Understating Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Asperger?

First lets understand these disorders. Most autistic children start showing different signs from infanthood to 1, 2 or at least by 3 years of age.  Their psychological and cognitive functions could range from high intelligence to very low. Asperger means autistic children with higher I.Q. and functioning. 

Autism is a neurological disorder with abnormal brain function; however, the clear cause is not still clear.  It seems that boys are four times more affected than girls. ASD might be caused by genetic reason, environment, parental age, and other factors. At this time there is no any medicine or medical treatment for this disorder. 

Since ASD is a neurological disorder, therefore, other neurological and psychological disorders might also accompany this disorder. These disorders include ADD, ADHD, epilepsy, tics, learning problem, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, Tourette syndrome, and many other difficulties.  Autistic children also might have problems with anxiety, depression, fear, OCD and other kinds of emotional problems.  

The prominent symptoms of autistic children are having difficulties with cognition, judgment, social interaction and behavior (i.e. repetitive behavior). Cognitively these children seem quite immature for their age and show quite poor judgment in day-to-day affair and dealing with others. Socially, due to profound immaturity, they have difficulties with relating to others. ASD children tend to have little eye contact when spoken to , have difficulty initiating conversation , having difficulty with showing appropriate emotion and or sometimes aggressive in expression of their emotion. Besides, they also might have problem with understanding simple joke, others facial gestures which is part of any regular conversation. 

Autistic children behavior could range from aggressiveness to withdrawn. Some of these children might have problem with self help skill.  They tend to be quite sensitive to light, noise, certain texture or smell and sometimes with being touched.  They also might show symptoms such as talking to themselves, repeating certain words or sentences again and again, repeating certain behavior repeatedly such as rocking and many more.

Children with autism tend to have quite difficulty in relating to others by making effective communication and appropriate natural facial gesture, which comes with communication. Due to such disabilities many of these children remain isolated, feel lonely, withdrawn or sometimes even physically aggressive toward self or others. 

Some of the alarming signs, which might associate with infants with ASD are:

Problem with facial expression such as making gestures
No eye contact or very poor eye contact
Do not say single words by age one and half year old
Does not respond or turn his head when his name is called
High tolerance for pain
Delay or limited speech by age 1 
Doesn't point at objects
Do not smile (specially by age 6months don’t respond to smile)
By age 6 to 12 months of age don't do baby talk such as babbling
By age 24 months might have limited and or a few words to express themselves
Does not show interest in parents’ or others faces
Does not like to be hugged or cuddled and many others

I remind parents do not make your own diagnosis but if you found several of above signs you can see a clinical psychologist and or developmental physician to make the right diagnosis.

Asperger is very high functioning kind of autism and also have rather high success rate after receiving psychological and with some cases combined with other forms of treatment and rehabilitation. 

I have had many cases of Asperger patients that after treatment started job training at different industry of their interest and started a career and becoming productive member of society.

Living in Tianjin then Beijing, China for many years I found that unfortunately the rehab centers for this disorder and or other forms of neurological disorders of children are quite limited. Therefore, many parents do not get access to such facilities to get help for their children. I am hoping that such facilities increase in number so these children get help for better future. I myself wish to open one if opportunity arises 

Other important factor is increase in public education regarding children different psychological/developmental problems as well as parents themselves becoming more proactive in educating themselves and paying close attention to  their infants/younger children if they would have abnormal signs as soon as possible. 


Psychological solution with a happy ending:

Most of the above mentioned difficulties could be improved tremendously with the right psychological assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. As I mentioned earlier there is no medicine or medical treatment for this disorder; however, Clinical Psychological treatment is the main part of the treatment for these children. Such treatment improve their many functions so they can live more productivity, happily and to be able to adjust to world around them effectively.

In order for ASD children to recover from many of their difficulties, they will need a very comprehensive treatment in order to achieve that.  Of course the treatment is adjusted to each child’s disability and need. The treatment offered to such children are included, sensory integration training, attention training (in case have ADD or ADHD as well), art therapy, play therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, sand play therapy, behavior therapy and applied behavior analysis (ABA), biofeedback therapy, relaxation therapy, parenting training, speech therapy (if needed), occupational or physical therapy (if needed), etc.

Again I want to stress the first step is first. That is a right diagnosis prior to treatment and rehab. Sooner you seek psychological treatment for ASD child better the result of rehab in which give these children more chance of succeeding in their future social, interpersonal, psychological happiness, and career.



If need my help please contact me.

Take care and good luck
Dr.Mike