A developmental disorder characterised by difficulty in social interaction and a restricted range of interests, more common in boys than girls [Described 1944. After Hans Asperger (1906-80), Austrian psychiatrist.]
Aspergers syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder considered to be at the higher end of the autistic spectrum. The main distinction between a child with autism and a child with AS is in cognitive ability. Children with AS typically have an IQ within the normal to very superior range. Another distinction can be identified in language ability: Children with AS often have normal basic language skills but will have problems with pragmatic-social language. Children with AS typically have impairments in three areas of functioning: social skills, language, and behavior. With respect to behavior, children with AS display repetitive routines and compulsions that can be confused with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The difference between AS and OCD would be in the purpose it serves the child. For a child with AS, the repetitive routines and compulsions may serve as self-stimulatory behavior or high arousal.
A lifelong personality disorder, evident from childhood and regarded as a mild form of autism. Persons with the syndrome have great difficulty with personal relationships. They tend to take what is said to them as literal fact and have great difficulty in understanding irony, metaphors or even jokes. They often appear shy, with a distant and aloof character, emotional rigidity and inability to adapt to new situations. They are often mocked and illtreated at school by their fellows because they appear unusual. Many people with Asperger’s seem to take refuge in intense interests or hobbies, often conducted to an obsessive degree. Many become skilled in mathematics and particularly in information technology. Frustration with the outside world which is so hard to comprehend may provoke aggressive outbursts when stressed.