Asperger's Autism is a type of Autism that affects the neuro development of the individual. It is named after a children's doctor by the name of Hans Asperger. He completed many studies in 1944 relating to abnormalities found in some children. His published material helped build the foundation for the concepts of Autism. Many of the concepts he implemented in 1944 are still being used to uncover the mysteries of Austim today.
The technical term for this disorder is Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PPD). It is similar to Classic Autism when you compare it to all other types under the spectrum of Autism. There are five different PPD's that are classified differently than other types of Autism. The sooner a child with Austim starts interventions and therapies, they less likely they will suffer from Autism as they get older.
In 1932 Apserger was assigned to the position of director of the Vienna University Children's Clinic. He observed four children with very similar traits. They were all unable to interact on a social level with their peers even though they had the same levels of intelligence as any average child. They weren't able to show empathy or other emotions to others. They lacked non verbal communication skills and they were very accident prone.
The group of children did speak, but it was in a different context than other children. He also observed that whatever they were talking about at any given moment became the most important topic to them. He coined their behaviors as Autistic Pyschopathy due to the characteristics of social isolation and poor communication skills. He would eventually observe more than 400 children with similar traits to base his writings upon.
Some people continue to debate the classification of Asperger's Autism. There are clinicians who called it High Functioning Autism (HFA). These individuals feel it is only a mild form of Classic Autism. Many individuals who show signs of Asperger's Autism have learning problems but they also seem to excel in their mental abilities as they get older. Helping children with Asperger's Autism will help them be able to use their skills to the fullest.
Asperger wrote many articles about the concept of teaching individuals with Asperger's Autism in a specific type of learning environment so that their development would be benefited. He believed that since they are often obsessed with a particular topic, this gives them the chance to achieve in those areas that capture their attention. The two most common areas that they excel in are art and science. Many individuals are surprised to find that Albert Einstein was diagnosed with Asperger's Autism.
By Caleb Liu
