Asperger Signs

Asperger – these signs betray the syndrome.

How to recognize the mild autism in adults… Is it just a bit of a loner or is it Asperger’s syndrome?

In the French feature film “Pear pie with lavender” Pierre has Asperger’s syndrome. Although he seems strangely distant and taciturn, he wins the heart of a young widow and also convinces her children. He organizes the chaotic everyday life of the small family and saves them from economic ruin with a cool mind. And he learns to express emotions.

Almost everyone knows someone who is sometimes particularly gifted, but not very accessible, not unfriendly, but also not cordial. Many then ask themselves the question: Does the person simply not want, is he or she somewhat arrogant – or is it the developmental disorder Asperger syndrome, and he or she simply cannot help it?

People with Asperger’s syndrome are often highly intelligent, but find it difficult to make social contacts – even though they would like to. So many are unintentionally lonely.

It should also be noted that this is not a mental disability, but rather a neurobiological or other processing of perception in the brain. Anyone suffering from Asperger’s syndrome or any other form of autism can have a severely disabled person’s pass issued to them, but does not have to do so either. However, additional mental disabilities can of course occur.

Important symptoms of Asperger syndrome in adults are:

Communication is difficult because the person takes everything literally. Irony, metaphors and puns are not understood.

Attention can only be focused on one thing at a time, the area of interest is very limited. This often leads to an island gift (savant syndrome), e.g. for mathematics. Pupils with Asperger’s syndrome can therefore have problems at school, even though they actually have a high level of intelligence – they are just not sufficiently interested in everything else.

People with Asperger’s syndrome are unable to think their way into others. The reactions of others are therefore not comprehensible and incomprehensible for them.

Mimics and gestures seem strangely rigid.

Relationships such as friendship or partnership are very difficult to establish.

Small talk is difficult.

Rituals and obsessiveness determine life to a large extent.

Stereotypical movements are characteristic.

Working independently is easy, but teamwork is difficult.

Disturbed sensory perceptions: Hypersensitivity to touch and sounds or smells.

With adults: sometimes little need for sex or insecurity because the necessary empathy is lacking.

However, there are special therapies that help people with Asperger’s syndrome to develop social skills. Individual strengths are also encouraged so that they can be used meaningfully. Among other things, behavioural therapy and communication training can help. But occupational therapy and physiotherapy are also helpful, especially in cases of physical clumsiness.

When can Asperger’s syndrome be diagnosed?

The first symptoms appear in children around the age of three. In addition to conspicuous interests, sometimes in unusual subjects, children with Asperger’s syndrome show a certain clumsiness and problems with motor skills. There is little interaction and facial expressions, but self-talk can occur.

The diagnosis, however, is difficult, especially in adults. Various tests for autism provide only rough information for Asperger’s syndrome.

The strengths of Asperger’s syndrome

Even if those affected often have problems with interpersonal relationships or empathy, strengths are also derived:

• Language development often starts early, children sometimes learn to speak before running.
• Good logical and abstract thinking and inventiveness
• High sense of justice and sincerity, very reliable and loyal
• Good to high intelligence: Some people can integrate their special interests well into everyday life or even their profession.

Asperger’s syndrome and autism

Asperger’s syndrome belongs to the so-called autism spectrum, which includes certain developmental disorders. Unlike autism, however, adults with Asperger’s syndrome are normally gifted or even have a high level of intelligence. Symptoms of contact and communication are not as pronounced as in autism. Asperger’s syndrome is therefore also referred to as a mild form of autism, but it can manifest itself in a variety of severities and manifestations in people with autism.

Approximately 0.5 to two percent of people are said to be affected, four times as many men as women. Exact figures do not exist. The causes have also not yet been sufficiently researched. There is probably a genetic predisposition for Asperger’s syndrome. It is also assumed that infections, diseases or medication can influence pregnancy, as can the age of the parents. There is no scientific evidence that autism in various forms, such as Asperger’s syndrome, can be triggered by vaccinations.

Accompanying diseases such as ADHD and depression

Certain concomitant diseases are noticeable in Asperger patients, especially when stress situations occur that involve a change in the accustomed environment or daily routine. These include ADD or ADHD and other attention disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression. Some show forms of aggressive behaviour, tourette and also schizophrenia.

Further information on Asperger’s syndrome and the entire autism spectrum can be found in the guidelines of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften e.V. (Association of Scientific Medical Societies). (AWMF). A look at the Aspergerfrauen blog and the Autism Culture page is also interesting.

Autism: More children affected than before

More and more children are diagnosed with autism. Many children are said to suffer from Asperger’s syndrome in particular. Why the numbers are rising, which symptoms occur and which therapies help

They usually find it hard to find friends, prefer to be alone, are more interested in technical things than in people: Autistic people unfortunately suffer from a disruption of social interaction and communication as well as rigid behaviour. Children are increasingly being attested a certain form of the disease, Asperger’s autism. What is the reason for this? And when is a child simply a loner, when is it autistic?

“As with many diseases, individual symptoms of autism are normally distributed throughout the population,” says Professor Fritz Poustka, autism researcher and former director of the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of Childhood and Adolescence at the Frankfurt University Hospital. “It is only a disorder requiring treatment, however, when the affected person cannot cope at all with it in daily life.

Further signs of autism are:

Autistic people avoid eye and body contact.

Even slight deviations from everyday life can upset them.

They always repeat the same movements and words.

Autistic people often don’t listen to their own names and ignore human voices rather than sounds.

When they play, they cannot pretend – that is, they find role-playing difficult.

Even as small children they don’t point at things and don’t try to draw the attention of an accompanying person to them at the same time.

They do not let themselves be infected by the feelings of others – for example, when everyone is happy for them on their birthday.