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Asperger syndrome is a developmental disorder and one type of autism spectrum disorder. Asperger syndrome develops in childhood and can impact a child's ability to socialize and communicate normally. It is also frequently called Asperger's syndrome or AS.
Although symptoms of Asperger syndrome can be similar to autism disorder, another type of autism spectrum disorder, it is actually a different condition. The hallmark difference between the two disorders is that people with Asperger syndrome develop and can use language skills, while people with autism disorder have severe delays in developing language skills as a child and often lose what they have learned as they grow.
The exact cause of Asperger syndrome is not known, although abnormalities in the brain and heredity or abnormal gene may be involved.
Symptoms of Asperger syndrome include an obsessive interest in a single topic or object, poor social skills, and delayed or poor motor skills. For more information on symptoms, refer to symptoms of Asperger syndrome.
Making a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome begins with taking a thorough personal and family medical history, including symptoms, and completing a physical and neurological examination. There is no single test to detect Asperger syndrome, and pinpointing a diagnosis should involve a team of medical professionals who are specialists in developmental disorders. These professionals will assess symptoms and observe behaviors and social interactions. Tests might be performed to measure different cognitive skills, such as language, and to rule-out behavioral or mental health conditions.
A diagnosis of Asperger syndrome can easily be missed or delayed because the symptoms may be attributed to other conditions. For information on misdiagnosis, refer to misdiagnosis of Asperger syndrome.
There is no cure for Asperger syndrome, although people with the disorder can be treated to best cope with their challenges. Treatment involves a multifaceted approach. For more information on treatment, refer to treatment of epilepsy....more »
Asperger syndrome can be a difficult diagnosis to make because there is no single test to detect it. An accurate diagnosis generally requires the evaluation of a team of professionals who are specialists in developmental disorders.
In addition, the symptoms of Asperger syndrome are similar to some symptoms of some other disorders. This can ...more misdiagnosis »
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Asperger syndrome.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
See full list of 3 causes of Asperger syndrome
» Review Causes of Asperger syndrome: Causes
Home medical tests possibly related to Asperger syndrome:
Asperger syndrome is not curable, but early recognition and treatment can help minimize symptoms so that children with the disorder can live as normal and productive lives as possible. The best treatment for Asperger syndrome is a plan that is individualized to the person's specific needs and symptoms. It generally includes therapies that address the primary types of symptoms of the disorder. ...Asperger syndrome Treatments
Some of the possible treatments listed in sources for treatment of Asperger syndrome may include:
Review further information on Asperger syndrome Treatments.
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Read more about Misdiagnosis and Asperger syndrome
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Rare types of medical conditions and diseases in related medical categories:
Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:
Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by an inability to understand how to interact socially. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Asperger Syndrome Information Page: NINDS)
Asperger syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder... (Source: excerpt from NINDS Asperger Syndrome Information Page: NINDS)
A childhood disorder predominately affecting boys and similar to autism (AUTISTIC DISORDER). It is characterized by severe, sustained, clinically significant impairment of social interaction, and restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior. In contrast to autism, there are no clinically significant delays in language or cognitive development. (From DSM-IV)
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Neuropsychiatric disorder whose major manifestation is an inability to interact socially; other features include poor verbal and motor skills, singlemindedness, and social withdrawal.
- (Source - CRISP)
Asperger syndrome is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of
Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). This means that Asperger syndrome, or a subtype of Asperger syndrome,
affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
- (Source - National Institute of Health)
The list below shows some of the causes of Asperger syndrome mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 3 causes of Asperger syndrome
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Asperger syndrome. Of the 3 causes of Asperger syndrome that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
See the analysis of the prevalence of 3 causes of Asperger syndrome
The following list of conditions have 'Asperger syndrome' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Asperger syndrome or choose View All.
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