Diagnosing Asperger's Syndrome

Since Asperger's Syndrome varies greatly in both terms of its severity as well as the signs that would indicate its presence, the diagnosis frequently difficult. If your child is showing signs of Asperger's Syndrome, it would not be unlikely that your doctor may suggest that a comprehensive evaluation is carried out by a team of professionals.

If this is the case, such a comprehensive evaluation will most likely include the child being observed, with an accompanying discussion with you asking details about how the child is developing, both currently as well as in recent months. The professional team may well ask questions about how your child interacts socially with others, what their communication skills are like and what friendships they have formed. Do not be alarmed at these questions, since the doctors are simply trying to determine whether or not your child is afflicted with Asperger's Disorder, and if so, to what extent. You will likely note that your child undergoes a number of tests to determine their level of intellect and what academic abilities that they have, as well as tests to determine typical shortcomings, based on where a child of that age should be. These tests will assess your child's abilities in areas of speech, language and visual motor problem solving. Frequently these tests will also help to identify other emotional, behavorial and/or psychological issues that your child may have.

While unfortunate, it is sometimes the case that a child who is afflicted with Asperger's Disorder may first be mis-diagnosed as having a different problem. The reason for this is that Asperger's Syndrome is difficult to definitively pinpoint; i.e., not at all as simple as diagnosing a broken arm. A common disorder that is sometimes mistaken for Asperger's Syndrome would be Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or another similar emotional behavior disorder. For some children, it is even worse as they will instead of being diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome will be labeled as willful or malicious troublemakers instead. So it is very important that you speak with your doctor if your child is having difficulties at school.

Frequently the accurate diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome is further complicated and made more difficult via the use of several different screening instruments. Another problem is that there are some doctors who believe that Asperger's Syndrome is not a separate and distinct disorder, but will instead refer to it as HFA (High Functioning Autism) instead. The diagnosis for both Asperger's Syndrome and HFA are used interchangeably and a child can receive a different diagnosis, but it all depends on which screening tool a doctor has used. There are some children who have been diagnosed with HFA when in fact they are suffering from Asperger's Syndrome and vice versa.

So it is a great idea that any parent who notices a problem in relation to their child and their school behavior should arrange for them to see their doctor in order to get the correct sort of diagnosis. While it is important not to jump the gun or to draw conclusions too early, it is definitely something that parents should be aware of and keep an eye on.

Aspergers Syndrome

Understanding Aspergers Disorder

Diagnosing Asperger's Syndrome