Asperger Syndrome - Research Paper Example

? Asperger Syndrome of Asperger Syndrome A few years ago, the television program, Boston Legal, had a young lawyer named Jerry Epsenson, who was nicknamed “Hands” by another character, Denny Crane, because he always had his hands down at his sides. Epsenson never shook hands with people and he did not interact well with others. He also did not keep eye contact with individuals and was easily frustrated when attempting to get his words across to others. He occasionally had outbursts of temper and he showed no emotion when something happened to a firm member. He also often talked about nothing in particular, but would continue on a train of thought while others groaned at having to listen to him. Jerry was eventually able to gain some trust at the Boston Legal law firm after he used an intervention of pretending to smoke a cigarette while talking, so that he could show his self-esteem. As often happens on television programs, Epsenson’s character shed light on the issue of Autism in general and Asperger Syndrome specifically. It is not known how many people have Asperger Syndrome (Asperger) because it is a relatively new finding within the autism spectrum(Families of Adults Affected by Asperger Syndrome, 2013) [FAAAS). According to FAAAS, there are approximately 1,000 people across the United States who have Asperger. The Centers for Disease Control (n.d.) do not provide a number of people for the disorder. This shows that experts do not really know how many people have Asperger. One reason that there are no statistics, may be that in reporting statistics for Asperger it is generally grouped in with all autism statistics. Toth and King (2008) found that Asperger occurs at the rate of about 10,000 people but they do not state whether this is per year. Definitions The National Association of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [NANDS] (2013) defines Asperger Syndrome as one of the types of autism in the spectrum of autism … that is characterized by social impairment, communication difficulties, and restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior” (para. 1). Asperger Syndrome was found in 1944 by Hans Asperger who was a pediatrician in Austria. He observed several children who seemed to be of normal intelligence, but who had problems interacting socially with others, and these children would seem to obsess on a single topic. At first, Asperger’s was defined as an “autistic psychopathy” (NANDS, 2013) because Asperger though it to be a personality disorder that was created because the child was socially isolated. Asperger’s work was not seen at that time by many physicians, and remained somewhat hidden until 1981 when another doctor in England, Lorna Wing, published an article using case studies of children who had similar symptoms. She called this, “Asperger’s syndrome” (NANDS, 2013, par. 8). By 1992, Asperger syndrome became a known disease with a diagnosis, and it was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), in 1994 (NANDS, 2013). The challenge for researchers is that the syndrome has not been easily identified against the symptoms of high level Autism, so the definition of the symptoms are still being researched. Criteria and Diagnosis The DSM-IV-TR categorizes Asperger as one of several disorders that are usually diagnosed in childhood or in adolescence. It is also classified as a “disorder” rather than a syndrome. The diagnosis of any disorders on the autism spectrum is difficult because there are so many factors to consider. In fact, the Asperger diagnosis in the DSM-IV-TR is very much like the other autism spectrum features. According to the DSM-IV-TR, Asperger is usually marked by difficulties with social interaction, and a marked interest in one specific activity. In addition, the individual is not able to have peer relationships that are appropriate to their developmental age, may say the same word or phrase repeatedly and they may not be able to use nonverbal skills such as eye-to-eye contact, body posture, or facial expressions (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Toth and King (2008) state that generally, an individual with Asperger syndrome does not have cognitive problems as in mental retardation or intellectual impairments, but the individual has difficulty executing certain words or phrases. It has also been found that Rosqvist (2012) studied adults with Asperger and found that many had not been diagnosed as children. Through this study, they found the diagnosis important to adults because it helps the understand what their symptoms mean and how to deal with them. Types Asperger to date only has one type although it is usually grouped with other autistic spectrum disorders that include classic autism, Rett’s disorder (Rett syndrome), childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011). Prevalence I found it interesting that there was not more research on the prevalence of Asperger in children or adults. I would think that more would be said since there have been several television programs that showed someone who dealt with this syndrome and there are many famous people that have been listed as having the syndrome. Most of the research suggested that there are not enough studies to show the prevalence of Asperger (Allen et al., 2008). Prayson and Franco (2012) state that some Asperger children are not diagnosed until they are over the age of 11 or when they are adults. Also, Carpenter, Soorya & Halpern (2009) state that it is difficult to find distinct information on Asperger because it is not separated from other types of autism spectrum. Cause Sweeney, Sweeney, Kieran, and Phil (2010) state that “all the autistic spectrum disorders are highly heritable” (p. 33) or it could be caused by environmental conditions such as a mothers exposure to cytomegalovirus or mothers drinking alcohol in the first weeks of pregnancy. Many children with Asperger’s have been found to have a high level of serotonin in their systems, which neurologically could mean a challenge with the neurotransmitters in a mother’s brain. Also, some research presented by Sweeney et al. suggests that the brains of babies with Asperger are larger than other babies causing the babies to have “marginally macrocephalic” brains (p. 34). Finally, there have been neuronatal size differences in the limbic system of children, the part of the brain that plays a part in the emotion. Also, there are abnormalities in the frontal lobe and the cerebellum. Woodbury-Smith and Volkmar (2009) state the preponderance of evidence shows that these neurological issues seem to be most increased in males, and