What is Aspergers Syndrome?
Aspergers Syndrome (or Aspergers) is a neurological disorder identified more that 50 years ago by Austrian pediatrician Dr Hans Asperger and more recently has been classified as an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). According to Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), a national information and support body, as many as 1 in 160 Australians live with an ASD (2008) and leading Australian researcher into Aspergers, Tony Attwood, believes that Aspergers could be as common as 1 in 250 (2009). Despite its ASD classification it is important to understand that a student with Aspergers will not have the same characteristics as a student with classic autism.
Children with Aspergers have a normal intellectual capacity although learn and think in different ways. They will display differences to other students in the classroom and in the playground in the way they behave, communicate and play. They tend to have difficulties with social interaction and social communication as well as narrow and repetitive interests and activities. This behaviour can often be identified in children through their kindergarten and preparatory years, although is not uncommon to be left undiagnosed well into a child’s primary school years. Cognitive abilities and self help skills usually develop at a normal rate.
There are key characteristics that children with Aspergers display, although these will be more noticeable in some children than others. Some young children may display some of these traits some of the time and will not be identified with Aspergers. However, children with Aspergers will display these behaviours and traits most of the time. (Better Health Channel, 2010)
Key characteristics
Limited Social Skills
Inability to develop friendships with children of similar age (may play alone, or with younger children or adults)
Displays inappropriate social and emotional behaviour in the classroom and playground (may interrupt, have trouble taking turns, rarely looks someone in the eye)
Doesn’t understand social cues and behaviour (may not understand facial expressions)
Narrow Interests
Develops intense interests and can isolate themselves from other activities (may know a lot about one particular topic)
Displays a need for routine and consistency (students like specific rules in how to do certain things)
Impaired communication skills
Fluent speech but has difficulty with communicating
Prone to taking a literal interpretation of a conversation
Peculiar voice characteristics, formal pedantic language or odd rhythm of speech
(Tony Attwood, 2009 and Ashman and Elkins, 2005)
Other behaviour and traits
Children with Aspergers may also display some of the following behaviours and traits.
A child may perceive being creative more important than being cooperative
A child may get angry and have prolonged tantrums if a routine is upset or an event becomes confusing
A child can be overwhelmed by excessive noise
Because of their obsessive behaviour a child can develop a great knowledge in a certain area
A child can have difficulty with the management and expression of emotions and may not be able to show empathy
A child could be very direct, speaks their mind and can have a sense of social justice
A child may seek and enjoy being by themselves
A child may have a normal or higher than average intelligence
A child may have an extensive vocabulary but some will have difficulty in using this language
A child may not show his or her feelings through facial expressions or actions
A child may tend to prefer to work on computers rather than with people, because computers are predictable and do not become upset.
(Tony Attwood, 2009;
CYH, 2005; and Victorian Ministry for Health, 2010.)
