Description Asperger’s Syndrome
Asperger syndrome is a disease that belong to the so-called.Pervasive developmental disorders. Pervasive developmental disorders are disorders of so-called permeating everything – negatively affect movement, speech, emotional, cognitive (ie. Cognitive and memory) and a full psychosocial level of the patient and prevent his normal occupation and adaptation in society.
Asperger’s syndrome is essentially a kind of autism. Do pervasive failures belong in addition to Asperger syndrome also infantile autism, atypical autism, Rett syndrome and hyperactive disorder associated with mental retardation and stereotyped movements.
Infantile autism was first described by American psychiatrist Leo Kanner in 1943 on a group of 11 children and was named as an early infantile autism. A year later independently Kanner published a Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger report of a similar group of children, but autistic disorder called psychopathy.
Following 20 years autism has been considered as a result of erroneous and emotionally cold parents’ upbringing. Only in 1980 it was the first time used the term pervasive developmental disorder and was mentioned congenital brain disorder. In 1981 he was described high-functioning autism (HFA – high functional autism) for the subgroup of autistic patients with normal or above-average intelligence and in the same year was promoted Asperger syndrome is the name for a group of patients known autistic psychopaths. Since then, leading speculation about whether Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism are one and the same disease or not.
Incidence of childhood autism is estimated to 5-10 / 10 000 children, more boys are affected.Information about Asperger Syndrome is very little, but it is assumed that its occurrence is more common than childhood autism and sometimes not even diagnosed or mistakenly hidden under a diagnosis of another psychiatric illness (schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and others).The only published study described the incidence of Asperger syndrome in the frequency of 36 – 71/10 000 children aged 7-16 years.
The cause is not clear. In Asperger syndrome assumes the same reason as in childhood autism, both strong genetic component malfunction formation called. Endogenous opioids (own body produced so. Happiness hormones and substances calming, pain relieving – eg. Endorphins, etc.) And increased blood serotonin (serotonin is used among other things as a substance transmitting signals in the brain, relieve pain, it affects emotions, memory, sleep).
Risk Factors Asperger syndrome
Risk factors are not fully known, serious risk of the occurrence in the family.
Asperger’s Syndrome Prevention
Asperger syndrome in its essence does not precede, because its nature is unknown. Considering a connection with the mutations on chromosomes 2 and 7, which could be in the future be used in prenatal diagnosis.
Signs and symptoms of Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome has many common features with autism. Unfortunately, it is often discovered too late, or is diagnosed as other diseases and subsequently incorrectly treated. It is for this reason that patients have impaired speech, as is typical before the third year of age with infantile autism, but in some cases speech and exceptionally talented.
Despite the speech abilities, but they lack abstract thought, so children can have problems in some subjects in school, but excel at learning facts, formulas, and lists.
Intelligence is normal to above average.
Typical can be physical clumsiness and eccentric behavior. People with Asperger syndrome are quite gregarious (compared to a child’s autism, where patients are confined to themselves), but does not understand mimoverbálnímu expression (body language, tone of voice). When communicating eg. No longer apply facial expression and attitude of the students, do not respond to gestures, comments, heedless indifference listeners like. Still talking and being able to remain in such a state, even though it is nobody listens.
They revel in the routine. They liked each day to carry out their rituals still have the same procedures, the same day schedule, may require the same route to school or work, etc. Any unexpected change may then have disastrous consequences and cause indignation, anxiety, depressed mood, or other unusual reaction.
Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome, like sick children with autism have some their favorite activities, they are able to devote much of his time. Very often they remember long lists of names, sports scores, phone numbers, number and characteristics of anything interesting. Interest may involve collecting, but also, for example. Studio space, mineral water analysis, monitoring CCTV, alarms, emergency exits, etc. Other people on such behavior then look upon as an obsession.
Asperger syndrome is also characterized by vitriolic, aggressive when failures and misunderstandings compulsive behavior (obsessiveness) to pedantry, stubbornness to rebellion.
It is important to note that this is an intelligent people, often above average intelligence.However, they have serious communication problems, while themselves do not perceive this problem and understand it. Frequent conflicts, relationship problems, an inability to keep a job belongs to the complaints of individuals in adulthood. They can not correctly interpret the signals from the environment and themselves send signals confusing, which the company is unable to understand and accept.
The diagnosis of Asperger syndrome in adulthood is then largely a matter of liberating and justifying all the negative experiences and events in communication and social sphere in a previous life.
Asperger’s Syndrome Treatment
The syndrome is a disease of the nervous system that is innate and can not be cured. Targeted therapies exist, perhaps only special education teaching.
It is important to detect the disease early and initiate appropriate education and training, the emphasis is on working with the family and school equipment, including psychological guidance individuals.
Treatment should always leads child psychiatrist (pediatric psychiatrist). Drugs can be influenced only anxiety, aggressiveness, depressed mood and sleep disorders. So far, there is no way to treat disorders in communication and social interaction.
For a child with Asperger’s syndrome grow into an adult with the same disease. Manifestations of the disease is important to learn to cope in childhood, so it is very important to the timely and proper disclosure syndrome. Is very beneficial cognitive-behavioral treatment method in which an individual learns to manage their negative emotions, behaviors and reactions (= cognition, cognition, learning and memory functions, behavior = behavior).
How can I help myself
In childhood, the importance of cooperation of parents, special educational care and support. In adulthood, it is important to try to cope with the classic situation. Must of course know their diagnosis because many people with similar problems in society are unaware that some syndrome sufferers. Therefore, it is advisable when in doubt about their behavior and social life around or unusual reactions to your behavior to see a psychiatrist and entrust him with their problems.
Complications Asperger’s Syndrome
Complications of the disease lie in the issues of social opportunities (getting and staying in a particular occupation) and social life (going out with family, finding a partner), but the basic skills of coping with normal life can teach special education teaching disabled individuals during childhood.
Other problems such as anxiety, depression, explosion, aggression and sleep problems can be treated pharmacologically (drugs).
