Causes

                          Although the definite cause of Aspergers is not known, it is accepted that Aspergers can be inherited. And there is the possibility that there are multiple genes involved. Environmental factors may also contribute to a person having Aspergers syndrome, such as lack of sleep, social/economic problems, substance abuse when the mother is pregnant and physical or mental abuse. Other possible causes could be a serotonin dysfunction or cerebellar dysfunction.

Several research studies link Autism (some call Aspergers as high functioning Autism) with enlarged amygdale and hippocampus and with abnormalities in neural circuits, which control thought and behavior.

Reasons

                       Asperger’s Disorder was first recognized by an Austrian doctor, Hans Asperger who first described the disorder in 1944. Asperger’s observations, published in German, were not widely known until 1981, when an English doctor named Lorna Wing published a series of case studies of children showing similar symptoms, which she called "Asperger’s" syndrome. It was not till 1994, that Asperger’s Disorder was recognized and placed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as Asperger’s Disorder.

Both Asperger’s Disorder and Autistic Disorders come under the umbrella of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Or as they are known in the United States as Pervasive Development Disorders.

Those who have Asperger’s Disorder have problems with social interaction and non-verbal communication. They can also be clumsy in their gross motor activities. Their speech will have abnormalities of inflection and be repetitive. They usually are totally interested in unusual subjects, such as hinges, doorknobs, train or bus time tables, astronomy or say Roman History. Whatever they are over interested in currently fills their life and their conversations. They think that others share their passion for their current passion. Their current passion or interest is all they are able to talk about. These interests and can be for life. They are poor organizers and poor planers.

Some people with the Disorder may have learning problems, however it is quite often the case that those with Asperger’s have a higher level of intelligence than average.

Some doctors believe that Asperger’s Disorder is not a separate disorder from Autism, but rather they label it as High Functioning Autism.                     .

 

The Effects

                                                   A person with Asperger’s lacks the natural ability that the average person has to read another’s body language. Nor do they understand how the other person is feeling emotionally. An Asperger’s person cannot communicate how they are feeling emotionally as they may not have linked the emotional feelings (or physical effects of any particular emotion) to the particular emotion they are feeling or why they are feeling it. Thus they are not able show empathy with the feelings or emotions of other people.

They will not greet people in the usual way, but rather go into a monologue about their latest interest, assuming that others must be as interested as they are in their current obsession or rather interest. As adults they can out grow this and motivate themselves other matters which they are not interested in particularly.

Therefore the Aspergers person may be seen as egotistical, uncaring or selfish. When told that their actions are inappropriate or hurtful, they are usually upset and remorseful.

They are also very honest and can make, what to them are well intended remarks, which are rather like "telling it as it is", but they do not realise that the remark is inappropriate so they can end up offending the other person.

They may speak in a pedantic way and using much more formal language than the situation requires. A child as young as five may speak in a language, which is formal and far beyond their years. Dr. Asperger called such children "little professors". Some however are very proficient with written language and can have a gift for humor, with puns, wordplay, doggerel and satire. Some children may show advanced abilities for their age in language, reading, and maths, sometimes their abilities go into the gifted range. But even with these abilities they may show delays in developing other cognitive functions.

Some with Aspergers can experience sensory overload and can be extremely sensitive to touch, smells, sounds, tastes and sights. They may prefer soft clothing, familiar scents or certain foods. Some may even be pathologically sensitive to loud noises, strong smells, or s dislike being touched; for example, certain children with Aspergers show a strong dislike of having their head touched or their hair disturbed while others like to be touched but dislike loud noises. Sensory overload may cause problems when the child is at school as an Aspergers child suffering from sensory overload may become aggressive.

A person with Aspergers may have a very good memory and show extremely sophisticated reasoning. However, changes in routine can cause a high level of anxiety in some children or adults with Aspergers.

People with Aspergers are more likely than the average person to have the comorbid conditions such as Mood Disorders, Depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Treatment

                           Behavior management can give the person with Aspergers strategies to help their poor communication skills, their obsession with a particular subject, or their repetitive routines, which can disrupt their life. It is difficult for them to chance a pattern of particular activities.

People with Asperger’s need to learn social skills intellectually as they were not able to learn them intuitively as the average person has done while they were growing up.

With understanding of how Asperger’s has impacted upon themselves the individual with Aspergers can learn or adopt strategies which will assist in their employment, their social life or getting married and having a successful relationships. However they need to recognize that that they need assistance. They need assistance particularly so, for when they have children, they can fail to show affection to the children, however this does not mean that they do not feel affection. They need to be aware of the emotional needs that a child has. If they do not, then the child can grow up in an emotionally barren environment, which is most certainly detrimental to the child. Particularly so, if the child does not have Asperger’s Disorder.

Some Aspergers children have very poor handwriting and this may require treatment by an occupational therapist and remedial exercises. Or the child may not be motivated or able to motivate themselves. They will do excellent work at school in a matter they are interested in. But will not necessarily do well in subjects, which they are not interested in.

So they may need social skills training to teach them how to better interact with others. Social skills training should also concentrate on the "give and take" aspect of general conversations. Cognitive Behavior Therapy may assist with managing their emotions better, or help with possibly comorbid Anxiety and to manage their obsessive interests and repetitive routines better.