What Does Asperger's Syndrome Look Like?

How do you identify a person that has or may have Asperger's Syndrome (AS)? A person with Asperger's Syndrome has very limited interests and those things they are interested in they are obsessive about spending a lot of time with the item of interest and less time on other things. You may notice repetitive routines or rituals being carried out by the individual with AS. The individual with AS also may show peculiarities in their speech, language, or the way they speak. You may notice that the person with AS will speak in monotones, and without reflection. They experience difficulties in non-verbal communication. They tend to take everything literally. They have difficulty making eye contact and may use inappropriate facial expressions. Physically they may have awkward walking or uncoordinated motor movements that make them look clumsy. Children with Asperger's Syndrome have a history of being delayed in achieving basic motor skills such as climbing on play equipment, riding a bike or catching and throwing a b all. They walk with an awkward gait that may be described as bouncy or stiff.

Parents typically start to notice that there is something out of place with their child's behavior and communication skills at around 3 years of age especially if they attend preschool where there is the opportunity to observe their child with other preschool-aged children. The clumsiness and awkward walking is usually the first sign of Asperger's Syndrome.

Perhaps the most distinctive sign of Asperger's Syndrome is the inability of the child to communicate effectively with others. The child may have odd behaviors such as repetitive hand movements such as flapping of hands. They can become obsessive over one particular subject, and can even be called eccentric in behavior. They usually command a large vocabulary at a very young age. When they speak their voice is usually of one tone such as a monotone, thy lack rhythm to their speech, and they may have an odd inflection, speak loudly or at inappropriate times. Children with Asperger Syndrome desire to make friends and to "belong" to society but lack the social skills to be able to be a part of social gatherings. Children with AS are often teased by the class bully for being different.

Many children with Asperger's Syndrome are active socially in early childhood and then develop anxiety or depression in young adulthood. They may also have other conditions along with the AS that attribute to the inability to socialize. Other conditions that may develop and co-exist with AS include ADHD, tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome, anxiety disorders, OCD, depression, and bipolar disorder.

There is no known cause for Asperger's Syndrome. There are however several theories ranging from heredity, fetal abnormalities in the first 8 weeks of development, creating brain abnormalities. Some say a virus causes it just before or right after birth. When there is no known cause, the “face of Asperger’s Syndrome” could belong to anyone.