Children with Asperger's Syndrome: Symptom Overview

Asperger's Syndrome is an autism-spectrum disorder that affects the child's ability to interact socially. Some may call it a social disability, but Asperger's Syndrome comes with special talents as well as difficulties. My seven-year-old son Sam was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome earlier this year, and I can say his diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome has made our lives a bit more interesting.

These symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome are general. Some children with Asperger's Syndrome (often called Aspies) may not experience all these symptoms, depending on the severity of Asperger's. The symptoms are also in no particular order.

Asperger's Syndrome Symptom #1: Difficulties with Body Language, Language and Humor

Children with Asperger's Syndrome have a very hard time reading body language, including facial expressions and tone of voice. Sam will see a picture of a man frowning, and while Sam can say, "That guy is ugly," he can't distinguish that the man is feeling anger. Aspies also usually have odd facial expressions themselves.

Because of his Asperger's Syndrome, Sam also can't determine the difference between a playful "stop" and a meaningful "stop". When Sam and his sister are playing, I often have to step in to referee because he just can't hear the difference between his sister's playful squeals and cries of pain.

Children with Asperger's Syndrome also have problems with eye contact. Because Aspies have to concentrate so closely on the words being spoken, they often prefer to stare at the person's mouth.

Children with Asperger's Syndrome are also very literal. I use this anecdote all the time: While I was writing my article about how to use duct tape as a parenting tool, I teased my children that if they didn't stop bouncing off my walls, I would duct tape them to the walls. My daughter giggled and started hunting down a roll of duct tape (we didn't have any), but my son freaked out. Sam started crying because he truly believed I was going to duct tape him to the wall.

Sam also doesn't understand sarcasm, irony, metaphors, or even jokes. He told me a joke the other day: "Why did the butterfly cross the bathroom? To take a shower!" When I asked him why that was funny, he replied, "Because Mom... butterflies don't take showers!"

Asperger's Syndrome Symptom #2: Difficulties Playing with Other Children

Because childhood games tend to move quickly, children with Asperger's Syndrome often have a hard time keeping up. The pace is too confusing, and rules are too hard to remember. Because of this, children with Asperger's Syndrome often like to play by themselves, or they like to make up their own games, often with rules that change with their whims.

Sam likes to do what we call "playing inside his head". He has his own little world that he controls, and he acts out scenarios from that world in his play. He's often bouncing around the living room, making sound effects with his mouth, and using non-traditional items to act out the scenes. For example, Sam has several Star Wars light sabers, but he would rather use a stick to act out a sword-fighting scene.

Asperger's Syndrome Symptom #3: Sensory Issues

Children with Asperger's Syndrome often have various sensory issues. Some Aspies may have problems with bright lights, loud or sudden noises, clutter or crowds of people, food or clothing textures, or any combination of the above.

Sam has problems with all those things. He doesn't like bright lights - his eyes water. He doesn't do well with loud or sudden noises - so yelling usually doesn't work to discipline him. He can't find his favorite toy in his toy box, even if it's right on top. He has a very odd diet, because he can't handle the texture of certain foods, and he has to wear his socks inside out because the socks have "pimples" that bother his feet.

Asperger's Syndrome Symptom #4: Transitions and Schedule Changes

Children with Asperger's Syndrome do not deal well with change. Aspies like their routine and they don't do well with variations from that schedule. Children with Asperger's Syndrome also detest surprises.

I have become so accustomed to preparing Sam for transitions or changes in schedule that it's second nature to me. Upon picking him up from daycare, if we aren't going straight home, I tell him what's going on. "Okay Sam, first we need to run to the grocery store to pick up food for supper, then we need to stop at the convenience store, and finally we need to drop these letters at the post office. Then we'll be going home."

Asperger's Syndrome Symptom #5: Special Abilities

Not every symptom of Asperger's Syndrome is a bad one. Children with Asperger's Syndrome have special abilities, such as a good memory, an ease with mathematics and computers, various areas of expertise, and a terrific imagination.

Sam has a few areas of expertise right now: birds and collecting rocks, cards, and Hot Wheels cars. He has a bird book, and he can tell you exactly what page the masked booby is on (yes, that's a bird). He has a huge tub filled with rocks from all over the place, and he knows every single one of them and where he found it. The cards... well, it's any kind of card, from baseball cards to playing cards to Yu-Gi-Oh GX cards.

The downside to these areas of expertise is that children with Asperger's Syndrome like to talk about them, endlessly. It gives Aspies comfort to talk about something they know a lot about, but they miss the social cues that tell him their listener is bored. They will often have very long-winded, one-sided conversations.

Because of his Asperger's Syndrome, Sam has a terrific memory. He never forgets anything. I told him my best friend's birthdate once, and a few weeks later asked him what it was. He recalled it without even thinking about it.

As I mentioned earlier, Sam has an incredible imagination, even choosing to use his imagination over traditional toys. How else would a child create an entire alternative world inside his head, if not for a wonderful imagination?

For more information on the early signs of Asperger's Syndrome, please read my article here.

Sources:

Welton, Jude (2004). Can I tell you about Asperger's Syndrome? A guide for friends and family. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.