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Asperger's syndrome is a childhood developmental disorder that makes it difficult for the sufferer to interact with other people. The child may be socially awkward and may have a difficult time making friends. Asperger's syndrome is, to some, a mild form of autism. They can prefer routine, have poor social skills and not like to change their routine, similar to autism patients. Unlike those with autism, however, patients with Asperger's syndrome usually start to talk before the age of two, which is normal.

Asperger's syndrome is also a condition of adults because it is a lifelong condition. Symptoms tend to get better over time and adults can learn to cope and overcome their symptoms fairly well. Social skills can be improved upon, especially with therapy to control the symptoms.

Asperger's syndrome is one of the pervasive developmental disorders, which include autism. About one out of 10,000 individuals have Asperger's syndrome.

The cause of the disorder is completely unknown. This means there is no way to prevent the disease. It tends to be hereditary so doctors are looking at the genes of these people to see if there is a genetic defect causing the disease.

The symptoms of Asperger's syndrome are many. Not every person with the disease has all the symptoms listed. The symptoms are usually noticed by the age of three. The person has difficulty relating to other people and lack interpersonal skills. Change is difficult for them. They may not recognize verbal or nonverbal cues and may not understand social norms. They may stare at people or avoid eye contact. They may have a flat affect and flat speech. They may be uncoordinated or have unusual body postures. Their handwriting may be poor and they may have abnormal large motor skills so they can't ride a bike, for example. They may have a single interest and be stuck on the same interest for years. Loud noises, bright lights or strong tastes may bother them.

Asperger's syndrome is diagnosed using a history and physical or psychological examination. The doctor asks about the child's development and his or her ability to function socially. Specialized tests can be done to see if the person has Asperger's syndrome and an IQ test can be done. There are specialists in Asperger's syndrome that can help identify a diagnosis for the individual.

Treatment is based upon the child's particular symptoms and treatment can change over time, depending on what symptoms are present at any given period of time. Therapy can help with some of the emotional symptoms of Asperger's syndrome and occupational therapy can teach an Asperger's patient some of the social skills that are lacking. It is often a team approach with job trainers, school programs, doctors, social workers and therapists all directed at curing the problem or relieving the symptoms. Medications for obsessive compulsive syndrome may be attempted as can some antidepressants, which will be directed at some of the depressive symptoms. A person with Asperger's syndrome is sometimes aware of their limitations and therefore become despondent or depressed about this knowledge.

Parental support is important to helping Asperger's syndrome. Parents can function under specific sets of rules, visual aids and can make use of role-playing to help the child function better. The parent needs to focus on the strengths of the patient with Asperger's syndrome. Allow the child to develop his or her specific interests so they are less depressed.

Treatment of Asperger's syndrome addresses the three core symptoms you'll see in the disorder. These include obsessiveness or repetitive behaviour, poor communication skills and physical clumsiness. As different children have differing degrees of abnormalities, the treatment varies from child to child.

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