Asperger Syndrome, Neurodevelopmental Disorder - Essay Example

? Aspergers syndrome For many people, the disorder is unknown or people have very little knowledge about the disorder, thus, provides the need to understand the Asperger syndrome disorder from the definition and the genesis of the disorder. The Asperger's syndrome belongs to a group of neurodevelopment disorders, characterized as one of the autism spectrum disorders. The affected people have behavioral difficulties and use much of the sign language thus end up developing social patterns of interactions that can be difficult to understand, International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (1973). The Asperger's syndrome came into existence after one Australian pediatrician Dr. Han Asperger focused and based the disorder in 1944. This paper tackles this disorder in depth and tries to analyze the disorder as people have very little knowledge about the Asperger's syndrome. According to Dr. Hans’ findings, he focused his research on a number of students, who showed abnormal characteristics in the part of their behaviors such as lack of empathy, inability to make friends, low level of conversation, in that it was one sided, uncoordinated body movements and had special interests in one line of knowledge. Nevertheless, the Asperger’s syndrome is marked with many symptoms, which if not carefully observed, may go unnoticed. The affected children are usually observed having uncoordinated movement and speech. Their speeches have no rhythms and are monotonic in pitch. The affected people have the inability to control the voice volume so that it can suite their environment, that is, they are either too loud or low making it difficult to follow them, hence require constant reminder of their environment for them to effectively communicate. Unfortunately, the affected people are in constant isolation from the rest of the world, just because of the fact that they have very low social skills. This fact has always been a hindrance to the development and growth of the affected individuals, making it necessary for social skills lessons vital in their lives, to enable them fit in society. In addition to the symptoms, the affected people seem to be well conversed with their subject of interest. They gather many facts about their favorite interests and will constantly talk about them to nearby people, but their conversation always seem to lack direction and consistency as their speech seem to be a bunch of facts put together, in which, it lacks a definitive conclusion. Their conversation is usually self-centered in that they will always want to be the one talking, and the talk is about a singular thing of interest, ruining an ordinary conversation, thus making a conversation with them difficult (International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology 1973). Affected children are usually hyperactive in their childhood although not all attain the achievements of ordinary children, such as performing tasks that require consistent thinking, for example, riding a bicycle, catching a thrown ball or using the outdoor equipment, since they have poor movement coordination, which sometimes marked with stilted or bouncy walk. Subsequently in their teenage life, they may constantly develop anxiety and depression especially when they are unable to achieve their targeted goal thus, a need for constant watch and support for them to make them feel accepted in the society. This disorder is not so common in the society, explaining why people have very little knowledge about it. One in every 250 to 1 in 5000 children has this disorder. With this fact, it is then clear that the disorder is still not so common among the children since a very small number of children are affected. In the adult world, the disorder is very much on males than females approximately three to four times of males than women, American Psychological Association (1965). However, it is just recently that the disorder became recognized, and diagnosis began often among the adults, providing the information of the prevalence of the disorder in the society, creating awareness of the disorder as the prevalence keeps increasing. It is the wish of every parent that their children are born normal and healthy, as this is the only key for a healthy family. Unfortunately, other children are born with disabilities and disorders. Unlike other disorders and disabilities that can be detected in the early development of a child, the Aspergers disorder takes time for it to be noticed, that is, it is identified at the ages of 5 to 6 years because of the development of the language is normal. Thus, a child is born with the disorder but the disorder comes to effect as soon as he or she gets to the age of 5 to 6 years, defining the onset of this disorder. The Aspergers disorder is much prevalent among the boy child than the girl child making the men more vulnerable to the disorder that impairs their life if not well treated and sufficient support given at an early age. The main cause of this disorder is not well known and established, however, thanks to research, done effectively to shed light on this disorder. In the recent research, abnormalities of the brain are the main attributes to the Aspergers syndrome disorder. With advanced technology and techniques, a comparison between the brain of the affected and the not affected established the root cause of the disorder, thus, providing an insight to the main causes of the disorder. These differences in structural and functional region of the brains of the affected is mainly caused by the abnormal movement of embryonic cells during fetal development, which affects the structure of the brain and its wiring, thus, proceeds to affect the neural structure and circuits of the body that coordinates the body in terms of thoughts, behavior and activities. However, with efforts by the scientist to find the root cause of the disorder, the disorder is genetic of the human body as the disorder is common in families that had at least one person that suffered from it. With regard to the minority of the disease among the people and children, its diagnostics is not definite. The diagnostic of these disorder, is unclear and complicated due to the lack of a standardized mechanism of diagnosis. For example, there exists several screening and testing methods that a child can be tested with although each method is subjected to its’ own criteria. Thus, a child can go through several methods of testing each with its own criteria that might be too cumbersome, as it depends entirely, with the method chosen by the doctor. The diagnosis of this disorder is through two comprehensive processes. Which a patient takes, before declared to have the disorder. The first stage involves the patient taken through a development screening with a doctor or any qualified and authorized personnel in the medical field. The second stage involves a comprehensive analysis of the disorder that determines whether to declare that a particular patient is a victim