Definition

Children with Asperger's have many of the same characteristics as children with autism. The only difference is that children with Asperger's don't have significant language delays.

Asperger's can be diagnosed in patients without significant delay in language development, but with other features of social interaction or specific behavior patterns similar to autism. Some experts define it relatively loosely: children with autism who develop certain language skills by age 5 are also classified as Asperger's.

However, by observing the growth of children with Asperger's Syndrome, we found that there were no significant differences in academic study, social adaptation, work ability and social relations between some mild/high-functioning autism and those with Asperger's Syndrome, which would mean that Asperger's is actually a mild/high-functioning autism.

Diagnostic criteria

Three main characteristics of Asperger's disease

1. Interpersonal interaction: Do not look at each other too much. Interpersonal interaction is clumsy and self-centered. Unable to observe words, feelings, and empathy is weak. Inability to understand and abide by social norms (such as refusing to line up), inability to perform appropriate social behaviors in accordance with the situation, and difficulty in integrating into the group.
2. Language communication: Language development is faster than typical autism, but it is unable to have natural conversations and chats with people. Because of negative thinking and self-centered characteristics, he often speaks annoying words. I don’t understand metaphors, I don’t understand turning jokes, and I often talk about things I’m interested in.
3. Special behaviors: They have a strong interest in specific things, and it is difficult for them to be motivated by other things that they are not interested in. He is very stubborn in his living habits, such as taking a fixed route home, only eating certain foods, and has a very strong sense of likes, dislikes and morals.

Asperger’s children often think negatively, tend to be emotionally unstable or anger others, and have relatively low tolerance for frustration. Because they have difficulty in integrating into the group, they are more likely to be discovered by the teacher after entering the school. Pre-school Asperger kids prefer to play and learn things by themselves. There are also many examples of poor coordination skills that prevent them from learning to write and do gymnastics. School-age Asperger’s children are often small pickets who love to correct others and are not welcomed by their classmates. Some children have even been squeezed out, scolded, and frustrated and refused to go to school for a long time.

Therapeutic modalities

• Drug therapy

For some behavioral problem in Asperger's children, such as making noises and not sleeping at night, being too impulsive, hyperactive and unable to concentrate. These can be improved with medication. However, current medication still cannot change the basic defects of Asperger's, so it can only be used as adjuvant therapy for treating symptoms.

• Behavioral therapy

Appropriate activities can be used to interest Asperger's children, guide them out of their self-enclosed space to pay attention to their surroundings, and teach them the skills of speaking and doing things.

Card application

To teach children with Asperger's, we can use cards with picture for illustration:

• In social interaction, parents can create a social story to teach their children. Because Asperger's children don't know much about the context of human interaction and when it comes to entering a social context, which they would be interested in, they don't have the ability to express themselves properly. For example, before taking a child to a wedding, parents can come up with manners that their children should follow at the wedding, and use picture cards to teach them. It is important that sentence used in teaching should be as "I (Asperger's children) should…" should be used, instead of "You should…" , which would make those children more willing to comply those manners. There was no need to teach too much for those children that you think as uselessness, which would just make you more anxious.
• Write or draw pictures of the situations on cards that happen in your life to help those children understand what is going on and what should be done (as shown in the picture). Giving clear hints and step-by-step instructions on what to do in a situation is useful.

Conclusion

Current treatment of Asperger's cases focuses on changing their social behaviors, such as increasing their ability to interpret situations, adapt to social norms, and interact with others. Such treatment requires the long-term care and acceptance of parents, teachers, peers and the general public. Only in this way can let Asperger's patients have the opportunity to learn constantly and achieve the treatment goal.

Related websites:

• Foundation for Autistic Children and Adults in Taiwan http://www.fact.org.tw/
• Kanner Foundation of Taiwan http://www.kanner.org.tw/