Asperger syndrome

Despite being part of autistic-type disorders, people with Asperger's syndrome do not have cognitive or speech delays. Characteristically, these people present difficulties for social interaction and their interest tends to focus on very specific and restricted fields of knowledge.

• It is part of the so-called autism spectrum disorder, but it is not characterized by cognitive or speech delay.
• It is usually diagnosed at an early age, between 4 and 11 years old.
• Asperger's syndrome has no treatment but psychological therapy should be done with them to train social skills and learn to manage anxiety.

What does it consist of

Asperger syndrome is estimated to affect about 26 people per 100,000 residents. The cause of this syndrome is not known. It is postulated that there is a family predisposition, but no specific gene or genes have been detected that are associated with the presence of this disorder. Alterations occur at the level of complex brain connections that lead to an inability for empathy, which makes social interaction extremely difficult for these people.

It is a pervasive developmental disorder and is usually diagnosed at an early age, between 4 and 11 years of age. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are initially misdiagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd). Fewer cases are diagnosed in adulthood and then it is important to establish a differential diagnosis with other disorders such as adhd, obsessive compulsive disorder, or depression. In both minors and adults it is important to carry out a correct and exhaustive neurological and psychological study. It should be said that 65% of people with Asperger's syndrome present at the same time pictures of depression with or without associated anxiety disorder. It is very common for them to also have sleep disorders, such as insomnia or early awakening.

How it manifests

People with Asperger syndrome, as already mentioned, have a normal level of intelligence and their language develops normally. In fact, it is characteristic of these that they have a great wealth of vocabulary and express themselves with a certain pomposity. The way people with Asperger syndrome speak is usually monotonous, with a monotonous voice and often with excessively high or low volume. The normal prosody of verbal communication is disrupted and they shift abruptly from one topic to another. Despite a wealth of vocabulary, these people have a pragmatic deficit, as they are not capable of detecting what is beyond the literal meaning of the words, so that nuances such as intonation, irony, sarcasm or metaphors escape their understanding. , which makes communication difficult.

Likewise, these people are not capable of feeling empathy towards other people, so they do not know how to correctly interpret the gestures and facial mimicry of their interlocutors; Non-verbal communication does not provide them with information and they can sometimes say things completely out of place within a certain social context, which can make them appear rude, self-centered, and with poor social skills. They are often unable to identify and express their emotions (alexithymia), although that does not imply that they are insensitive. They are able to recognize emotions such as joy, sadness, anger or fear, but may not understand more complex emotions.

They often avoid eye contact, making it even more difficult for them to get used to looking at people's faces and interpreting them. However, when they are aware of the importance of eye contact, they often exercise it inappropriately, staring at people or forcingly seeking the gaze of their interlocutors.

The intelligence of people with Asperger syndrome is normal and very often they tend to show an inordinate interest in a narrow and narrow field of knowledge. It is common for them to present a great capacity for reasoning and concentration, a lot of memory for what interests them, a perfectionist attitude in the acquisition of knowledge and a strict sense of order and method, characteristics which allow many of these people to be capable. to develop productive jobs more than efficiently within the field that interests them.

Often this knowledge involves a very extensive and precise data collection, especially numerical information, without sometimes showing a passion for the specific subject. For example, they can know hundreds of data about photographic devices without being interested in the photography itself, the result and its artistic side.

These very narrow and particular interests often mean that children with Asperger's syndrome do not focus on school by having to pay attention to something that they have not chosen. In the case of adults, this can make higher education, job placement or relationships extremely difficult.

On the other hand, people with Asperger syndrome tend to have a very rigid and systematic routine, with a series of ritualized acts that do not allow any change. Trying to modify these behaviors in some way can trigger a state of anxiety and misunderstanding in these people; In children, this is often expressed in the form of crying, screaming and tantrums, or that they withdraw into themselves.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis will be based on a neuropsychological study where other pathologies are ruled out and a deterioration in social activity is observed, the characteristics of this syndrome such as the inability to understand beyond literal language, lack of empathy, repetitive behaviors and very limited interests or activities, along with an absence of linguistic or cognitive delay.

Treatment

Asperger's syndrome has no treatment but psychological therapy should be carried out with them to be able to train the social skills of these people as much as possible and learn to manage anxiety. Sometimes the use of some antipsychotic drugs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help reduce repetitive behaviors.

When suspecting a child or an adult with Asperger syndrome, it is essential to seek help from a team of experts to be able to deal with the situation for the good of both the person with the disorder and their immediate environment, family and friends.