ASPERGER-SYNDROME.ME.UK
Offering Help, Support and Information regarding Asperger Syndrome

What Is Asperger Syndrome?

Asperger's Syndrome is a High Functional form of Autism which is a life long disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world. Males are diagnosed with asperger Syndrome at a rate of 4-6 times higher then females, Asperger effects about 1 in 200 people.

Asperger's syndrome (AS), is a neurobiological disorder affecting several areas of one’s development in contrast with Autism. Asperger Syndrome is commonly referred to as a form of "high-functioning" autism. Individuals with Asperger's are considered to have a higher intellectual capacity while suffering from a lower social capacity.

Asperger syndrome is mostly a 'hidden disability'. This means that you can't tell that someone has the condition from their outward appearance.

Asperger Syndrome Disorder is a milder variant of Autistic Disorder. Both Asperger Syndrome Disorder and Autistic Disorder are in fact subgroups of a larger diagnostic category, This larger category is called either Autistic Spectrum Disorder (in most European countries) or Pervasive Developmental Disorders “PDD” (in the USA).

Asperger syndrome is a condition on the autistic spectrum. It manifests in individual ways and can have both positive and negative effects on a person's life. Like other autistic spectrum disorders, Asperger's includes repetitive behaviour patterns and impairment in social interaction. So a person with Asperger’s People with Asperger syndrome see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. If you have Asperger syndrome, you have it for life are more likely to desire social acceptance, but may be unable to mediate social interactions due to not being able to read social cues, or body language from people around them.

People with Asperger syndrome are of average or above average intelligence. They do not usually have the learning disabilities that many autistic people have, but they may have specific learning difficulties. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language

Asperger Syndrome is a life long condition which is most commonly found in men rather than woman but With the right support and encouragement, people with Asperger syndrome can lead full and independent lives.

 

What Causes Asperger Syndrome

Researchers and mental health experts are still investigating the causes of autism and AS. Many believe that the pattern of behaviour that characterizes AS may have many causes. There seems to be a hereditary component to AS, and research indicates that in some cases AS may be associated, however it has been observed that AS is often found in children with pre-,peri-,or post natal problems and nearly half of those diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome have suffered lack of oxygen at birth.

Scientists have pinpointed a rogue genes that could unlock the riddle to Asperger Syndrome. Three major Studies have identified specific genetic links to autism, related to the development and 'wiring' of the brain.

The findings suggest that flaws in proteins called cell adhesion molecules are present in more then two-thirds of cases and are central to some 15 per cent. the proteins play a vital role in shaping brain connections and the way nerve cells communicate.

Overall, more than 130 genes may be linked to the condition, acting together to predispose a child to Aspergers, BUT now the controversial research linking the MMR jab to autism has now been widely discredited.

Research over the last half century has established autism as a neurodevelopmental disorder. Early suggestions that ASDs might result from abnormal parenting have been abandoned in the face of overwhelming evidence for a biological basis and a strong genetic component. Most researchers believe that ASDs have a variety of causes, perhaps all affecting the same brain systems, or impeding development through disruption of different abilities necessary for social and communicative development.Whether environmental factors interact with genetic susceptibility is as yet unclear.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Could Asperger Syndrome be Inherited

A: There is research showing similar features in first or second degree relatives on either side of the family

Q: Could Problems in Pregnancy cause Aspergers

A: Some studies state that quite a high percentage of cases had a history of natal conditions that might have caused damage. But, in general, pregnancy may well have been unremarkable. However, the incidence of obstetric abnormalities is high. No one factor can be identified, but labour crises and neonatal problems are recorded with a significant number of children with AS. There is also a greater incidence of babies who are small for gestational age, and mothers in the older age range. It is recognised that there are three principal causes of Asperger's Syndrome - genetic factors, unfavourable genetic events, and infections during pregnancy or early infancy that affect the brain

Q: Can a person with aspergers have other conditions

A: Yes people with aspergers could have other conditions

Q: Could I caused the condition

A: Asperger's Syndrome is not caused by emotional trauma, neglect or failing to love your child