According to the DSM-IV, the criteria for a diagnosis of AS is as follows:

1) The patient demonstrates at least two of the following impaired social interactions:

A) the patient shows a marked inability to regulate social interaction by using multiple non-verbal behaviors such as body posture and gestures, eye contact and facial expression.

B) The patient doesn’t develop peer relationships that are appropriate to the developmental level.

C) The patient doesn’t seek to share achievements, interests or pleasure with others.

D) The patient lacks social or emotional reciprocity.

2) At least one of the following activities that are repetitive, restricted and stereotyped:

People with AS often impose rigid routines on themselves and those around them. For example these routines can involve how they want things done or what they will eat. Routines will change from time to time, and as the child mature they are a little easier to reason with. However, they tend to like the same things done in the same way over and over again. Many children with AS can read at a remarkable early age, which is called hyperlexia, but many can not understand the text. (Lord)

There is no single uniform picture of AS in the first 3-4 years of life. The early picture may be difficult to distinguish from more typical autism. Sometimes a young child who displays autism with an apparently normal intelligence may eventually have a picture more compatible with an Asperger diagnosis. Other children have early language delays with rapid “catch-up” between the ages of three and five years. Finally, many of these children, specifically the brightest ones, may have no evidence of early developmental delay other than motor clumsiness. These children may seem to relate quite normally within the family setting, but problems are often seen when they enter a preschool setting. In most cases, a complete evaluation of the child between the age of three and five years will reveal clues to a diagnosis and a comprehensive evaluation at that ages can at least point to a diagnosis along the PDD/autism spectrum. (Bauer, 1996)

Difficulties in using the right words or forming conversations are part of pragmatic difficulties. They appear too often to talk ‘at’ rather than ‘to’ the listener, and give information rather than hold proper conversations. Body language and facial expressions of a person with AS can be odd, for example they react with a stiff eye gaze rather than eye contact, and they can not “read” or understand social cues. (Lord)

Some individuals may display selective mutism, speaking not at all to most people and excessively to specific people. Some may choose to talk only to people they like.(Brasic, 2002)

In Han Asperger’s original paper in 1944 describing the people whom later came to be described under his name, he recognized that while the symptoms and problems change over time, the overall problem is seldom outgrown. He wrote that, “in the course of development, certain features predominate or recede, so that the problems presented change considerably. Nevertheless, the essential aspects of the problem remain unchanged. In early childhood there are the difficulties in learning simple practical skills and in social adaptation. These difficulties arise out of the same disturbance which at school age cause learning and conduct problems, in adolescence, job and performance problems, and in adulthood, social and marital conflicts.” (Bauer, 1996)

As the child moves into the upper grades, the most difficult areas continue to be socialization and behavioral adjustments. In these grades the teachers often have less opportunities to get to know a child well and problems with behavior or work study habits may be incorrectly attributed to emotional or motivational problems and the AS child is often misunderstood. In less structured or familiar settings such as the cafeteria, physical education class or the playground, the child may get into escalating conflicts or power struggles with teachers and students who are not familiar with their socialization differences. (Bauer, 1996)

Increasing social and emotional support can help the individual. This can be done through increased reassurance, clarity of feedback, and access of people they like. They need to be protected from teasing and bullying.

Some topics in this essay:
Han Asperger’s, According DSM-IV, Syndrome Howlin, Asperger’s Syndrome, Lord Difficulties, Autism’ Lord, Gillberg Swedish, Lord People, Dr Kanner’s, ADHD ODD, bauer 1996, elmaleh 2001, social emotional, asperger syndrome, asperger’s syndrome, patient doesn’t, social interaction, associated mental retardation, social cues, autism sometimes, social skills, hemisphere deficits delay, pervasive developmental disorder, kilin volkmar 1995,