Asperger’s syndrome in adults-Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Asperger’s syndrome is a pervasive neuro-developmental disorder that is characterized by deficits in language and communication, awkward social interactions and instable behavior. It is a part of the autism spectrum disorders and is considered to a mild autistic disorder.

Individuals who have Asperger’s syndrome have decreased intellectual capability that is above average and difficulties in interacting with the society. They also seem to be perpetually absorbed in specific topics that hold their interest and their motor movements may be clumsy.

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Many famous personalities like Albert Einstein, Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, etc may have suffered from Asperger’s syndrome.

Symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome in adults

The symptoms of Asperger’s in adults are visible in several ways such as:

• Deficient or no interest in making friends or socializing

• Difficulty or inability to empathize or understand the feelings, thoughts and emotions of others

• Deficiency in social awareness

• Poor ability to make friends or sustain their friendship

• Extremities of facial expression which may be in the form of excessive or no change in facial emotions.

• Inadequate use of gestures or difficulties in their comprehension

• Extremities of eye contact, wherein a person may avoid eye contact or continuously gaze or stare.

• Increased sensitivity to smell, sound, taste and sights.

• Rigidity, dependence or excessive adherence to rules or routines.

• Unusual or repetitive movements of hands or feet or other body parts. Also, one may have an uncoordinated and clumsy walk.

• Deficiency in understanding interpersonal space or boundaries.

• Intense, repetitive or obsessive interest in ordinary or narrow topics like trains, baseball statistics, snakes or train schedules that may otherwise fail to capture the interests of normal people.

• Language difficulties that may result in literal interpretation and inability to understand aspects of language like sarcasm or irony. The speech may also be disorganized, rapid and loud or have a monotonous tone to it.

In rare cases, individuals with Asperger’s syndrome may also show symptoms of other psychiatric disorder such as:

• Disruptive behavior disorders

• Anxiety disorders

• Mood disorders like depression

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Causes of Asperger’s syndrome

Since Asperger’s syndrome is a form of autistic disorder, its causes are similar though not fully understood. They are as follows:

• Asperger’s syndrome has a genetic basis and hence can be inherited.

• Deficiencies in prenatal care, infections during pregnancy or problems at birth increase the risk to get Asperger’s syndrome.

• Exposure to toxins or other environmental influences that may cause brain damage, during childhood increases the vulnerability to Asperger’s syndrome.

Treatment of Asperger’s syndrome in adults

There is no known cure for Asperger’s syndrome. However, one may undergo therapy to overcome the symptoms of the disorder. When Asperger’s syndrome is diagnosed early in childhood all the necessary steps can be taken by parents to alleviate the symptoms. The patients may then grow up to be adults who aren’t severely affected by the disorder.

The children may be treated using speech therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy for behavior modification, training in social skills and educational, life-skills and adaptive skills training programs.

As adults, one may be prescribed medications like Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors to overcome the affects of psychiatric conditions like depression that co-exist with Asperger’s syndrome.

3 Comments

  1. Donna

    I believe my 18 year old grandson may have Asperger’s or at least on the spectrum. He was diagnosed and treated since age six for ADHD and Mood Disorder. Behaviors displayed we (drs and myself) attributed to his abuse and neglect since birth may have also been due to these other conditions. These symptoms seem to be escalating in last year or so. What to do next? Thank you.

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