1. Asperger’s
Disorder
Ivy S. Gementiza, RN

2. OVERVIEW

4. Asperger's disorder
• Characterized by:
– poor peer relationships
– lack of empathy
– tendency to be overfocused on certain
topics
• These children will not seek spontaneous
interpersonal interactions

5. • Characteristically:
– average to above-average intelligence
– have developed normal language skills
in terms of vocabulary and grammar
• There are no significant delays in the
areas of cognitive development,
development of age-appropriate self-help
skills, adaptive behavior, and curiosity
about the environment

6. • Common behaviors associated with
Asperger's disorder:
– limited range of interest
– strict adherence to routines and rituals
– repetitious motor movements or
sequences
• Asperger's disorder is one of several
developmental disabilities associated
with normal intelligence

7. • Academic and functional
underachievement in the preschool and
school-age child with normal intelligence
is the common picture
• To develop an individualized treatment
plan:
– Proper diagnosis
– Utilizing a cooperative team effort
from several individuals

8. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND
ETIOLOGY

9. • The etiology is unknown
• Asperger's disorder is commonly not
diagnosed until school-age

10. • One study showed the prevalence of
Asperger's disorder to be approximately
3 per 1,000 children
• The male to female ratio is 4:1

11. DIAGNOSIS AND
MANAGEMENT

12. • Complete medical review, family history,
and physical examination
– include vision and hearing assessment
and neurologic evaluation to rule out
other disorders
• Genetic evaluation and counseling to
identify the presence of recurrence risks

13. • Psychological testing to determine the
exact nature of cognitive and perceptual
dysfunctions
• Behavioral and social assessment
• Assessment of academic performance
• MRI and other testing to determine
underlying neurologic abnormality if
appropriate

14. • Occupational and physical therapy,
speech and language evaluations as
necessary
• School evaluation—school psychologists
will obtain IQ testing and achievement
testing
• The teacher's input is also essential

15. • The focus of a school evaluation is to
determine eligibility for services
• Most school systems will provide services
only when moderate to severe problems
exist.
• It may be necessary for the family to
provide remediation for problems
considered mild outside of the
educational setting.