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All About , Asperger's Syndrome, and Related Developmental Disorders What is Autism What is Asperger's Syndrome and Some Common Questions on Asperger Pervasive Syndrome Developmental Disorders? Tips for Teaching High-Functioning The Epidemiology of Asperger Individuals Syndrome. with Autism Validity and Neuropsychological Girls with Social Deficits and Learning Characterization Problems of Asperger Syndrome: Convergence Autism, Atypical Asperger Syndrome with or a Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Variant of These Conditions. Syndrome An Excellent Article on Autism. Motor Clumsiness Autism and Autistic-Like Conditions: Subclasses among Disorders of Adult Issues and Perspectives Empathy Articles Eye Contact Hyperlexia Links Creating Algorithms NLD Articles Why We Just Can't Marry Them Off NLD Links PDD - NOS Articles HFA Articles PDD - NOS Links HFA Links Semantic - Pragmatic Articles & Links

What is Autism. • Autism is a life-long developmental disability. This means that it impairs various aspects of typical development and lasts a lifetime. • Autism is a syndrome, which means that it is a condition defined by the existence of a collection of characteristics. For example:

o Individuals with autism experience difficulty in verbal and/or nonverbal communication, which ranges in extremes from not speaking at all to being unable to interpret body language or to participate comfortably in two-way conversation. o People with autism exhibit rigidity in thought processes, which can include difficulty with learning abstract concepts, generalizing information, and tolerating changes in routines and/or environments. o The most outstanding hallmark of autism is difficulty with reciprocal social interaction. This can range from appearing to want social isolation to experiencing social awkwardness in attaining and maintaining ongoing relationships.

• The symptoms of autism are usually apparent within the first 36 months of life. However, in the case of very high-functioning individuals, symptoms may not be apparent until later in life.

Back to Top What is Asperger's Syndrome and PDD? The term "more advanced" autism has no exact criteria. Use of the term is a matter of judgment. The delineation between a diagnosis of autism, Asperger's or PDD is found in the fourth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. It centers around the degree of ability in socialization and communication. However, all three diagnoses refer to individuals within the . The terms more advanced autism, high functioning autism, Asperger's Syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) refer to individuals within the autism spectrum who do not experience severe intellectual impairments. Although more advanced individuals with autism may score below average on standardized intelligence tests, they often learn at or above normal rates in certain areas. Areas of ability will differ across individuals. For example, an individual may learn academic content easily but have difficulty performing activities of daily living. Or a student who is very good at memorizing may not be able to answer essay-type questions. Back to Top An Excellent Article on Asperger Syndrome An excellent article on Asperger Syndrome written by Rosalyn Lord, the coordinator of CASSEL, a support group in East Lancashire (UK). She is the parent of a 12 year old son diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. The article covers an explanation of the disorder, key features and helpful strategies. Back to Top Some Common Questions on Asperger Syndrome This piece includes several common questions often asked about Asperger Syndrome, and answers provided by Tony Attwood. Dr. Attwood is an expert in the field of AS, has authored several books, the most recent being Asperger Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Ltd., 1997. Questions range from "Do Girls Have A Different Expression Of The Syndrome?" to "How Do You Discipline A Child With AS?" Back to Top The Epidemiology of Asperger Syndrome A Total Population Study, by Stephan Ehlers and Christopher Gillberg. This landmark study "raises the bar" in terms of population prevalence and sex ratios in Asperger syndrome, and presents a detailed comparison of various criteria used to identify the disorder. Of particular interest to parents and clinicians alike will be the brief case descriptions of several children who participated in the study, as well as the authors' view that "current diagnostic criteria for AS are tuned to the male manifestation of the syndrome". The article was originally published in The Journal of Child and and Allied Disciplines, Vol. 34, No. 8, pp. 1327- 1350, November 1993. We wish to thank the authors, the editors, and Cambridge University Press for granting permission to post this article on our web site. Back to Top Motor Clumsiness by Tony Attwood. This article, with permission from the author, was excerpted from Dr. Attwood's most recent book, Asperger Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Ltd., 1997. Dr. Attwood explains the affected abilities, the difficulties with manual dexterity, the recognized disorders of movement, and ends with a chart of helpful strategies. If your child suffers from motor difficulties, you will find this a very informative article. Back to Top Girls with Social Deficits and Learning Problems Autism, Atypical Asperger Syndrome or a Variant of These Conditions. In Girls with Social Deficits and Learning Problems: Autism, Atypical Asperger Syndrome or a Variant of These Conditions, Swedish researchers Svenny Kopp and Christopher Gillberg challenge the common belief that autism and autistic-like conditions such as Asperger syndrome occur much more frequently in boys. They suggest that while both sexes may have the same core autism deficits, they present different behavioral phenotypes, tending to lead to autism spectrum diagnoses in boys, and a "whole host of other diagnostic labels" in girls. This article was originally published in European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 89-99, April 1992. We are most grateful to the authors, and to publisher Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag for permission to post it on our web site. Back to Top Validity and Neuropsychological Characterization of Asperger Syndrome: Convergence with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Syndrome Validity and Neuropsychological Characterization of Asperger Syndrome: Convergence with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Syndrome, by A. Klin, F. R. Volkmar, S. S. Sparrow, D. V. Cicchetti, and B. P. Rourke. This article is an absolute must-read for anyone who has questioned the connection between AS and NLD. In addition to comparing the neuropsychological assets and deficits of AS and NLD, the authors also compare the neuropsychological assets and deficits of these two disorders to HFA. This is a technically written research paper, originally published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, Vol. 36, No. 7, pp. 1127-1140, 1995. We wish to thank the authors, the editors, and Cambridge University Press for granting permission to post this article on our web site. Back to Top Autism and Autistic-like Conditions: Subclasses Among Disorders of Empathy Autism and Autistic-like Conditions: Subclasses among Disorders of Empathy, by Christopher Gillberg. In this academic paper, noted researcher and author Christopher Gillberg proposes that "Kanner autism," Asperger syndrome, high-functioning autism, and PDD-NOS, in addition to several other disorders, are all part of a broader group of "empathy disorders". Of particular importance to parents and clinicians is the wealth of data Gillberg presents in support of his argument for extensive neuropsychiatric and medical work-ups in all children with autistic-like conditions. This article was originally published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, Vol. 33, No. 5, pp. 813- 842, 1992. We wish to thank the author, the editors, and Cambridge University Press for granting permission to post this article on our web site Back to Top Asperger Syndrome Asperger Syndrome, by Stephen Bauer, MD, MPH. Dr. Bauer is a developmental pediatrician and Director of the Developmental Unit in the Department of at Genesee Hospital in Rochester, New York. He is also a member of ASC-U.S.ís professional Advisory Board. This is a very comprehensive article covering epidemiology, definition, clinical features, AS through the lifespan, and thoughts on management in the school. Click here to read this paper in Spanish.