Hans Asperger, a Viennese pediatrician, was the first to characterise Asperger’s syndrome. In 1944, he published a paper describing a series of patterns he discovered in some of his patients. He observed that while the boys’ intellect and language learning were average, they had significantly impaired social skills and were unable to communicate effectively with others.
It took until 1994 for the diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome to be added to the DSM-IV, and even then, many professionals thought it was one of several spectrum disorders. Asperger’s syndrome is distinguished by a lack of social skills, obsessions, and unusual speech patterns. Unfortunately, these traits make these people the object of constant bullying and the brunt of the class bully.
Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome often have few facial expressions and can struggle to read the body language of others. Parents would complain that their children engaged in obsessive routines, often becoming completely engrossed in a hobby or set. Children and adults also exhibit unusual sensitivity to various stimuli, whether that be touch, smell, taste, or sight. Individuals, for example, may be distracted by a light that no one else sees and may cover their ears to block out sounds. Others may find clothing to be constricting and opt for items made of specific materials or lacking elastic at the wrist and ankle.
Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome are generally capable of living and holding down a stable career. They are, however, socially unstable and often labeled as strange or eccentric.
Parents and significant others can note some motor delays or clumsiness in the individual’s ability to work as well. Adults will always struggle to show empathy for others, and social situations will always be challenging.
Asperger’s syndrome diagnosis can be complicated, and misdiagnoses are common. This is complicated further because many of the same symptoms present in people with Asperger’s are also found in people with other conditions.