Asperger Syndrome (also referred to as Asperger’s syndrome, Asperger’s disorder, Asperger’s, or AS) is a condition on the autistic spectrum. It manifests in various ways and can have both positive and negative effects. It is typically characterized by issues with social and communication skills. Due to the mixed nature of its effects, it remains controversial among researchers, physicians, and people who are diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.

A minority of clinicians dispute the view that Asperger’s syndrome is differentiated from other autistic spectrum disorders. Instead they refer to Asperger’s as high-functioning autism (HFA). These researchers argue that the key difference between Asperger’s and autism — normal early development and lack of any language delay - is a difference in degree and not kind. Early in life people with AS can have learning disabilities. However, IQ tests may show superior intelligence or very high memory capacity in diagnosed individuals.

The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the lack of standardized diagnostic criteria. Instead, several different screening instruments and sets of diagnostic criteria are used. AS is often not identified in early childhood, and many individuals are not diagnosed until they are adults. Assistance for core symptoms of AS consists of therapies that apply behaviour management strategies and address poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. Many individuals with AS can adopt strategies for coping and do lead fulfilling lives - being gainfully employed, having successful relationships, and having families. In most cases, they are aware of their differences and can recognize if they need any support to maintain an independent life.

Asperger syndrome was named in honour of Hans Asperger by the English psychiatrist Lorna Wing, who first used the term in a 1981 paper. In 1994, AS was recognized in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as Asperger’s Disorder.

In 1944, Hans Asperger (1906–1980), an Austrian psychiatrist and pediatrician, observed four children in his practice who had difficulty integrating socially. Although their intelligence appeared normal, the children lacked nonverbal communication skills, failed to demonstrate empathy with their peers, and were physically clumsy. Their way of speaking was either disjointed or overly formal, and their all-absorbing interest in a single topic dominated their conversations. Dr. Asperger called the condition “autistic psychopathy” and described it as a condition primarily marked by social isolation. He also stated that “exceptional human beings must be given exceptional educational treatment, treatment which takes into account their special difficulties. Further, we can show that despite abnormality, human beings can fulfill their social role within the community, especially if they find understanding, love and guidance.”

The Austrian-American child psychiatrist Leo Kanner identified a very similar syndrome in 1943, although the population characterized by Kanner was perhaps less “socially functional” than Asperger’s. Kannerian autism is therefore characterized by significant cognitive and communicative deficiencies, including delays in language development or complete lack of language. (In contrast, AS is characterized by normal language acquisition.)

Asperger’s observations, published in German, were not widely known until 1981, when Lorna Wing published a series of case studies of children showing similar symptoms, which she called “Asperger’s Syndrome.” Wing’s writings were widely published and popularized. In 1992, the tenth published edition of the World Health Organization’s diagnostic manual and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) included AS, making it a distinct diagnosis. Later, in 1994, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic reference book also added AS.

Asperger was convinced that many of the children he identified as having autistic symptoms would use their special talents in adulthood. He followed one child, Fritz V., into adulthood. Fritz V. became a professor of astronomy and solved an error in Newton’s work he originally noticed as a child. Hans Asperger’s positive outlook contrasts strikingly with Leo Kanner’s description of autism, of which Asperger’s is often considered to be a high-functioning form.

Interestingly, as a child, Hans Asperger appears to have exhibited features of the very condition named after him. He was described as a remote and lonely child, who had difficulty making friends. He was talented in language; in particular he was interested in the Austrian poet Franz Grillparzer, whose poetry he would frequently quote to his uninterested classmates.

Asperger died before his identification of this pattern of behavior became widely recognized, because his work was mostly in German and barely translated. The first person to use the term “Asperger’s Syndrome” in a paper was British researcher Lorna Wing. Her paper, Asperger’s syndrome: a clinical account, was published in 1981 and it challenged the previously accepted model of autism presented by Leo Kanner in 1943. Unlike Kanner, Dr. Asperger’s findings were ignored and disregarded in the English-speaking world in his lifetime. Finally, from the early 1990s, his findings began to gain notice, and nowadays Asperger’s Syndrome is recognized as a condition in a large part of the world.

International Asperger’s Day, February 18, marks the anniversary of Dr. Asperger’s birth. International Asperger’s Day was conceived by Asperger Services Australia.

Uta Frith (an early researcher of Kannerian autism) wrote that people with AS seem to have more than a touch of autism to them.[11] Others, such as Lorna Wing and Tony Attwood, share Frith’s assessment. Dr. Sally Ozonoff, of the University of California at Davis’s MIND Institute, argues that there should be no dividing line between “high-functioning” autism and AS,[12] and that the fact that some people do not start to produce speech until a later age is no reason to divide the two groups because they are identical in the way they need to be treated.

In January 2006, Professor Simon Baron-Cohen of the University of Cambridge, regarded as one of the leading current researchers in this field, proposed the theory that people with AS tend to hyper-systematize; that they tend to seek to approach all spheres of life, including the social sphere, by developing systems or sets of rules to operate to.

Autistic People Don’t Have Feelings
Myth: Autistic people cannot feel or express love or empathy.
Fact: Many - in fact, most - autistic people are extremely capable of feeling and expressing love, though sometimes in idiosyncratic ways! What’s more, many autistic people are far more empathetic than the average person, though they may express their empathy in unusual ways.

Autistic People Don’t Build Relationships
Myth: Autistic people cannot build solid relationships with others.
Fact: While it’s unlikely that an autistic child will be a cheerleader, it is very likely that they will have solid relationships with, at the very least, their closest family members. And many autistic people do build strong friendships through shared passionate interests. There are also plenty of autistic people who marry and have satisfying romantic relationships.

Autistic People Are a Danger to Society
Myth: Autistic people are dangerous.
Fact: Recent news reports of an individual with Asperger Syndrome committing violent acts have led to fears about violence and autism. While there are many autistic individuals who exhibit violent behaviors, those behaviors are almost always caused by frustration, physical and/or sensory overload, and similar issues. It’s very rare for an autistic person to act violently out of malice.

All Autistic People Are Savants
Myth: Autistic people have amazing “savant” abilities, such as extraordinary math skills or musical skills.
Fact: It is true that a relatively few autistic people are “savants.” These individuals have what are called “splinter skills” which relate only to one or two areas of extraordinary ability. By far the majority of autistic people, though, have ordinary or even less-than-ordinary skill sets.

Autistic People Have No Language Skills
Myth: Most autistic people are non-verbal or close to non-verbal.
Fact: Individuals with a classic autism diagnosis are sometimes non-verbal or nearly non-verbal. But the autism spectrum also includes extremely verbal individuals with very high reading skills. Diagnoses at the higher end of the spectrum are increasing much faster than diagnoses at the lower end of the spectrum.

Autistic People Can’t Do Much of Anything
Myth: I shouldn’t expect much of an autistic person.
Fact: This is one myth that, in my opinion, truly injures our children. Autistic individuals can achieve great things — but only if they’re supported by people who believe in their potential. Autistic people are often the creative innovators in our midst. They see the world through a different lens — and when their perspective is respected, they can change the world.

All Autistic People Do Not Look Alike
There’s a saying in the autism field: “if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” In other words: every person on the autism spectrum is unique, and one person’s set of symptoms is just that … one person’s set of symptoms!

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