FREE ESSAY ON ASPERGERS DISORDER

ASPERGERS DISORDER

Asperger's Disorder
Asperger's 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 Asperger's 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 Asperger's 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. 
Works Cited
http://dir.yahoo.com/health/disease_and_conditions/aspergerssyndrome
http://www.witwicki.freeserve.co.uk/index.html
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/redirect/1,5793,,00.html?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2eudel%eedu%2fbkirby%2fasperger%2f