by Jenni Girouard

Created on: May 24, 2008   Last Updated: May 28, 2008

There are many symptoms to look for when trying to diagnose Asperger syndrome. These identifying symptoms are poor or inappropriate social skills, obsessive routines, odd speech patterns, sensitivity to sensory stimulation, conversations mostly revolving around themselves, repetitive speech, the appearance of a lack of common sense, difficulty learning math, reading, and writing skills, compulsive behaviors, and awkward movements. Many children that are diagnosed with Asperger syndrome are first mistakenly diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. Another symptom of Asperger syndrome is a below average ability with nonverbal cognitives. Nonverbal cognitives include eye to eye contact, facial expressions, and body posture.

The parents of a child with Asperger syndrome can expect many challenges, but with a strong network of family and friends they can overcome them through perseverance. These challenges include finding a health professional that is knowledgeable on the subject, and helping the child's teacher understand the child's difficulties in a social setting. There are many support groups that can help the parents through encouragement and experience. Some parents find that talking with an individual and family counselor can also be very helpful.

To be properly diagnosed, the parents of a child with Asperger syndrome need to have their child seen by the child's health professional. From this visit, the health professional can refer the family to a mental health professional or a specialist of this particular syndrome. The parents should be prepared to ask a lot of questions, and seek new professional help if all of their questions are not answered to their satisfaction. There are many training classes available for parents and children who suffer with Asperger syndrome. These classes will teach the parents how to help their child learn to overcome some of the symptoms of Asperger syndrome. There are also special schools for children with this syndrome. These schools can teach a child the skills they need to be able to live their life as a successful adult.

There are many treatments for a child with Asperger syndrome. They include cognitive behavioral therapy, life long training skills, medication, and occupation therapy for sensory integration and motor coordination. The cognitive behavioral therapy includes focusing on poor communication skills and repetitive obsessive routines. While there is no cure as of yet for Asperger syndrome, catching the syndrome early and quickly starting treatment have been very effective in improving the quality of life for a child of Asperger syndrome.

Sources from Internet: Wikipedia, Cigna

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