What Is The Difference Between Asperger’s Syndrome And Autism

Was Aspergers Linked With Nazism

Some prominent historians have argued that Hans Asperger was complicit in Hitlers regime of euthanasia in his bid to create a genetically fit German population.2 Psychiatrists and other physicians were involved in a Nazi programme that murdered children who were seen as either physically or mentally “inferior” or “undesirable.” Asperger, along with some of his colleagues, attempted to mould certain autistic children into “productive” citizens. He was also responsible for sending others to the Spiegelgrund clinic, where they were starved or given lethal injections. Asperger’s complicity in the death of neurodiverse children has fueled some calls to further abandon the Asperger’s label, even in a colloquial sense.

Intervention For Autism And Aspergers

Interventions and treatments for Autism/Aspergers Syndrome should include various approaches and be tailored to the individuals needs.

It is important to involve professionals, as well as parents and teachers.

Early intervention addresses core symptoms of AS/ASD and tackles poor communication skills and restricted and repetitive behaviors.

The following methods are used in the interventions for AS/ASD:

• Social skills training

• Ability to play with language
• Tendency to follow rules

Motor And Sensory Perception

Individuals with Asperger syndrome may have signs or symptoms that are independent of the diagnosis but can affect the individual or the family. These include differences in perception and problems with motor skills, sleep, and emotions.

Individuals with AS often have excellent auditory and visual perception. Children with ASD often demonstrate enhanced perception of small changes in patterns such as arrangements of objects or well-known images typically this is domain-specific and involves processing of fine-grained features. Conversely, compared with individuals with high-functioning autism, individuals with AS have deficits in some tasks involving visual-spatial perception, auditory perception, or visual memory. Many accounts of individuals with AS and ASD report other unusual sensory and perceptual skills and experiences. They may be unusually sensitive or insensitive to sound, light, and other stimuli these sensory responses are found in other developmental disorders and are not specific to AS or to ASD. There is little support for increased fight-or-flight response or failure of habituation in autism there is more evidence of decreased responsiveness to sensory stimuli, although several studies show no differences.

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Do Treatment Options Differ For Aspergers And Autism

Neither what was previously diagnosed as Aspergers nor autism is a medical condition that needs to be treated.

Those diagnosed with autism are considered neurodivergent. Autistic behaviors arent considered whats socially typical. But that doesnt mean that autism indicates theres anything wrong with you.

Whats most important is that you or someone in your life whos been diagnosed with autism know that theyre loved, accepted, and supported by the people around them.

Not everyone in the autism community agrees that autistic people dont need medical treatment.

Theres an ongoing debate between those who see autism as a disability that needs medical treatment and those who see autism treatment in the form of securing disability rights, like fair employment practices and healthcare coverage.

Here are some

Difference Between Autism And Aspergers Syndrome

February 15, 2011 Posted by Aron

Autism vs Aspergers Syndrome

Autism and Aspergers Syndrome are two types of social disorders that are often considered one and the same. They indeed share some common symptoms and characteristics but at the same time they show some differences too between them.

It can be said that Aspergers syndrome is a mild form of autism. This only shows that autism is greater in its impact than Aspergers syndrome. One of the main differences between autism and Aspergers syndrome is that people that suffer from autism show communication delays. On the other hand people that suffer from Aspergers syndrome do not show communication delays.

In fact it can be said that people that suffer from Aspergers syndrome show good levels of intelligence and they seem to perform well in terms of social behavior. On the other hand the people that suffer from the bout of autism do not tend to show good levels of intelligence and they seem to fail miserably when it comes to social behavior.

Studies show that patients that are diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome respond well to treatment. They attend regularly to their college and get degrees and can lead an independent life as well. This is the reason why Aspergers syndrome is sometimes called high-functioning autism or simply as HFA.

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How You Get A Diagnosis

If you notice signs in your child, see your pediatrician. They can refer you to a mental health expert who specializes in ASDs, like one of these:

Psychologist. They diagnose and treat problems with emotions and behavior.

Pediatric neurologist. They treat conditions of the brain.

Developmental pediatrician. They specialize in speech and language issues and other developmental problems.

Psychiatrist. They have expertise in mental health conditions and can prescribe medicine to treat them.

The condition is often treated with a team approach. That means you might see more than one doctor for your child’s care.

The doctor will ask questions about your child’s behavior, including:

• What symptoms do they have, and when did you first notice them?
• When did your child first learn to speak, and how do they communicate?
• Are they focused on any subjects or activities?
• Do they have friends, and how do they interact with others?

Then they’ll observe your child in different situations to see firsthand how they communicate and behave.

