Aspergers syndrome

Aspergers syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a child's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Children with Aspergers syndrome typically exhibit social awkwardness and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics.

Signs and symptoms of Aspergers syndrome include:

Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures

Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes

Appearing not to understand, empathize with, or be sensitive to others' feelings

Having a hard time reading other people or understanding humor

Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast

Moving clumsily, with poor coordination

Having an odd posture or a rigid gait

Diagnosis and Development

Autism and Aspergers Syndrome are difficult to diagnose especially in young children where language and cognitive skills are still developing. All children are different, and many toddlers show a sign or symptom of Aspergers syndrome at some point. It's natural for small children to be egocentric, and many little ones show a strong interest in a particular topic, such as dinosaurs or a favorite fictional character. These alone aren’t reasons to be alarmed!