Asperger Disorder is a developmental disorder that is characterized by alack of social skills, repetitive movements and restrictive interests. Considered by some to be a form of "higher functioning" autism the symptomology of the disorder can range from mild to extreme, with many symptoms case specific rather than general. This can cause difficulties in the diagnosis of an Asperger child as many of the symptoms evident can be mistaken from other forms of social developmental delays or autism itself. The key difference between Asperger Disorder and autistic disorders is that the Asperger child is not likely to show any delays in cognitive or language development. This too can be a problem in diagnosis as most developmental problems in younger children are highlighted by significant delays in most areas of development.

SYMPTOMS
There are a variety of symptoms associated with the disorder. These can include elements such as a lack of affection or empathy with family members, delays in early childhood motor skill development, clumsiness and an awkward gait when running. Most Asperger sufferers have normal to high intelligence and can be remarkably clever, but this same child will have problems associating with peers, making friends and adapting to new situations.
Other symptoms evident in smaller children are a tendency to repetitive behavior. Many Asperger children like to have a strict routine and function best in a household where there are very little changes in the daily routine. As these children get older they may object to being sociable with visiting family members if they are not warned in advance of their arrival, and people that are not familiar with the symptoms of Aspergers may feel that the child is being rude or ungracious, when in fact the child may be simply expressing his opinion and will not know that he has caused offence.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
The pathophysiology of Asperger Disorder has not yet been determined. Although there have been a number of suggestions including problems during pregnancy and birth, or early childhood trauma's there has not been any definitive causal element of Aspergers identified. There have been suggestions that Aspergers can be diagnosed through PET scans and other brain imaging methods, but this has not been conclusively documented.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Rates per live births
The rate of Asperger births compared with all live births is again difficult to determine given that most children do

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