Are Aspergers And Autism The Same

Aspergers Symptom was added in 1994 to the fourth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of American Psychiatric Association.

This was a separate disorder from Autism back then. In 2013, the DSM-V removed Autistic Disorder, Aspergers Disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders and gathered them under the umbrella diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Although it is no longer used, some professionals still consider Aspergers Disorder a less severe form of autism.

In addition, some people who were previously diagnosed with the symptom still strongly identify with being with Aspergers.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Aspergers Syndrome

Children with Aspergers Syndrome exhibit poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, limited facial expressions and other peculiar mannerisms. They might engage in obsessive routines and show an unusual sensitivity to sensory stimuli.

While all children with Aspergers Syndrome are different, what sets them apart are their unusual social skills and obsessive interests. For a child with Aspergers Syndrome, you may see one or more of the following symptoms:

• Inappropriate or minimal social interactions
• Conversations that almost always revolve around themselves or a certain topic, rather than others
• Not understanding emotions well or having less facial expression than others
• Speech that sounds unusual, such as flat, high-pitched, quiet, loud, or robotic
• Not using or understanding nonverbal communication, such as gestures, body language and facial expression
• An intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects
• Becoming upset at any small changes in routines
• Memorizing preferred information and facts easily
• Clumsy, uncoordinated movements, including difficulty with handwriting
• Difficulty managing emotions, sometimes leading to verbal or behavioral outbursts, self-injurious behaviors or tantrums
• Not understanding other peoples feelings or perspectives
• Hypersensitivity to lights, sounds and textures

What Is The Difference Between Autism And Aspergers

The difference between autism and Aspergers is a question that often features in discussions about autism.

Aspergers was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition for the first time in 1994, where it appeared as a separate presentation of a pervasive developmental disorder.

Key characteristics associated with Aspergers syndrome in DSM-4 were:

• Difficulties with social interaction and social communication
• Restricted and repetitive behaviours
• No intellectual disability, and
• No delay in verbal speech development.

Other diagnoses that were thought to be different categories of autism were included in DSM-4 under the umbrella title of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. These included:

• Autistic Disorder
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, known as PDD-NOS.

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What Is Autism And Asperger Syndrome

Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects early in childhood and affects daily functioning. An autism spectrum disorder is a wide variation in challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.

According to NINDS, Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder. They face a different type of difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication. They communicate with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Aspergers Syndrome is a mild form of Autism.

What Is Asperger Syndrome

Asperger syndrome, or Aspergers, is a previously used diagnosis on the autism spectrum. In 2013, it became part of one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 .

Typical to strong verbal language skills and intellectual ability distinguish Asperger syndrome from other types of autism.

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Repetitive Behaviours And Routines

How Common Is Asperger Syndrome

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Language Development For Aspergers

Language development in children with Aspergers Syndrome is often typical in terms of verbal language. Children with Aspergers Syndrome are generally delayed in their use of language.

Compared to other types of autism spectrum disorders, those diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome do not have significant delays or difficulties in language or cognitive development. They have extensive vocabulary.

While their language develops somewhat typically, their non-verbal language development declines as they grow up.

This decline in non-verbal language impacts the overall language development, as it is the structure supporting the functional communication.

Language development in people with AS may appear somewhat typical compared to other forms of autism.

However, the language challenges faced can be more complex and at a higher level compared to other forms of autism spectrum disorders.

Causes And Diagnosis For Haf:

The cause of high functioning autism is still not known. There is believed to be a genetic component. There has been much speculation and theories concerning the impact of infections or environmental toxins, however, no definitive evidence has been found as to the exact cause of autism. The condition is usually diagnosed at a very young age, usually by the age of 3 years.

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Differences Between Autism And Aspergers Syndrome

• IQ. People with Aspergers syndrome have IQs that fall in the normal or even superior range as compared to people with classic autism, who have lower intelligence, as measured by standardized assessment measures.
• Speech. Kids with autism tend to start talking later but those with Aspergers usually dont experience a language delay. They usually want to interact with others.
• Age of Detection. Aspergers become noticeable when a child enters school. Difficulties with socialization become apparent. Whereas autism is generally observable by two years of age or even earlier.
• Less Severe symptoms in Aspergers. Aspergers generally experience less severe symptoms than those with autism. Because of this, often Aspergers are able to live independently whereas many kids with autism need specialized education and support. But this isnt always the case.

