A developmental disorder which falls within the Autism Spectrum. Main features of this disorder become obvious during early childhood and remain constant throughout life, although common features and degree of actual impairment can vary. Rarely recognised before the age of 3. More common in boys.
Core features are lack of social skills, limited ability to have a 2 way conversation and an intense interest in a particular subject. Most of these children attend normal primary schools.
COMMUNICATION
Although these children are often highly articulate, content of speech may be abnormal, tending to be pedantic and often centering on 1 or 2 favourite topics. Sometimes a word or phrase is repeated over and over. Usually there is a comprehension deficit despite apparent superior verbal skills. Non verbal communication, both expressive and receptive is often impaired.
SOCIAL INTERACTION
There tends to be impairment in a 2 way social interaction due to an inability to understand the rules governing social behaviour. A lack of empathy with other and little to no eye contact may be evident. Can appear to be stuck on the egocentric stage of social and emotional development. They tend to perceive the world exclusively from their own point of view. Although interested in social relationships often social contact is made inappropriately.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Is often naive and peculiar. Can tend to be intensely attached to particular possessions often engaging in repetitive activities. Resistant to change, coping best when life is predictable. They prefer structure and may concentrate exclusively on matter in which they are interested. Are often known as loners who never quite fit in because of eccentric behaviour, peculiar ways of speaking and a lack of social skills.
COMMON FEATURES
Excellent rote memory, absorbs facts easily. General performs well with maths science and reading. May be anxious and unable to cope with criticism or imperfection. Often the victims of teasing and bullying leading to withdrawal into isolated activities. Can appear to be clumsy and have an unusual gait or stance. Often seen as odd or eccentric. Language appears good but may have limited content and poor social understandnjg. Self interested and lacks empathy.
From Autism Victoria
Last edited by Lulu; June 21st, 2010 at 09:53 AM.
: ading info
Not a critique of your explanation Lulu, that's the diagnostic criteria to a tee. But just wanted to add (in a venty kind of way), why, oh why is there still never any mention of sensory issues??!!
Sorry. Diagnosing a gorgeous Aspy kiddle at work at the moment and sure, he's just on the spectrum but the sensory issues are driving the poor love to distraction and the pead will not recognise that it's part and parcel. Just my little professional vent. As you were!
That information came from Autism Victoria, I should edit that in.
FWIW - I thought DS was just on the spectrum and had mostly sensory issues. It turns out he was higher on the scale than expected and I'm seeing now that things you think are sensory are actually markers for Aspergers and come under the Social Behaviour title iykwim?
Soooooo much of that describes DD#1, although she's not extreme. We argue a lot because I really can't understand the world from her point of view, although she's getting old enough now that she is just starting to express the world as she sees it. Eyebrow raising stuff. She won't look people in the eye because it "makes her feel weird" or "makes her head hurt". She stands behind me to talk to me as a preference which drives me bonkers. She arranges things into patterns constantly because it "makes things look prettier".
She has an amazingly high pain threshold and can do things to herself I wouldn't dream of - not drinking to the point of dehydration, not eating, biting the ends of her fingers off - and that's before all the accidental stuff she doesn't even notice.
I still don't have a diagnoisis although they've recognised she fits a lot of the criteria because the ped wants an educational assessment and IQ test before moving on and we don't have the cash for it right now. Diagnosis is apparently a very slow process.
Edit: and OMG, the rote memory! She remembers verbatim things from ages ago but never simple things like "close doors" (mainly because she seems immune to temperature variation and can't actually tell it is 18 inside and 5 outside and the door should be closed). She just discovered the internet and she'd MEMORISED every URL ever shown at the end of any of the kids shows she'd watched this year. And visited them all and played games on all of them and blew about a gig of download limit this weekend
Last edited by deletedit; June 21st, 2010 at 10:54 AM.
Lulu - what makes you say 'higher on the spectrum than you thought'?
There does seem to be a fair bit of crossover in symptoms - eg. sensory processing issues can lead to exposure anxiety and social avoidance or socially inappropriate behaviour. Communication issues can lead to anxiety and then bring out more restricted repetitive behaviours and so on. ASD is a shifty little bugger and it can be hard to pin down what is driving what behaviour sometimes. And what's more, what is ASD driven and what's just temperament or the child just being 5 (or whatever age).
Rumpled Elf - are you eligible for any of the assessment funding available through FaHCSIA or the Enhanced Primary Care scheme? There have been some great developments recently providing more access to assessment and treatment. I'll see if I can find the details and pop back when I can. Also... just out of professional interest, it sounds like you kinda know that your DD has features of ASD and may meet criteria for diagnosis. Do you actually want a diagnosis? And if so, why? I ask as I get such varying responses to the prospect of diagnosis from the families I work with and it'd help to better understand the parent perspective. I think if it were my DD, I'd want it clear cut so it was there, and I could then actively work with it IYKWIM. But not actually experiencing it myself, I can't know.
What is Asperger Syndrome.
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