Essay - Asperger Syndrome---a Working Guideline for Teachers I. About Asperger Syndrome...

Asperger Syndrome---A Working Guideline for Teachers

I. About Asperger Syndrome

Introduction

Asperger syndrome also called Asperger disorder is a comparatively new class of developmental disorder, the term having only come into more common use over ***** past fifteen years. Although a group of children with this clinical picture was originally and very precisely described in the 1940's by a Viennese pediatrician, Hans *****, Asperger ***** (AS) was "officially" documented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for the first time in the fourth edition published in l994. Because there have been few inclusive review articles in the medical literature to date and because AS is probably noticeably ***** widespread than previously realized, ***** discussion will endeavor to describe the syndrome ***** some detail and to offer suggestions regarding management. Students with AS are not exceptionally seen in mainstream educational settings, although often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, so this is a *****sue of ***** significance for educational personnel, as well as for parents.

Autism is the most widely recognized persistent developmental disorder (PDD). Other diagnostic perception with features somewhat similar to autism has been less intensively studied, ***** their validity, apart from *****, is more controversial. One of these conditions, termed ***** syndrome (AS) was initially *****d ***** Hans Asperger who provided an account ***** a number of c*****ses whose clinical ***** resembled Kanner's (1943) description ***** autism (e.g., problems with social interaction and communication, and restricted ***** idiosyncratic patterns of interest). However, ********** description differed ***** ***** in that speech was less commonly delayed, motor deficits were more common, the onset seems to be somewhat later, and all the initial cases occurred only in boys. Asperger also recommended ***** ***** problems could be observed in family members, particularly fathers.

This syndrome ***** fundamentally unknown ***** the English literature for many years. The generally described clinical features of the syndrome include:

***** ***** empathy

Naive, inappropriate, one-sided ***** interaction, little ability ***** *****m friendships and consequent social isolation;

Pedantic and monotonic speech

Poor nonverbal communication

Intense absorption in circumscribed topics such as the weather, facts about TV stations, railway tables or maps, which are learned in rote fashion ***** reflect poor understand*****g, conveying the impression of eccentricity.

***** and ill-coordinated movements and odd posture.

Even though Asperger initially reported the condition only in boys, reports ***** girls with ***** ***** ***** now appeared. However, ***** are considerably more likely to be affected. Al***** most children with the condition function in the normal range of cleverness, some have been reported ***** be mildly retarded. The obvious ***** ***** the condition, or at least its gratitude, is probably somewhat later than autism; this may replicate ***** more preserved language and cognitive abilities. It tends to be highly stable, ***** the superior intellectual skills observed suggest a better long-term conclusion th*****n is typically ***** in autism.

Diagnostic Concepts

***** similar diagnostic concepts ********** from adult psychiatry, neuropsychology, neurology, and other disciplines share, to a great degree, the phenomenological characteristic of AS. Unfortunately, a