History Of The Autism Diagnosis

The term autism was originally coined in 1911 by psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, and was at first meant to denote the social withdrawal and detachment that often accompanies schizophrenia . Later, in the 1940s, when both American Leo Kanner and Austrian Hans Asperger were working on defining the childhood disorders they were treating, they came across the concept of autism in their research, and decided it was an apt description for the various symptoms they had been attempting to treat in children. Over time, Kanner realized these children were not actually experiencing schizophrenia, but rather something else, which he dubbed infantile autism. Asperger added onto this body of knowledge by ascertaining that some of the children referred to his child psychiatry clinic were suffering from a condition that had not been hitherto properly described, but which loosely fit what Bleuler had defined as autism . Kanners work was highly accurate and detailed for its time, and formed the cornerstone of future research into autism, particularly after his paper gained widespread recognition in the English-speaking world.

Following Kanners paper, the diagnosis of infantile autism came into popular use as the 1950s and 60s progressed, and Kanners work largely overshadowed Aspergers, who remained mostly unknown outside Europe.

Some debate still exists today around the four main areas of difference that separate Aspergers syndrome from high-functioning autism:

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Heres What You Need To Know

The biggest takeaway from this article: the signs that were once used to diagnose Aspergers now fall more firmly into a diagnosis of ASD. So, basically, Aspergers is no longer a functioning term. This doesnt mean the term isnt still used, thoughit just means that theres no formal diagnosis for Aspergers Syndrome.

Either way, a diagnosis doesnt mean you, your child, or any other loved one, has a disease that needs to be treated. The best thing you can do is learn about the nuances of ASD in order to develop a better understanding of you or your loved one.

The most important thing is to accept you or your loved one, whether its autism vs. Aspergers Syndrome.

If youre in need of a pediatric diagnosis or care, contact us today to get started.

How Does Aspergers Differ From Autism

Autism is also referred to as ASD, or autism spectrum disorder and, according to Autism Speaks, ASD is comprised of many subtypes. This can help explain why Aspergers syndrome became a category of its own. Unlike many children on the lower end of the spectrum, kids with Aspergers have average-to-high, or very high intelligence. Many also exhibit talents in a wide range of fields, including tech and the arts. As was the case with Cohen in the 1990s, this diagnosis was comforting. It also may have been ultimately misleading, since many children at all levels of the spectrum go on to live happy lives and achieve great things. Autism is now understood to occur on a spectrum of severity. When they were considered to be separate diagnoses, Aspergers was differentiated from autism in two main areas:

• Severity. Those diagnosed with Aspergers were higher functioning and typically had average to superior IQs, requiring less support than those diagnosed with autism.
• Language. Those diagnosed with Aspergers had no speech or language impairment, explains Tia Kern-Butler, PhD.

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The Difference Between Autism And Aspergers

Aspergers and high-functioning autism tend to be misunderstood due to the fact that they are both on the autism spectrum. Aspergers syndrome is one of the two main forms of autism. There are similarities between the two, which makes it confusing at times to distinguish one from the other. Though there are similarities, there are key differences that distinguish high-level autism from aspergers syndrome. When reading this blog, it is important that only a few similarities and differences are highlighted. Autism and aspergers are complex and research still shows new results.

Diagnosing Asd And Asperger Syndrome

Diagnosing of ASD and Asperger syndrome is similar. Because Asperger syndrome is the type of autism.

Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation:- In this evaluation, the doctor checks a childs behavior and development. The doctor also interviews the parents. It also includes a hearing and vision screening, neurological testing, and another medical test.

Developmental Screening:- Screening tools are developed to identify which children have developmental delays. During the developmental screening, the doctor put up some questions to the parent and play with the child. However, the doctor does so to examine the child how they learn, speaks and behaves. A problem in any of these areas is a big worry. If the doctor finds out any signs of a problem. The doctor tells you for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.

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About Autism Spectrum Disorder

Not all autistic children exhibit the same signs of autism or experience these signs to the same degree.

Thats why autism is considered to be on a spectrum. Theres a wide range of behaviors and experiences that are considered to fall under the umbrella of an autism diagnosis.

Heres a brief overview of behaviors that may cause someone to be diagnosed with autism:

• differences in processing sensory experiences, like touch or sound, from those who are considered neurotypical
• differences in learning styles and problem-solving approaches, like quickly learning complex or difficult topics but having difficulty mastering physical tasks or conversational turn-taking
• deep, sustained special interests in specific topics
• repetitive movements or behaviors , like flapping hands or rocking back and forth
• strong desire to maintain routines or establishing order, like following the same schedule each day or organizing personal belongings a certain way
• difficulty processing and producing verbal or nonverbal communication, like having trouble expressing thoughts in words or displaying emotions outwardly
• difficulty processing or participating in neurotypical social interactive contexts, like by greeting someone back whos greeted them