that males are more often diagnosed with Asperger than girls. Effects Hayes (2009) states that children with Asperger will not ask to have children come to their homes like other children will. Children with Asperger do not play with toys in the manner that other children do, and they may not interact with children easily. These children are not able to play games in the way that other children do and they are not flexible (Hayes, 2009). Although most children create an opportunity to be with other children, children with Asperger isolate themselves easily. These children are also prone to play with something the like, but they will obsess on something and not talk about anything else. All of these issues will prevent a child from having a full life without intervention. They will continue to feel isolated and parents will need to encourage their children to interact with other children. They will also need to have this happen in a classroom or in a therapist’s office. The earlier the intervention, the better it is for the child (Hayes, 2009). Treatment Specific treatments for Asperger have not been found, so a series of different treatments, based on the needs of the individual child are proposed (Toth and King, 2008). Interventions that have been tried include behavioral programs, naturalistic child centered interventions, and interventions that will improve social interaction (Toth and King, 2008). Though various psychotropic and other drugs have been used in attempts to increase the ability of children to function normally, these have not shown to be the best intervention (Tantam and Girgis, 2009). Because many people with Asperger have other types of disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety, and sometimes self-harm), these disorders are often treated because they can heighten the challenges for Asperger syndrome (Tantam and Girgis, 2009). Empathy and social skill training are often recommended but there are no specific interventions that work for every person with Asperger. Tantam and Girgis point out that one of the reasons interventions are not specific is because they may not transfer from one environment to another. Opinion It would be difficult to live with a child or an adult with Asperger syndrome because of the difficulty in their interaction with people. It would seem that one would have to always be on their guard to help the family member or friend from embarrassing themselves and others. They would be awkward in social situations which most people expect that there is at least some ability of a person to comprehend their intentions. Personally, I think it would be difficult because there is no real treatment for the disorder and this would create a problem when socializing with other people. There is a need for more study about this disorder because there may be more people with Asperger syndrome than is known. It would stand to reason that this topic would be of use to society because it would open up studies and create more understanding of what these children and adults go through. Conclusion Asperger syndrome is part of the autism spectrum of disorders and it is marked by children who do not associate well with their peers. These children are standoffish, partly because they do not have the natural ability to understand social cues or to read body language. There is no “cure” for this syndrome and there are no real medications that have been shown to actually help the syndrome; instead, symptoms of depression or anxiety may be treated to help curb the symptoms of Asperger syndrome. The cause of Asperger is not known, although there are research studies that suggest this may be caused by biological, environmental, or neurological issues when a child is born or when the child is older. Without some sort of social interaction training, children may not be able to live a full life that includes people. As adults, they would not be able to work within the parameters of a job that dealt with people on a daily basis. References Allen, D., Evans, C., Hider, A., Hawkins, S., Peckett, H., & Morgan, H. (2008). Offending behaviour in adults with Asperger syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(4), 748-58. DOI 10.1007/s10803-007-0442-9 American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Edition. [DSM-IV-TR]. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Asperger's Syndrome – Symptoms. (2009). WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-symptoms Carpenter, L. A., Soorya, L., & Halpern, D. (2009). Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism. Pediatric Annals, 38(1), 30-5. Retrieved from ProQuest database. Document ID: 217558857. Centers for Disease Control [CDC] (n.d.). Autism spectrum disorders: Facts about ASDs. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html Families of Adults Affected by Asperger Syndrome. (2013). Asperger’s Syndrome fact sheet. Retrieved from http://faaas.org/research-materials/brochures-factsheets/aspergers-syndrome-fact-sheet/ Hayes, S. (2009). A look at Asperger’s syndrome. Scholastic Parent & Child, 17, 86-89. Retrieved from ProQuest database. Document ID: 210654591. National Association of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [NANDS]. (2013). Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm National Institute of Mental Health. (2011). What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/a-parents-guide-to-autism-spectrum-disorder/what-is-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd.shtml Prayson, B., and Franco, K. (2012). Is an adult with Asperger syndrome sitting in your waiting room? Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 79(12), 875-882, DOI:10.3949/ccjm.79a.11161 Rosqvist, H. B. (2012). Normal for an Asperger: Notions of the meanings of diagnoses among adults with Asperger syndrome. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 50(2), 120-8. Retrieved ProQuest database. DOI: 10.1352/1934-9556-50.2.120 Sweeney, K. D., & Sweeney, Kieran, C. (2010). Recognising and managing Asperger’s syndrome. Practice Nurse, 39(1), 31-34. Retrieved from ProQuest database. Document ID: 230453277 Tantam, D., and Girgis, S. (2009). Recognition and treatment of Asperger syndrome in the community. British Medical Bulletin, 89, 41–62. DOI:10.1093/bmb/ldp006 Toth, K., & King, B. H., (2008). Asperger's syndrome: Diagnosis and treatment. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(8), 958-63. Retrieved from Proquest database. Document ID 220469285. Woodbury-Smith, M., & Volkmar, F. R. (2009). Asperger syndrome. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 18(1), 2-11. DOI 10.1007/s00787-008-0701-0 Read More