What is Asperger's Syndrome?

People with Asperger’s Syndrome are experiencing difficulty with social interactions, speech, and sensitivity to a particular stimulus. Younger people with Asperger’s Syndrome may also have difficulty relating to others, and their behaviour can be repetitive.

How We Help with Asperger’s Syndrome Treatment?

We support individuals with Asperger’s with various essential skills, including helping them develop better social skills using speech-language therapy, learning techniques to help them deal with challenges and providing them with occupational therapy. We provide essential support and training to their families, too. We work closely with each individual, helping them manage essential areas of life such as finding the right job, understanding their symptoms, and managing their condition more effectively to enjoy the best possible quality of life.

Speech-Language Therapy

Speech-language therapy is 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 has. We can then create an individualised treatment plan tailored to their specific needs.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy treats various mental health conditions and is particularly effective in treating individuals with Autism. Through extensive talking/counselling sessions, we can help individuals manage their difficulties 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 to help people with Autism live a meaningful life. It involves one-on-one therapy overseen by certified therapists and organised around the child’s 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.

Diagnosing Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger’s can be a complex diagnosis, particularly in adults, where no specific test or criteria can be used. The reason for this is that, unlike most forms of autism, people with Asperger’s syndrome often display better 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 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 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 test is used if the care provider needs to distinguish autism spectrum disorders from other conditions. It is suitable for kids ages 4 to 18. If you think that you or a loved one may have an autistic spectrum 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 a psychiatrist, who can assess your behaviours and symptoms and help determine if you have AS or another ASD.