Asperger's syndrome?

Question

My daughter (age 11) was diagnosed w/ A.D.D. in third grade. She has a very low ability to focus and pay attention in class, clumsy, had social problems when younger, learning difficulties (although tested, results came out w/ no learning disabilities), but she also zones out into her own world while in class and excessively taps or becomes "entranced" by certain object like a fancy pen and won't respond to her name. I feel she has more than A.D.D.. Are these more syptoms of autism or asperger's syndrome? Otherwise, her apperence is normal and she continues to do better in school w/ tutoring. She also seems to have an easier time socializing as the years go by. She was put on ritilin at age 9 which helps her pay attention in class, but she still has problems with the zoning out and focusing. Does this sound like anything more than A.D.D.?

Answer 1

First off I would like to say that I am not a psychologisht or psychatrist. Asperger's syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder however it is not autism. In the 1940's an Austrian doctor studied a few boys and found that they had some unusual charatreristics. Asperger's disorder or syndrome was added to the DSM IV in 1994. Dr. Asperger often refreed to the boys in which he wrote his paper about as being "little profeesors" Asperger's is more common in males however often occurs in females, as is the case in my friend. Asperger's is often co-morbided meaning it is often accompinaed by other psychological problems such as nonverbal learning disorder and attendion deficiet disorder and other conditions. Asperger's is most often charterised by the inability to "read" and respond approratialy to social cues, most often nonverbal communications. They sometime have difficulity ajusting to change in routines. They also tend to have "special intrests" Intrest that are often intense. These can often turn into passions and careers. Some seem to be particlarly sensitive to things like loud noises. Sometimes motor skills are impaired. Most learn to walk and talk in the normal range. Those with asperger's are often have average to superior intellegience. Often vsual spatial tasks are more difficult (ie driving when she is older) Concrete language is easier to understand that abstract. Those with asperger's may not use a lot of non-verbal communication themselfs. Some may have a flat affect. The Mayo Clinic website has lots of useful information. As well as O.A.S.I.S. website. I had a close friend in jr. high and in high school that had aspergers. Some psychologists say that Bill Gates and Albert Einstien showed some symptoms of having Asperger's. Asperger's seems to have a strong gentic compentent.The fancy pen seems like it would fit in a little bit. The austrialian Asperger Scale is on the OASIS website. If your daughter fits some of the questions on it you might consider having your daughter evaluated. Often evaluations might miss asperger's and pick up on other LD's so you might want to mention that you suspect asperger's If you get her reevaluated.

Answer 2

Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism: How to Meet the Challenges and Help Your Child Thrive, The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome,Can I Tell You About Asperger Syndrome?: A Guide for Friends and Family, Parenting a Child With Asperger Syndrome: 200 Tips and Strategies, The Asperger Parent: How to Raise a Child with Asperger Syndrome and Maintain Your Sense of Humor School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers,

Answer 3

I'm not an expert on either syndrome (Aspergers or Autism) however have done a little bit of study into it, as I had a close friend who has Aspergers.



As far as I am aware, both syndromes have a significant impact on the child's ability to socialize in a "normal" way (whatever normal is!). So the fact that she is improving socially may point to something else.



I saw an interesting documentary on a person with Autism a couple of nights ago. She described it like being really, really sensitive to sensory stimulation, and that can be really overwhelming (and entrancing, as your daughter experiences).



I would suggest getting a second opinion- find a doctor who is really interested in your daughter's symptoms, not just out to process what is to them another paycheck. WHoops, is that my cynical side coming out??



Best of luck and health to you and your daughter!

Answer 4

Hmmm... my elder brother has Asperger's - for him I find the most noticeable thing to be the lack of social skills - eg nodding in a kinda 'funny' more slow way than is normal when having a conversation with someone, and he might take things more literally than other people, that kind of thing.... If you think it could be Asperger's, I'd highly recommend reading things by, or contacting, Tony Attwood - he diagnosed my brother and is apparently really knowledgeable on Asperger's: http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/

Answer 5

Hmm, it could be a sign of autism, or some other disorder, but you should have it checked out by a psychologist and a doctor. Does she have trouble responding to conversation or does she have any speech problems? If she has trouble speaking she might have hearing loss. It could also be OCD or anxiety disorder. I'm not a psychologist, but those are my guesses.