From the carpool line to the parent-teacher conference, talk of Asperger's syndrome seems to be everywhere. It was even on the cover of Time. This heightened media awareness of yet another dour diagnosis-one associated with diagnoses such as autism—has parents worried, wondering.

Asperger's syndrome describes that kid you can't describe. The one floating in a sea of toys, only to be fascinated by the toaster. The one who doesn't get jokes. The one who actually keeps his room cleaned up. All the time.

The one who just acts.different.

And as usual, the moment a new syndrome hits the mainstream lexicon, we fear that our kids have "a touch" of it. (And if not our kids, then certainly the neighbor's kids do.)

Asperger's syndrome already has nicknames: the Geek Syndrome and most notably, mild autism. It is often confused with a dozen other disorders before it is properly diagnosed.

Katherine A. Loveland, PhD, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston says that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM) calls Asperger's syndrome a distinct diagnosis apart from autism.

"Like autism, however, this syndrome is listed in the publication under the general heading: Pervasive Developmental Disorders." Loveland says many professionals now believe the disorder is, in fact, on the mild end of the autism spectrum since it shares certain important symptoms with autistic disorder. And Loveland suspects that when the next DSM is published, the definition of Asperger's syndrome will be revised.

"Research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) indicates that there is a genetic component to these disorders, but it is not a simple one. Researchers believe there is no single gene for this, but a combination of genes that create a vulnerability to autism. We are also looking into why ASD are overrepresented in males by five to one."

And yes, Asperger's is a relatively new diagnosis. It is often discovered in an individual later than autism because persons with Asperger's can verbalize well and have average or greater IQs.

As young children, those with Asperger's syndrome are sometimes first diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). "It makes a difference," Loveland adds, "when they can be diagnosed early, since early intervention can help them back on a more typical developmental track."

John's story

John is 13 years old. When he was about two, his parents first noticed that he did not make eye contact. His speech was only minimally delayed. But he became enraged when frustrated, and was difficult to discipline.

When he went to bed at night, he wanted everything in the room placed in a certain way. He reacted strongly to any change in routine.

His preschool teacher told John's parents that he was about one year behind in developmental and social skills. A visit to a child psychologist at that time offered a diagnosis of "sensory integration disorder," and said John showed a poor IQ result. But she did not diagnose Asperger's syndrome. When John was six and started acting out in school (usually when angry), he once again saw a psychologist. This time he was diagnosed with Asperger's.

Teenage years

Although he is in the appropriate grade, the work is difficult for him, especially now that he is in middle school. His parents spend a huge chunks of time helping with his homework. His grades appear to be average and so far, he has not failed a subject.

He is better in math than English. Because of the characteristic poor hand-eye coordination, writing is hard for John, but he has highly sophisticated computer skills.

Memory comes easy to individuals with Asperger's, but organizational skills do not. Loveland says that although a person with Asperger's can graduate from college, it is not typical because of difficulty in areas such as social skills, planning and organizing schoolwork, and in juggling multiple assignments.

Social life

John takes offense at typical teenage taunts, sometimes becoming enraged. Persons with Asperger's may take the spoken word literally. They have trouble understanding humor or subtext. They seem unable to read body language or nonverbal cues.

Children this age can be cruel in their jibes toward each other. This situation can lead to anxiety and depression, especially for the child with Asperger's. His current counselor is working on John's self-esteem, and is also considering antidepressant medication.

John is showing some progress with his people skills: he goes to dances and asks girls to dance, even slow dancing. He considers himself to have a lot of friends. He has taken piano lessons for several years and plays the trombone in the school band.

Most people with Asperger's are somewhat physically awkward, and therefore, have a hard time participating in sports. Limited social skills can also present an obstacle. However, John has found that he can run cross-country track and swim competitively—activities that don't require as much personal contact and teamwork.

The future possibilities

If a person with Asperger's syndrome marries, his partner must understand that her spouse may need a lot of time alone, and may not communicate in expected ways.

Although the typical individual with Asperger's often has difficulty with schoolwork, Loveland knows of one young man who completed college and received a master's degree in a science field. But he is working in a video store. His parents feel that he is underachieving; he likes his job because it involves routine.

Since a person with Asperger's often has focused interests that involve rote learning (for example, lists of street names, maps, etc.), this individual's interests include a vast knowledge of videos. The work gives him a chance to use his special interest in a productive way, Loveland surmises.

Loveland cautions that parents must be sensitive to and realistic about their child's abilities and their problems with social skills. She always encourages parents to hope for the best, and to give their child the help and opportunity to achieve at his or her own level.

Professionals at the UT Health Science Center for Human Development Research are studying how the brain develops differently in people with autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger's syndrome.

Investigators are using a variety of techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological testing to understand how differences in brain structure and function are related to the problems in social skills, communication, and behavior that exist in autism spectrum disorders. The Center is one of the NIH-funded Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism.

Last Updated: 3-18-2004

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