1. Asperger’s Syndrome Lora Anderson

2. What is Asperger’s Syndrome? A neurological disorder It is on the “high end” of the Autism spectrum

3. Characteristics Symptoms range from mild to severe Severe and sustained impairment in social interactions Development of restrictive and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities Difficulty with transitions and changes

4. More Characteristics Difficulty reading body language Normal IQ (>70) Rich vocabulary Very literal Overly sensitive to: smells sights sounds tastes

5. Asperger’s Syndrome is NOT Autism! No significant delays in language No delays in cognitive development Can develop age-appropriate self-help skills

6. Prevalence Limited information available, possibly 20 per 10,000 live births 3-4 times more likely in males 5 times more common than Down Syndrome 3 times more common than Juvenile Diabetes

7. Diagnosis Usually diagnosed between ages 5-9 Appears to run in families Lifelong disorder

8. Commonly misdiagnosed Tourette’s Syndrome Autism Attention Deficit Disorder Oppositional Defiance Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

9. Common Treatments St. John’s Wort Tea Haldol Ritalin Vitamins

10. Common Therapies Anti-yeast therapy Auditory training Lovaas Method (behavior modification) TEACCH (behavior management system) Speech Therapy Occupational Therapy

11. How do I communicate with this student? Be concrete and specific Go SLOW Model tasks for student Break tasks down into smaller steps Provide accurate info about changes Specifically engage student’s attention

12. Provide social supports Protect child from teasing and bullying Praise classmates for appropriate interactions Let the student share his knowledge Use the “buddy system” Utilize social stories to get through difficult situations Concentrate on changing inappropriate behaviors (not odd ones)

13. What kind of environment should I provide? Must be predictable and safe Minimal transitions Remove student from stressful situations if necessary Provide personal space for relaxation or sensory integration exercises

14. How can I help this student with his behavior? Use timer or other visual cues Give student choices (not too many: 2-3) Provide immediate, concrete reinforcement Do not discipline because of behaviors related to Asperger’s

15. Always remember: Be positive Be creative Be flexible

16. Resources www.asperger.org www.aspergers.com www.aspennj.org www.udel.edu