Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome
By Emily Curry
Asperger’s Syndrome - symptoms• Has Trouble recognizing social cues (such as body language, facial
expressions)• Underdeveloped social skills (difficulty starting or maintaining
conversation, often makes conversation one-sided, fail to display empathy)
• Aversion to routine changes• Has trouble comprehending figurative language• Difficulty recognizing changes in tone, volume, and pitch of speech. May
talk unusually loudly• Has a narrow fascination with one specific interest (names of camera
types, dinosaurs, etc.)• Delayed development of motor skills• Highly sensitive, may be overstimulated by lights, strong tastes/textures,
and loud noises
Asperger’s Syndrome: Causes
• The exact cause is unknown• Not preventable• Often is hereditary• Genetic cause is being searched for.
Asperger’s Syndrome: Treatment
• Seeing counselor may help with symptoms• The most effective treatment method varies
by individual
Asperger’s Syndrome: History
• First diagnosed by Dr. Hans Asperger in 1944. • Asperger described the children he studied as
having limited communication skills and empathy, and clumsy
• As a young boy, Asperger himself displayed some of the symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome
Autism: Symptoms
• Trouble with non-verbal social skills• Problems with friendships• Minimal empathy• Slow to learn to speak. Up to 40% of people
with Autism never talk.• Issues with conversation• Reliance on routines• Focus on specific pieces
Autism: Causes
• Hereditary• Some believe that vaccines cause autism.
However, these beliefs are false
Autism: Treatment
• Behavioral training• Physical/speech therapy• The best form of treatment changes as the
child grows
Autism: History
• Term “autism” coined in 1911• First described by Dr. Leo Kanner in 1943.• There are now many websites dedicated to
raising awareness about autism
Works Cited• "Asperger's Syndrome-Symptoms." WebMD.
Healthwise, Inc., 30 Apr 2008. Web. 4 May 2010. <http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-symptoms>.
• "Asperger's Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment of Asperger's Syndrome from WebMD." WebMD. Healthwise, Inc., 30 Apr 2008. Web. 4 May 2010. <http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-topic-overview>.
Works Cited, continued
• "Autism-Symptoms." WebMD. Healthwise, Inc., 19 May 2008. Web. 4 May 2010. <http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/autism-symptoms>.
• "Autism-Topic Overview." WebMD. Healthwise, Inc., 19 May 2008. Web. 4 May 2010. <http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/autism-topic-overview?page=2>.