| What
is Autism. |
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- Autism is a life-long developmental disability.
This means that it impairs various aspects of typical development
and lasts a lifetime.
- Autism is a syndrome, which means that
it is a condition defined by the existence of a collection of
characteristics. For example:
- Individuals with autism experience difficulty
in verbal and/or nonverbal communication, which ranges in extremes
from not speaking at all to being unable to interpret body language
or to participate comfortably in two-way conversation.
- People with autism exhibit rigidity in
thought processes, which can include difficulty with learning
abstract concepts, generalizing information, and tolerating
changes in routines and/or environments.
- The most outstanding hallmark of autism
is difficulty with reciprocal social interaction. This can range
from appearing to want social isolation to experiencing social
awkwardness in attaining and maintaining ongoing relationships.
- The symptoms of autism are usually apparent
within the first 36 months of life. However, in the case of
very high-functioning individuals, symptoms may not be apparent
until later in life.
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| What
is Asperger's Syndrome and PDD? |
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The term "more
advanced" autism has no exact criteria. Use of the term is
a matter of judgment. The delineation between a diagnosis of autism,
Asperger's or PDD is found in the fourth revision of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association.
It centers around the degree of ability in socialization and communication.
However, all three diagnoses refer to individuals within the autism
spectrum.
The terms more advanced autism, high functioning
autism, Asperger's Syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder
(PDD) refer to individuals within the autism spectrum who do not
experience severe intellectual impairments. Although more advanced
individuals with autism may score below average on standardized
intelligence tests, they often learn at or above normal rates
in certain areas. Areas of ability will differ across individuals.
For example, an individual may learn academic content easily but
have difficulty performing activities of daily living. Or a student
who is very good at memorizing may not be able to answer essay-type
questions.
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| An Excellent Article on Asperger Syndrome |
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An excellent
article on Asperger Syndrome written by Rosalyn Lord, the coordinator
of CASSEL, a support group in East Lancashire (UK). She is the parent
of a 12 year old son diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. The article
covers an explanation of the disorder, key features and helpful
strategies. |
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| Some Common Questions on Asperger Syndrome |
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This piece includes
several common questions
often asked about Asperger Syndrome, and answers provided by
Tony Attwood. Dr. Attwood is an expert in the field of AS, has authored
several books, the most recent being Asperger Syndrome: A Guide
for Parents and Professionals, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Ltd.,
1997. Questions range from "Do Girls Have A Different Expression
Of The Syndrome?" to "How Do You Discipline A Child With AS?" |
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| The Epidemiology of Asperger Syndrome |
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A
Total Population Study, by Stephan Ehlers and Christopher Gillberg.
This landmark study "raises the bar" in terms of population prevalence
and sex ratios in Asperger syndrome, and presents a detailed comparison
of various criteria used to identify the disorder. Of particular
interest to parents and clinicians alike will be the brief case
descriptions of several children who participated in the study,
as well as the authors' view that "current diagnostic criteria for
AS are tuned to the male manifestation of the syndrome". The article
was originally published in The Journal of Child Psychology and
Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, Vol. 34, No. 8, pp. 1327-1350,
November 1993. We wish to thank the authors, the editors, and Cambridge
University Press for granting permission to post this article on
our web site. |
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| Motor Clumsiness |
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by Tony Attwood. This
article, with permission from the author, was excerpted from Dr.
Attwood's most recent book, Asperger
Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, Jessica Kingsley
Publishers, Ltd., 1997. Dr. Attwood explains the affected abilities,
the difficulties with manual dexterity, the recognized disorders
of movement, and ends with a chart of helpful strategies. If your
child suffers from motor difficulties, you will find this a very
informative article. |
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| Girls with Social Deficits and Learning Problems Autism, Atypical Asperger Syndrome or a Variant of These Conditions. |
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In Girls
with Social Deficits and Learning Problems: Autism, Atypical
Asperger Syndrome or a Variant of These Conditions, Swedish researchers
Svenny Kopp and Christopher Gillberg challenge the common belief
that autism and autistic-like conditions such as Asperger syndrome
occur much more frequently in boys. They suggest that while both
sexes may have the same core autism deficits, they present different
behavioral phenotypes, tending to lead to autism spectrum diagnoses
in boys, and a "whole host of other diagnostic labels" in girls.
This article was originally published in European Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 89-99, April 1992. We are most grateful
to the authors, and to publisher Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag
for permission to post it on our web site. |
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| Validity and Neuropsychological Characterization of Asperger Syndrome: Convergence with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Syndrome |
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Validity
and Neuropsychological Characterization of Asperger Syndrome:
Convergence with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Syndrome, by A.
Klin, F. R. Volkmar, S. S. Sparrow, D. V. Cicchetti, and B. P. Rourke.
This article is an absolute must-read for anyone who has questioned
the connection between AS and NLD. In addition to comparing the
neuropsychological assets and deficits of AS and NLD, the authors
also compare the neuropsychological assets and deficits of these
two disorders to HFA. This is a technically written research paper,
originally published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
and Allied Disciplines, Vol. 36, No. 7, pp. 1127-1140, 1995. We
wish to thank the authors, the editors, and Cambridge University
Press for granting permission to post this article on our web site.
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| Autism and Autistic-like Conditions: Subclasses Among Disorders of Empathy |
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Autism
and Autistic-like Conditions: Subclasses among Disorders of Empathy,
by Christopher Gillberg. In this academic paper, noted researcher
and author Christopher Gillberg proposes that "Kanner autism," Asperger
syndrome, high-functioning autism, and PDD-NOS, in addition to several
other disorders, are all part of a broader group of "empathy disorders".
Of particular importance to parents and clinicians is the wealth
of data Gillberg presents in support of his argument for extensive
neuropsychiatric and medical work-ups in all children with autistic-like
conditions. This article was originally published in The Journal
of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, Vol.
33, No. 5, pp. 813-842, 1992. We wish to thank the author, the editors,
and Cambridge University Press for granting permission to post this
article on our web site |
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| Asperger Syndrome |
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Asperger
Syndrome, by Stephen Bauer, MD, MPH. Dr. Bauer is a developmental
pediatrician and Director of the Developmental Unit in the Department
of Pediatrics at Genesee Hospital in Rochester, New York. He is
also a member of ASC-U.S.ís professional Advisory Board. This is
a very comprehensive article covering epidemiology, definition,
clinical features, AS through the lifespan, and thoughts on management
in the school. Click here to read this paper in Spanish. |
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