, or to find a career field that can use that particular interest or talent. That’s where mentors come into play (more about that later).

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Nov 19, 2011 No Comments » Posted in Aspergers Syndrome
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