Asperger syndrome (also referred to as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger's disorder, 'Aspergers, or AS) is a condition on the autistic spectrum. It manifests in individual ways and can have both positive and negative effects on a person's life. Like other forms of autism, Asperger's includes repetitive behavior patterns and impairment in social interaction. However, Asperger's differs from 'classic' autism in that non-social aspects of intellectual development generally proceed at a normal or accelerated rate.
Characteristics of Asperger's vary greatly from person to person but often include: intensely focused areas of interest, sensory integration/sensitivity issues, self-stimulating ('stimming') behavior such as rocking, difficulty interpreting facial expressions and other social cues. Positive characteristics have also been observed; these often include: enhanced mental focus, memory, and an intuitive understanding of logical systems, which may manifest itself as talent in mathematics, engineering, sciences, or language.
There is significant controversy over the difference between AS and the broader category of high-functioning autism (HFA). While neither AS nor HFA have universally accepted definitions, most diagnostic manuals distinguish the two according to speech development. Delayed speech indicates HFA; normal onset of speech indicates Asperger's. However, at least one diagnostic guide takes the opposite position; that delayed onset of speech favors a diagnosis of AS.
Some clinicians deny that AS is differentiated from other autistic spectrum disorders at all. Instead they refer to Asperger's as HFA, or treat the diagnoses interchangeably, arguing that language delay is a difference in degree and not kind. Even among those who feel that the differences between AS and HFA are significant, it is common for diagnoses to be influenced by non-technical issues, such as availability of government benefits for one condition but not the other. Due to the mixed nature of its effects, and continued debate over its definition, Asperger's remains controversial among researchers, clinicians, and people with the diagnosis.
Text and images are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. Material is used from the Wikipedia article "Asperger syndrome".
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