Aspergers syndrome... does my son have it?

Question

What are the signs.. I sure would like to talk to parents that has a child with this problem. I have had several people tell me that my son has a very small touch of this. I don't know much about it.. I know my son is very smart and I do want to get him the help that he needs.

Answer 1

This is kind of technical, but it may be helpful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_sy...

Answer 2

Hi

My son has AS, you dont say what makes you think your son has it, or what symptoms he displays.

try reading this... http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.j...

There is a lot of info out there, I hope it helps. x

Answer 3

These are some symptoms; they are NOT diagnostic criteria:

1. a rolling, "old sailor's walk

2. being greatly bothered by tiny pinpoints of light that you cannot even see

3. supersensitive hearing, higher frequencies than normal for most humans

4. sensitivity to touch (like the "Princess and the Pea" story

5. Keen senses of smell and taste

6. He is probably a "loner"

7. Higher than average intelligence (but not always)

8. This one is the biggie-----he may not be able to sustain eye contact, or even make eye contact at all.

9. Totally bizarre allergies or reactions to certain foods or medications

10. He probably hates fluorescent lights

SOME ADDITIONS

11. He hates sudden loud noises.

12. He wears the softest possible clothing

13. He is careless about personal hygiene and probably never combs his hair.

Another addition--fixation with hobbies, especially trains or trucks, maybe coins or stamps

Do a google search for the "aspie quiz" and score him on it.

Let him take the test if he is old enough.

But don't be taken in by what other people say, unless they are experts in this area.  AS is currently a fad diagnosis.

My doctor has some worried parent bringing in a kid for a diagnosis of AS, almost every week. He has not found one yet. (except me)

I would respectfully suggest that you tell your "several people" to mind their own business.

Answer 4

It is usually the social aspect that makes these students stand out the most. They just don't seem to get the social cues, context, reciprocity.. especially if guided to interact in an activity or topic not of their interest.

I found this description that I thought explained these features well.

In regard to the emotional aspects of social transactions, individuals with AS may react inappropriately to, or fail to interpret the valence of, the context of the affective interaction, often conveying a sense of insensitivity, formality, or disregard to the other person's emotional expressions. That notwithstanding, they may be able to describe correctly, in a cognitive and often formalistic fashion, other people's emotions, expected intentions and social conventions, but are unable to act upon this knowledge in an intuitive and spontaneous fashion, thus losing the tempo of the interaction. Such poor intuition and lack of spontaneous adaptation are accompanied by marked reliance on formalistic rules of behavior and rigid social conventions. This presentation is largely responsible for the impression of social naivete and behavioral rigidity that is so forcefully conveyed by these individuals.

Answer 5

Take your son to the Doctor.

Answer 6

I actually just finished up an essay on Autism and AS. Heres somes info:

Another form of Autism is called Asperger’s Syndrome. Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is considered a high-functioning type of Autism. People with AS usually exhibit an exceptional skill or interest in a particular area. They may have normal verbal language development, but may have trouble communicating with others. People with Asperger’s Syndrome tend to think very literally and usually lack common sense. They may also have trouble making eye contact, understanding facial expressions, and using body gestures. Asperger’s Syndrome is frequently together with other problems such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). (What are the other psychological problems that co exist with Asperger‘s Disorder).

Sorry that its only a paragraph, but i mostly concentrated on Autism in my paper. However, you can also check out Autismspeaks.org.

I hope i helped a little bit. =)

Answer 7

I'd love to talk to you about it...please contact me via email.

My 15yo son has Aspergers & we found obvious signs & symptoms going back to his infancy, especially sensory issues & language differences (he's very verbal, but his figurative language understanding is non existant.)

How old is you boy?

Maybe if  you describe the differences you see in your son, we can help explain them if they're signs of Aspergers. For example, my son started getting headaches every day during school when he started 1st grade...turns out the teacher had the windows all covered & the only lighting in the room was flourescent---he would say things like "The long lights hurt my eyes"---when we got her to uncover the window near his desk, his headaches went away.