Fortunately there are several things you can do to cope with Asperger syndrome. The first thing to do is learn about the disorder. There is a large amount of information in books and web sites. Do some research so that you better understand your child’s challenges and the range of services in your school district and state that may help. Another big help for you is to learn about your child. With some time and patience, you’ll learn which situations and environments may cause problems for your child and which coping strategies work. Keeping a diary and looking for patterns may help.

You’ll need to make important decisions about your child’s education and treatment. Find a team of teachers and therapists that you trust. They can help evaluate the options in your area and explain the federal regulations regarding children with disabilities.

The tendency to fixate on a particular narrow topic is one of the hallmarks of Asperger’s syndrome, and it can be annoying to those who must listen to incessant talk about the topic every day. But a consuming interest can also connect a child with Asperger’s syndrome to schoolwork and social activities. In some cases, kids with Asperger’s syndrome can even turn their childhood fascination into a career or profession.

Let your child know that you’re there whenever he or she needs you. Say this over and over again — your child may need to hear it a lot because he or she feels unworthy of love and attention. Remember, kids who are depressed see the world through “dark lenses” because their experiences are colored by their depression. They might act like they don’t want help or might not even know what they are really experiencing. It’s important to let your child know that you understand what he or she might be going through and that you’re going to seek an expert opinion to find a way to make life easier.

Many professionals felt Asperger’s Disorder was simply a milder form of autism and used the term “high-functioning autism” to describe these individuals. Professor Uta Frith, with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and author of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger’s Disorder as “having a dash of Autism.”

Asperger’s Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger’s Disorder a less severe form of autism.

Children with autism are frequently seen as un-social. Although, children with Asperger Syndrome usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don’t know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of body language.

Interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive. Children with Asperger’s syndrome frequently like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in knowing categories of information, such as baseball statistics or Latin names of flowers. While they may have good memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.

There is no speech delay in Asperger’s. In fact, children with Asperger’s syndrome frequently have good language skills; they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature.  Speech may also be overly formal, with too loud or too high of pitch. Children with Asperger Syndrome may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not understand the give-and- take nature of a conversation.

Children with Asperger Syndrome frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward. Most children with Asperger’s syndrome possess average to above average intelligence.

However, as subtle as the symptoms may appear, the subtleness does not make them any less challenging for parents.  Frequently the challenge of getting a well-trained person to diagnosis Asperger Syndrome is the biggest challenge of parents who think their child might has Asperger Syndrome.

One of the ways clinicians diagnosis AS is through the behaviors they either observe or hear the parents discuss. No blood test or brain scan exists to diagnosis any of the autism spectrum disorders; therefore, it is up to a well-trained professional to make the accurate diagnosis.

Below are a few examples of some of the behaviors that individuals with Asperger Syndrome exhibit:

• Some individuals with AS can have obsessions with parts of objects.  For example the child might be obsessed with taking apart and putting together the engine in a remote control car versus a typical child who might enjoy playing with the remote control car and driving it around the house.
• Some individuals with AS might have a strong need for routine in all that they do.  They might like for their day to be structured the same every day, they may want to get dressed in the same order everyday, or they may want to perform the same activities at the same time everyday.
• Some individuals with AS might have a strong interest in certain topics.  They become so interested that it’s all they want to talk about with others.  For example, some children might have a strong interest in dinosaurs; they might know every kind of dinosaur by name and every type of food the animals eat.  An adult with AS might have a strong interest in music, able to tell you artists, year the music was written, etc.  The interest is so strong it typically interferes with their daily life.
• Some individuals with AS might have repetitive and stereo typical hand motions or body movements.  Flipping their fingers or clapping their hands may be something that they do without noticing or something that they do because it interests them or completely dominates their interest.

If your child or loved one exhibits one or even two of these behaviors it doesn’t guarantee that they have Asperger’s disorder, it simply means it should be explored.  Taking the time to visit a medical professional and cover your options as far as diagnosis and treatment are concerned would be in your best interest.

However, as subtle as the symptoms may appear, the subtleness does not make them any less challenging for parents.  Frequently the challenge of getting a well-trained person to diagnosis Asperger Syndrome is the biggest challenge of parents who think their child might has Asperger Syndrome.

One of the ways clinicians diagnosis AS is through observing the child’s social interaction with others or interviewing parents about the child’s social interaction.  No blood test or brain scan exists to diagnosis any of the autism spectrum disorders; therefore, it is up to a well-trained professional to make the accurate diagnosis. 

Below are a few examples of some of the social challenges that individuals with Asperger Syndrome exhibit: 

1. Social interaction can be something to keep an eye on if you notice any of the following, take real notice if more than one is present. 
2. Individuals with AS may have difficulty with facial expressions.  They may demonstrate a flat affect, demonstrating very few changes in their facial expressions, or they may not use facial expressions appropriately.  For example, they may not smile when they are happy or frown when they are sad.  This does not mean that they do not have these emotions; it simply means they do not know how to appropriately express these emotions.
3. Individuals with AS may have difficulty in developing relationships with peers that would be considered normal within their age group. For example, they might get along better with adults who are more predictable, or may get along better with younger children who are more at their social-emotional stage.
4. Individuals with AS may have difficulty carrying on a conversation with another person if it is not something they are highly interested in. For example, they might only want to talk about their favorite dinosaurs and have difficulty letting the other person interact or add to the conversation.

If your child or loved one exhibits one or even two of these behaviors it doesn’t guarantee that they have Asperger’s disorder, it simply means it should be explored.  Taking the time to visit a medical professional and cover your options as far as diagnosis and treatment are concerned would be in your best interest.  

What does happen after the free public education is gone and they have to start earning a living or living an adult life?  There are a number of situations to consider when making the transition from child to adulthood, here are a few:

• Is your child with Asperger’s the type that would enjoy continuing their education with a venture to college or are they simply glad to be done with the education they have?  Many colleges and universities make special accommodations to allow those with disabilities to be educated on a post-secondary level.  If not, is there a trade that a trade school or vocation tech could help them learn?  A trade to make a living or keep interest beyond normal?
• Those with Asperger’s enjoy completing tasks and having well-defined goals or routines which are exactly the things average people don’t enjoy about a job.  An adult with Asperger’s could excel in a task-based or information gathering position at any number of businesses in the world.  An employment opportunity that allows for support and security along with a sense of accomplishment will suit their needs.
• Is your young adult with Asperger’s able to take care of grocery shopping or paying monthly bills?  If so, then they are most likely capable of living on their own and gaining the independence and satisfaction that comes along with it.  If not, look into a group home that offers interaction with a like-minded individual.  A sense of belonging goes along way in helping develop the social communications skills that people with Asperger’s have.

These are just three things to consider when your child with Asperger’s is making the transition from child to adulthood.  Consider your child’s options and consult with a doctor or parent in the same situation for more help.