Symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome

It is important to remember that people with Asperger's syndrome are as different from one another as any two people in the general population.  While it is true that people with Asperger's syndrome tend to have problems with socialization, and behavior, these challenges are exhibited in a variety of ways and occur within the context of numerous strengths.  In addition, some individuals will also exhibit some additional characteristics associated with Autism.  
 

Socialization:

• Literal interpretation of others’ comments
• Blunt expressions of opinion
• Limited ability to interpret nonverbal cues from others
• Difficulty with initiation, maintenance (flow) and termination of social conversation
• Preference for solitary or parallel (side by side) activity
• Gravitation toward either much younger peers and/or adults
• Difficulty and/or distress with group activity
• Social withdrawal or inappropriate/awkward initiation of social interaction
• Limited understanding of how to use social cues to facilitate an interaction
• Little inherent safety awareness or fear of danger, when young
• Tendency to wander/run away from caregivers, especially when young
• Limited intuitive understanding of another person’s feelings 
• Limited subtlety or precision in emotional expression
• Lack of interest in competitive sports, games and activities
• Relative indifference to peer pressure

Restricted Patterns of Thought/Behavior:

• Insistence on sameness, predictability
• Distress with changes in caregiver, routine, environment
• Persistent stereotypic or repetitive behavior (e.g., body-rocking, spinning, hand-flapping), particularly when distressed, excited or bored
• Odd ritualistic behaviors that seem compulsive
• Strict adherence to routines and rules
• Preoccupation with favorite topic(s), almost to the point of obsession
• Interest in fact/trivia gathering relative to preferred topics
• Excellent memory for historical events
• Odd play style—preference for parts of objects and/or repetitive, non-functional activity; preference for objects v. toys; limited development of true pretend play

Strengths 

• Ability to focus on detail
• Honesty
• Memory for facts, rules
• Expert level of knowledge/ability in certain areas
• Relative ability to process visual (v. verbal) information
• Capacity to learn social, cognitive and adaptive skills
• Ability to perform learned routines independently
• General perseverance
• Ability to form strong relationships with care providers (e.g., parents, teachers, siblings) and peers
• Capacity for experiencing emotions, such as fear, sadness and joy
• Desire for enjoyable and/or soothing leisure activities
• Desire for participation in meaningful, worthwhile activities
• Desire for safe, comfortable and familiar environments

Associated characteristics:

• Over or under sensitivity to pain
• Sensory processing problems—especially auditory, tactile, or proprioceptive and kinesthetic
• Tendency toward significant physical over- or under-activity
• Tendency toward over-focusing on preferred activities and/or general distractibility otherwise
• Delayed development of fine and gross motor skills
• Less coordinated and/or less strong fine and gross motor skills
• Perceptual motor difficulties
• Tantrums in response to anxiety, frustration
• Emotional over-reactivity to perceived environmental stressors