According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Asperger's syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder. This means it is on a continuum of developmental disorders that includes classic autism. NINDS estimates that about 2 out of every 10,000 children have this disorder, which affects socio-emotional communication and physical-motor coordination. There are several early indicators of Asperger's.
Social Isolation
A child with Asperger's will not have many friends. It will be hard relating to children of the same age because she is not able to read social cues or non-verbals, and thus will be socially inappropriate. For example, a lack of eye contact during communication is a sign of Asperger's syndrome. The affected child may stare into space while speaking instead of looking directly at the other person. Frequently, a child with Asperger's has an unusual pattern of speech, such as speaking in a robotic, monotone style or in an overly formal tone. They tend to show minimal interest in the person with whom they are interacting, as well as little facial expression.
Narrow Interests
Another early sign of Asperger's syndrome is a child with a rigid and narrow set of interests. She may be fascinated with one or two topics and spend an inordinate amount of time learning details about the subject. For example, the child might make repeated observations about how a machine operates, go to great lengths to learn a complex musical arrangement or be able to identify every breed in a species of animal.
Odd Movements and Clumsiness
Children with this developmental disorder tend to make odd repetitive movements or gestures while speaking. Also, they may hold odd body postures, walk stiffly with a rigid gait, or drop objects and be viewed as clumsy and uncoordinated. Such early physical symptoms may lead to difficulties in sports or athletic activities throughout the school years.
Inflexibility
Children with this disorder are inflexible when it comes to changes in daily routines and activities; hence, minor adjustments to the day's schedule that might not be a big deal to the average child will be very stressful to children with Asperger's. Since children with this disorder do not adapt well to change in routine, it is important to prepare the child in advance when possible.
Lack of Empathy
Children with Asperger's display a lack of empathy for others and may appear cold and unfeeling. For example, a child may appear interested in only herself despite the fact that the child next to her is crying. These children are sometimes labeled as cruel, yet it is more the case of being "emotionally unintelligent" to the world of social others. The affected child tends to be oblivious and insensitive to the emotions of those around her.