of the disorder or not. This analysis comprises of several experts from the field of medicine such as neurologist, psychiatrist, psychologist and a speech therapist who undertakes a comprehensive screening of the patient, and finally develops a report that reflects their findings and thus declares an individual to be a victim of this disorder. This comprehensive analysis includes tests that involve neurologic and genetic analysis, cognitive behavior and language testing that will be able to determine the IQ of a person. It also looks at the verbal and the nonverbal strengths of a person, the ability to learn and adapt to new environments and finally the ability of a victim of the disorder to survive given the different circumstances of an individuals’ life. With all this tests and diagnosis done to a victim of the disorder, it is quite unfortunate that there is no cure for the disorder. The only definite treatment for the disorder is through defined therapies and interventions, which satisfies the specific demands of a child. Early intervention of a child is highly recommended by the medics since there is no definite cure of the disorder (American Psychological Association 1965). A definite structure treating intervention and program is one that engages the child to perform tasks and duties as required. These programs will help create and build the child’s interests, teaches the child skills in a progressive manner and regularly enforces the required behavior. Such program is one that includes all aspects of skills essential for the development of an upright human life. It may involve therapies that train and teaches the affected people social skills that is imperative in their development and will enable them to interact with others effectively. Subsequently, the program may include cognitive behavior talk that will enable them explore their means of maintaining and containing their emotions thus, minimizing on repetitive tasks and behavior. In addition, parents can also be engaged in therapies that will help them raise their children without the fear of stigmatization. The affected children are also included in physical training facilities especially those that have sensory integration and coordination to enable them function appropriately in their daily activities. Finally, the programs can also contain an implementation program of medication that will help improve and put their lives in perspective. A similar disorder to aspergers syndrome is Autism. This disease belongs to the same developmental disorder, and in fact, the patient suffering from Autism suffers the same difficulties as those of Aspergers syndrome. The main difference arises from the level with which they affect their patient. Autism deprives its victim from the real world and plunges them into a world of fantasy and in an enclosed world of their own. As much as both patients share, the same difficulty, Autism has more severe problems than aspergers. For example, an autism patient is completely impaired in that they have little or no language at all as compared to aspergers syndrome patient who have a normal speech, are intelligent and sometimes have an average or above average in behavior. Thus, these two disorders are in the same category as they share the same difficulties, symptoms yet, a thin line of difference separates the two disorders distinctively. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to look at the negative side of asergers syndrome amongst the affected people. Aspergers syndrome is a disorder that has both sides of good and bad, all the disease requires is a complete awareness of the disorder in the society that will help produce a positive side of the disorder. The affected children are usually bright, happy and full of joy. They have sufficient memory skills that allow them to be very effective in their undertakings. According to the many surveys, it is observed that the affected children a very good and excel in science subjects, that is they are very good with facts, figures, time and dates something that very few people do or find difficult, International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (1973). The aspergers syndrome characterized by repetitive behavior, the victims a structural as they like thing done in a traditional way, as they are in flexible in mind. This persistence of the affected people defines their character and perfects their undertakings. In addition, affected people are usually in isolation that is, either they are isolated by the society or they have very poor social skill, since they cannot maintain friendships and relationships. This isolation works in their advantage and provides them with the environment they require to perfect their work. Some of the greatest men and women who have made great accomplishments in this world have had the disorder. Authors such as Norm ledgin, in their writing acknowledge some of the great men and women in their work, in such books as “Asperger's and Self-Esteem: Insight and Hope through Famous Role Model”. In this book, Norm mentions people such as Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, and Mozart to have the disorder. This people had very poor social skills that isolated them from the rest of the world yet their accomplishment speaks for itself, since much of their work is in every day aspects of our lives. More so, Dr. Han described that for the development of science, a little bit of Aspergers syndrome or autism is required. In his arguments, he argues that the affected people are usually authentic and original, due to the constant thinking and rethinking as they strive for perfection, International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (1973). Their isolation and repetitive nature of doing tasks, and performing these tasks in a structured format provides for this originality, which is an absolute ingredient for science and technology. Keeping in mind all the discussion above, then it is clear that the disorder has both the positive and the negative side. Thus, it is significant therefore, for awareness to be created about the Aspergers syndrome and other related disorder to allow the society to understand how to cater for the affected children and people. In addition, with such awareness the affected people with the disorder will get an early diagnosis and treatment that would lead to a better life for the affected children. For example, severe cases such as neurologic problem of poor coordination among the children noted early, makes it possible for treatment through physical training, therapy and medication. This will allow these children, to have an ordinary life, as they can suitably suit in to the society without stigmatization. Works cited: American Psychological Association. (1965). Journal of abnormal psychology. Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association. International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. (1973). Journal of abnormal child psychology. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Read More