Asperger's Disorder

Asperger Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder named after the Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a research paper which described a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development, but who also exhibited autistic-like behaviors and marked deficiencies in social and communication skills. It wasn't until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was recognised a a unique disorder.

Qualitative impairment in social interaction with at least two demonstrations of impaired social interaction. The person:

Shows a marked inability to regulate social interaction by using multiple non-verbal behaviors such as body posture and gestures, eye contact and facial expression.

Doesn't develop peer relationships that are appropriate to the developmental level.

Doesn't seek to share achievements, interests or pleasure with others.

Lacks social or emotional reciprocity.

Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

Preoccupation with abnormal (in focus or intensity) interests that are restricted and stereotyped (such as spinning things).

Rigidly sticks to routines or rituals that don't appear to have a function.

Has stereotyped, repetitive motor mannerisms (such as hand flapping).

Persistently preoccupied with parts of objects.

The symptoms cause clinically important impairment in social, occupational or personal functioning.

There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).

There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

The patient doesn't fulfill criteria for Schizophrenia or another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder.