Aspergers
I was reading through some articles on the internet relating to Aspergers Disorder, or Aspergers Syndrome. I have always been suprised at how ignorant some people are of this disorder. People are generally aware of High-Functioning Autism, but lack any knowledge or understanding of Aspergers. (The name "Asperger" comes from Hans Asperger, an Austrian physician who first described the syndrome in 1944.) So, as I suffer from this disorder myself, I want to set the record straight on it for anyone who reads this blog, at least.
Asperger's Disorder is a milder variant of Autistic Disorder. Both Asperger's Disorder and Autistic Disorder are in fact subgroups of a larger diagnostic category. This larger category is called either Autistic Spectrum Disorders, mostly in European countries, or Pervasive Developmental Disorders ("PDD"), in America. In Asperger's Disorder, affected individuals are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior most noticable in childhood, and carrying through into adulthood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. Clumsiness is prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior.
DSM-IV DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR ASPERGER'S DISORDER
(The DSM-IV is the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersof the American Psychiatric Association.)
A.Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity
- I have been told that I exhibit three of these symptoms: 1, 2, and 4. I am certainly impaired in the use of nonverbal behaviours, I know that my bodylanguage and facial expression during social interaction sucks. I try my best ever since I was old enough to understand this, but I often feel that I still frequently 'miss the mark' on that one. My closest friends were never my age, they were always older by at least a couple of years or markedly younger. I don't know why this is.
B.Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
(1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
- I have several of these symptoms to a certain extent. I have an obsessive personality to some degree, for instance I often have the problem where if I sit down to code something or write something, all else ceases. I could sit at the computer straight for several days ignoring everyone and everything around me if I was allowed too. Luckily for me, I am generally forced (or I realise and manage to force myself) to move my ass after a while. I have many small rituals, tiny things that my doctors were always really interested in. Such as, I must shake the milk bottle after I take it out of the fridge, before I can pour it into my tea. I don't know why. I just do it. When I code, I must do it in certain ways. I can't do it any other way, it just upsets me and makes me feel very uncomfortable. I don't know why. It just does.
C.The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
- My little habits and social problems might not sound like much, but believe me my social development was deffinately not smoothe sailing, and I fear it never will be. My obsessive 'foldering and organisation' tendancies often disrupt my working life and cause irritation for co-workers. I try not to let it get me down ever, but I have often wondered what I would be doing now If things were different.
D.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).
- This is very true. I was always very advanced mentally, physically and emotionally in certain areas, though lacking in others as if to 'make up for it'. I have been told this is common.
E.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.
- As far as I know, social development aside, I was pretty normal, even advanced as a child.
F.Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.
- Apparently, they aren't. I didn't meet the criteria for PDD, and although one doctor did consider childhood schizophrenia as a 'label' for my symptoms, most others disagreed.