What Is Aspergers?

What Is Aspergers?

  • Submitted By: Aug162430
  • Date Submitted: 10/06/2013 1:16 PM
  • Category: Psychology
  • Words: 2663
  • Page: 11
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What is Aspergers?
Asperger’s was not widely known until 1981, but was first observed my Hans Asperger in 1944. Hans Asperger is an Austrian pediatrician who noticed multiple children with the same group of symptoms. In his observation he noted a lacked in nonverbal communication skills. He also noted that this group of children did not demonstrate empathy and were physically clumsy. Although they could speak, their language was disjointed or overly formal they were absorbed with a single interest and this topic dominated their conversations.
In 1981, Lorna Wing published cases studies of children showing these symptoms she called this Asperger syndrome (AS). AS was included in the tenth publication of the World Health Organization’s diagnostic manual becoming a distinct condition and diagnosis. Asperger’s was added to the fourth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 Autism Speaks (2013). AS is on the autism spectrum which covers a variety of symptoms AS is on the milder end of the spectrum and the most common form of autism seen in routine clinical practices Sweeney and Sweeney (2010, p. 31). In addition to the symptoms first noticed my Hans Asperger a diagnosis of AS requires that there has been no clinically significant delay in language or cognitive development Hoffmann et al. (2013, p. 640). There are many other symptoms of AS repetitiveness, inappropriate behavior in social situations and poor emotional regulation are just a few symptoms that have been noted in those diagnosed with AS .
There is often a delay in diagnoses despite the increase in awareness and knowledge about AS. The average age of diagnoses is 11 years old. Parents of these children typically start to have concerns around the age of two and half to three. These Children are often first diagnosed with ADHD, conduct disorder (CD) and/or emotional disorders Hoffmann et al. (2013, pp. 640-641). The likely hood of comorbidity and/or the...

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