Aspergers Disorder is a milder form of Autistic Disorder. They both fit in the same category know as either Autistic Spectrum Disorders or Pervasive Developmental Disorders. In Aspergers Disorder, affected people are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. Clumsiness is prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior. They usually have a circumscribed area of interest, which usually leaves no space for more age appropriate, common interests.
Some examples are cars, trains, French literature, doorknobs, hinges, cappuccino, meteorology, astronomy, or history. Qualitative impairment in interaction is usually caused from either a 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 or a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.
Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities are usually caused by encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is either in intensity or focus. The disturbances cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior, and curiosity about the environment in childhood. Severe impairment occurs when inability to interact with peers, socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior occurs, lack of desire to interact with peers, or lack of appreciation of social cues occurs. There is no specific treatment or cure for Aspergers Disorder. All the interventions are mainly symptomatic and/or rehabilitational.
Psychosocial interventions include, individual psychotherapy to help the individual to process the feelings aroused by being socially handicapped, parent education and training, behavioral modification, social skills training, or educational interventions. Psychopharmacological interventions include hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, clonidine, and tricylic antidepressants. They also include other medications such as mood stabilizers, beta blockers, clonidine, naltrexone, and neuroleptics.
