Asperger’s syndrome is a type of developmental disorder characterized by normal intellectual abilities but experiencing abnormal interpersonal interactions and limited behaviors, activities, and areas of interest. Asperger’s Syndrome is named after the Austrian physician Hans Asperger, who first described it in 1944. There are reports of people excelling in certain fields because they tend to be preoccupied when they are interested in a particular subject. In addition, in many cases, it appears in childhood and improves with age, but in some cases, symptoms persist even into adulthood with individual characteristics. The main cause of Asperger’s Syndrome is still unknown, and research is ongoing. It is assumed that various factors, such as birth influence, genetic influence, and neurological factors, influence the onset of Asperger’s syndrome. In particular, if there is a person with Asperger’s Disorder in the family, it is thought that there is a genetic influence because the probability of the disease is high, and the brain may show abnormalities in imaging tests such as EEG, CT, and MRI. Now, let’s learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of Asperger’s Syndrome. Asperger’s Syndrome Main Symptoms
Asperger’s syndrome is characterized by a lack of social and communication skills. They have general and unique communication skills, and they do not understand metaphors or ambiguous expressions, so they are not good at forming social relationships. It also has the characteristic that it cannot read thoughts or emotions from the other person’s facial expressions or grasp the atmosphere. Because of this, words that do not fit the situation or direct words may make people around them difficult, or they may hurt others with direct opinions. They also interpret the meaning of what the other person said in their own unique way.
And we tend to talk too much or too little, and when we talk, our intonation tends to be flat and monotonously exaggerated. Also, they are interested in interpersonal relationships, but they do not communicate well. In addition, Asperger’s syndrome tends to be solitary, and is often overly sensitive or insensitive to sound, light, touch, smell, pain, temperature, and other stimuli. Unlike autism, Asperger’s Syndrome has the characteristic that the delay in language development is not noticeable and the intellectual ability is good. In particular, some have extensive knowledge by constantly collecting and studying information or knowledge about a specific object or subject.
However, children with Asperger’s syndrome are more likely to suffer from social development problems and psychological difficulties, including depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although there is no standardized method of testing for Asperger’s syndrome, it is recommended that you visit a doctor and receive an accurate diagnosis from a specialist if you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above. Since it is known that the early detection and treatment start, the better the prognosis, so getting treatment after an accurate diagnosis process can be a good way to improve and manage symptoms. – Difficulty making eye contact with others. – Disorders in body posture and expression. – Difficulty making new friends. – Unusual focus and preoccupation with specific interests. – Repetition of specific movements or actions. If two or more of the symptoms mentioned above appear, you may have Asperger’s Syndrome. How to diagnose and treat Asperger’s Syndrome
In order to diagnose Asperger’s syndrome, tests to evaluate intellectual ability, language ability, and sociality are performed, and at the same time, if necessary, various tests such as chromosome analysis, thyroid hormone test, and MRI to determine the shape and function of the brain are performed. There is no exact treatment for Asperger’s Syndrome, so treatment is implemented to relieve symptoms and rehabilitate. Speech therapy and cognitive therapy, behavior modification therapy, and social skills training to improve communication problems, repetitive behaviors, and body control problems. In addition, medication may be helpful if it is accompanied by attention deficit and hyperactivity, anxiety, compulsive behavior, depression, and sleep disturbance.
