What is Asperger’s Disease? What are the symptoms and treatments of Asperger’s Disease? And how can AC Cares assist a family dealing with the symptoms of Asperger’s Disease?

Asperger’s Disease is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It is part of a group of neurological conditions called Autism Spectrum Disorders, or ASD. The Autism Spectrum Disorder group is characterized by an impairment in language and/or communication skills. Asperger’s Syndrome is defined by apparent difficulties with social interaction and interpreting nonverbal communication. These difficulties are coupled with restrictive and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.

Symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome may include:

Repetitive motor patterns
Difficulty in assessing other’s feelings and “reading” other people
Exaggerated facial expressions and gesture usage

Aggressive behavior
Poor muscle coordination
Depressive mood

Having problems understanding humor
Lack of social awareness
Being sensitive to noise, touch, odor, or tastes

Asperger’s Syndrome is often noted as a “high functioning” Autism Spectrum Disorder and frequently goes undiagnosed. However, Asperger’s Syndrome can appear in a variety of manners and intensities.

An obsessive interest in a single object or topic (to the exclusion of all others) is an early symptom in children with Asperger’s Syndrome. Children with Asperger’s will seek information about their areas of interest and find little stimulation in conversations with others about anything else. They often appear ahead of their peers in educational settings- readily offering their expertise (especially about their topic of fixation), showing high levels of vocabulary and abnormally formal speech patterns.

Adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome often experience social isolation. Typically, this is due to a poor understanding of social codes and their hyper fixation on narrow interests. When they reach out to peers, they have difficulty making casual conversation. They may appear to others as inappropriate or eccentric. In addition to an inability to successfully interact with peers, repetitive routines and rituals, oddities in speech or language patterns, and clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements are characteristics that set adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome apart from others in their age group.

What causes Asperger’s Disease? While the exact cause is not known, Asperger’s Syndrome is attributed to genetics, abnormalities in brain function, and prenatal complications. It is more common among men and those born to older parents.

Treatments

While there is no cure for Asperger’s Syndrome, there are therapies that can be used to improve the symptoms of Asperger’s. These therapies often focus on allowing the person with Asperger’s Syndrome to better regulate their emotions and impulses. Other therapeutic approaches aid the person with Asperger’s Syndrome to gain and hone strategies to better engage with their peers and avoid social isolation. In recent years, a growing awareness of environmental triggers has led to the development of trigger avoidance therapeutic approaches, designed to ideally proactively alleviate symptoms before onset.

There is no medication approved to treat Asperger’s Syndrome at this time. However, certain psychiatric drugs can aid in controlling the secondary symptoms of Asperger’s. Anxiety, hyperactivity, and depression are examples of secondary symptoms that may be managed by psychiatric intervention. Antipsychotics, stimulants, and antidepressants may be a vital part of a person with Asperger’s symptom alleviation regimen. Beyond the addition of psychiatric medication, the elimination of environmental triggers, including Mercury, pesticides, gluten and casein, and organic pollutants may lead to better symptom management.

Along with psychiatric medications and eliminating environmental triggers to manage secondary symptoms, there are a variety of other treatment options for a person with Asperger’s Syndrome. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (also known as CBT) can be used to help a person with Asperger’s syndrome to better regulate their emotions and impulses in the moment. CBT encourages individuals to evaluate their own perceptions and alter specific behaviors.

Another method of alleviating the symptoms of Asperger’s is social skills training and sensory integration. Therapists use social skills training to help individuals to learn to interact with peers. Most people with Asperger’s do not have problems with verbal communication, rather they may not be able to express their thoughts and feelings appropriately, or recognize the thoughts and feelings of others. Social skills training can help people with Asperger’s recognize their own emotional cues, as well as decode the gestures and figures of speech other use to express their emotions. In addition to social skills training, sensory integration can aid people with Asperger’s to stabilize their senses. They may work with occupational therapy to improve balance, hand-eye coordination, and response to sounds of touch. If a person with Asperger’s is better able to control their senses, they will be better able to regulate their movements and emotional reactions toward them.

Asperger’s Disease can be an isolation disorder. This makes therapies focused on community support especially useful for those with Asperger’s. Support groups where people with Asperger’s can work on social skills in a safe environment and work through roadblocks can be a transformational addition for those with Asperger’s. Additionally, family therapies, where caregivers can learn to empathize and better understand the needs of the individual with Asperger’s increase support in the home environment. When the person with Asperger’s syndrome feels safe to express their needs or ask questions, supplemental therapies are better received. As a child ages, community habilitation services and community integration may be sought, as well as supported employment services (SEMP)for those who are higher functioning and for whom employment would be beneficial.

How can we help?

At AC Cares, we can assist the family in dealing with Asperger’s Disease in many ways. These would include the following:

Whether you are searching for a qualified doctor, treatment options, or a nutritionist, we have vetted, knowledgeable medical professionals to assist you on your journey.

Dealing with Asperger’s can be overwhelming and confusing for families, and we have the latest information on everything from new treatment options to medical trials to help our families in need.

Meeting with others facing similar challenges can provide a lifeline to those who feel alone, and our support groups and moderators are there to walk with you on this journey.

Group seminars and workshops on topics ranging from getting the support needed for your child at school to safety measures in the home provide instruction to prepare you for your role as advocate and caregiver.