Characteristics of Aspergers

Asperger's syndrome is a neurological disorder where there are differences in the development of the brain. It is a mild form of Autism that is often overlooked. It is an autism spectrum disorder. It ranges all the way from a child who remains non-verbal for the rest of his life, with a lot of handicaps, up to geniuses. Unlike children with autism, children with Aspergers retain their early language skills

They have difficulties understanding subtleties of communicating through:
1) Eye contact
2) Body language
3) Facial expressions

Characteristics of Aspergers:
-Finds social situations confusing
-Finds it hard to make small talk
-Social isolation and intense concern for privacy
-Constant anxiety about performance and acceptance, despite recognition and commendation
-Have a hard time showing empathy towards others
-Finds it hard to understand what others are thinking/feeling
-People often say he/she is rude even when this was not intended
-Have difficulty making friends
-Difficulty judging others’ personal space
-Difficulty in accepting compliments
-Literal thinker
-Literal interpretation of instructions (failure to read between the lines)
-Interpreting words and phrases literally
-Have sensory issues. This can occur with one or more of the five senses (sight, taste, touch, smell or sound). They may over- or under-react to a sensation as well
-Rage, tantrum, shutdown, self-isolating reactions appearing “out of nowhere”
-Problems with non-verbal communication and clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements
-Have normal to above average intelligence
-Good at picking up details and facts
The most distinguishing symptom of Aspergers is a child’s obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other.
Children with Aspergers want to know everything about their topic of interest and their conversations with others will be about little else.
-Their expertise, high level of vocabulary, and formal speech patterns make them appear professional
-Rigidity, repetitious behaviors, and obsessions
-Children with Asperger's usually have a history of developmental delays in motor skills such as pedaling a bike, catching a ball, or climbing outdoor play equipment
-They are often awkward and poorly coordinated with a walk that can appear bouncy