2011 Seminar on Aspergers (High-Functioning Autism): Transcript of Q & A Session
Question #1: Can you give us just a basic summary of Aspergers for those of us who are not familiar with the disorder? Generally, Aspergers is understood to involve problems with social skills and relationships, nonverbal communication difficulties, restricted, repetitive behaviors, narrow areas of interest, and adequate development of language skills and intelligence. Since 1944 when Hans Asperger first wrote of the symptoms he observed, professionals have included different groupings of the following symptoms in their definitions of the condition: • compulsive adherence to nonfunctional routines • delayed motor skills • lack of delay in speech or language comprehension skills • motor clumsiness • narrow interest • nonverbal communication problems • normal intellectual development • odd speech • preference for solitary activities • preoccupation with parts of objects or nonfunctional aspects of toys, tools, machines, etc. • problematic peer relationshi