The incidence of Asperger's Syndrome is on the rise. Asperger's is without doubt one of the Autistic Spectrum Issues, or ASD's. Whenever we see a spike within the incidence of a disorder, I at all times ask the questions "is this disorder/syndrome occurring more often? Or, are we simply diagnosing it more usually? Is it the new 'fashionable' prognosis?" These are important professional questions. Labels and diagnoses can form a future for the higher or worse. We shouldn't diagnose lightly. Many implications follow a diagnosis.

I am seeing with more frequency, elements of Asperger's Syndrome in children however an absence of some key identifying symptoms. The diagnostic criteria listed within the Diagnostic and Statistical Guide IV (DSM-IV, the manual licensed by the American Psychiatric Association) is far too lengthy to re-print here in an article. Some highlights are as follows:

1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction.

2. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities.

3. The disturbance causes clinically important impairment in social, occupational, or different essential areas of functioning.

4. There is no such thing as a important general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age three years).

5. There isn't any clinically important delay in cognitive improvement of age-applicable self-help expertise, adaptive habits (apart from in social interaction), and curiosity concerning the setting in childhood.

6. Criteria aren't met for one more specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia. (1)

You'll be able to search on-line or at your library for a more detailed listing of the diagnostic criteria.

I'm using the time period "Atypical Asperger's Syndrome" to discuss with kids whom appear to satisfy among the criteria but not all. Things just do not seem to click on for these kids. They just do not engage the way in which other youngsters do.

Atypical Aspergers may be finest mentioned by comparing it to another attainable diagnoses that we may be ruling out. They're as follows:

· Social Nervousness Disorder: Youngsters with this disorder may appear quite shy. They are hesitant to interact with different children. They prefer the corporate of adults. In differentiating this from Atypical Asperger's, the Asperger's child is not remotely upset, concerned or bothered by the truth that they aren't included within the group. Or, they are included in the group but stay somewhat permanently distant. They'll play side by side with other children without really interacting with the other child.

· Low Intellectual Functioning: Upon preliminary commentary, the Atypical Aspergers baby may appear boring or missing in intelligence. The low mental functioning baby usually will carry out poorly in school and require primary skills stage classes. The Atypical Asperger's baby nevertheless is most often bright. They do well on test regardless of appearing misplaced or disinterested.

Asperger's Syndrome youngsters typically make poor eye contact, speak in limited phrases, are tangential, prefer social isolation. They display a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, pursuits or achievements with others. Additionally they display a scarcity of social or emotional reciprocity.

I'm seeing Atypical Asperger's kids who make good eye contact. They're typically capable of conducting a conversation with me within the office. They usually carry out this better within the office because I'm an adult. Mother and father and lecturers report that these children are less skilled in conversation with their peer age group. They could spontaneously share experiences or achievements but often at inappropriate instances, interjecting such into a discussion somewhat randomly. And although they are bright, if I had been their age I would not be very concerned with what is autism spectrum disorder they speak about. They appear immature, because they're socially immature.

For some reason, the Atypical Asperger's baby doesn't seem concerned with athletics and in addition not superb at them. I don't absolutely perceive the neurology involved but I am suspecting a connection.

Fashionable Syndrome?

I was discussing Asperger's with my 24 yr old son just final week. We were wanting on the properties of America's richest tech guys, Invoice Gates, Steve Jobs and "the facebook man" Mark Zuckerberg. Our conversation led us to "how many of these very shiny and inventive guys have Asperger's." And we should make an necessary level, just because someone seems socially awkward doesn't mean that they've any dysfunction at all, not to mention Aspergers. It was simply a conversation. I am not diagnosing any of those people from afar and do not know if any of them have any model of Asperger's Syndrome. The purpose although is that he told me that in his 20 something age group it has develop into "fashionable" to say that you have Asperger's. It's type of a badge of honor and a simple clarification for ones "quirkiness" now in social situations. Guys in bars and clubs are utilizing this to create an aura of "mental elite" related to themselves. I see it as a means of saying "I'm really higher and smarter than you and also you couldn't possibly really perceive me so don't even try." It's the new "I am a nerd" declaration. Keep in mind when being called a nerd was an insult? Keep in mind when it grew to become a badge of honor years later? This additionally points out that the more evident cases of adult Atypical Asperger's Syndrome occur in shiny creative people. I don't believe that the incidence is higher in bright individuals than much less vivid people. We simply notice it more because we discover high achievers total more than lesser achievers.