What is Asperger’s Syndrome
What is Asperger’s Syndrome? Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of Autism typified by traits such as experiencing difficulty with social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns,…
What is Asperger's Syndrome?
Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of Autism typified by traits such as experiencing difficulty with social interactions, obsessions, odd speech patterns, and other mannerisms that are not considered the “norm”. Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome may engage in obsessive routines or show an unusual sensitivity to a particular stimulus. Younger people with Asperger’s Syndrome may also have a difficult time relating to others and their behaviour can be rigid and repetitive.
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How we help with Asperger's Syndrome treatment?
We can help support individuals with Asperger’s as well as providing essential support and training to their families. Depending on the severity of the individual’s condition, we are able to help them with a variety of essential skills including helping them to develop better social skills using speech language therapy, aid in learning techniques to help them deal with issues such as anger management and providing them with occupational therapy. We work closely with each and every individual, helping them to manage essential areas of life such as finding the right job, understanding their symptoms, and managing their condition more effectively so as to enjoy the best possible quality of life.
Speech-language therapy
Speech language therapy has proved highly effective in helping individuals with autism improve their communication skills. Following a full assessment designed to assess the individual’s speech, language and communication skills, a speech/language therapist will be able to determine the types of difficulties the individual currently has as well as the severity of these difficulties. We can then create an individualised treatment plan which will be tailored to their specific needs.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioural therapy is used to treat a wide variety of mental disorders and is particularly effective in the treatment of individuals with Autism. Through extensive talking/counselling sessions we are able to help patients manage their problems more effectively by helping them recognize and understand various triggers, and how their emotions and behaviours affect each other.
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA)
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is one of the most common treatments used to help people with Autism live a normal life. It involves one-on-one therapy overseen by certified therapists and organized around the child’s individual needs. Using ABA, the therapist can help the individual develop essential social and life skills such as using the bathroom or learning to write their name. The approach breaks socially desirable behaviours down into steps and rewards the child for completing each step.
Diagnosing Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger’s can be a difficult condition to diagnose, particularly in adults, where there is currently no specific test or criteria that can be used for diagnosis. The reason for this is that unlike with most forms of autism, people with Asperger’s syndrome often display better than average verbal skills making it harder to notice certain other traits. Furthermore, no two people experience Asperger’s in the same way. Whilst some individuals can display one or two of the symptoms, others may display nearly all or most of them.
In children, Asperger’s is slightly easier to diagnose, however since 2013 Asperger’s now falls under the broader category of general autism spectrum disorder. There are several methods currently available for diagnosing children. These include the following:
Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)
Includes 15 items that evaluate social interaction, emotional regulation, thinking skills and the child’s ability to adapt. Each item is rated on a scale of one to four.Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS)
This method looks at specific behaviours associated with Asperger’s whilst also documenting progress and suggesting goals for change. It’s used for assessing children and adolescents and can be completed by anyone who knows the child well.Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS)
This evaluation detects symptoms and behaviours of autism spectrum disorders in kids aged between 2 to 18. This test is designed to compare the child with a national sample of children with autism spectrum disorders. Social Responsiveness Scale This test is used if the care provider needs to distinguish autism spectrum disorders from other psychiatric conditions. It is suitable for kids ages 4 to 18. If you think that you or a loved one may have an autistic disorder, you will need to discuss the matter further with a healthcare provider. They may refer you to a specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, who can assess your behaviours and symptoms, and help determine if you have AS or another ASD.Related posts
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