Autism and Asperger's are similar developmental disorders in children that impact a child's ability to socially interact with others and engage in usual behavior patterns. While children with autism also demonstrate significant communication impairments, children with Asperger's Disorder do not. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the prevalence of autism and its related disorders is 1 in every 110 children. The growing rate of these disorders, a 57 percent increase from 2002 to 2006 according to the CDC, has created significant concerns for their accurate diagnosis.
Definitions
Autism is a disorder where children demonstrate impairments in social interaction, communication and behavior. Children with diagnoses of Asperger's Disorder also show significant impairments in social interaction and behavior, but do not show delays in communication or language.
Core Symptoms
To diagnose these disorders, psychologists use the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR). For a diagnosis of autism, three criteria must be met. The child must demonstrate significant impairments in social interaction, communication and behavior. They must also demonstrate some of these symptoms before the age of 3, and their symptoms cannot be better explained by Rett's Disorder or Child Disintegrative Disorder.
For a diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder, a child must meet similar but slightly different criteria. Children must demonstrate significant impairment in social interaction and behavior; however, there must be no significant delays in language, cognitive development or adaptive skills. Furthermore, the symptoms must interfere with the child's functioning and cannot be attributable to another pervasive developmental disorder or schizophrenia.
Social Interaction
According to the DSM-IV-TR, children with autism or Asperger's must demonstrate deficits in social interaction in at least two areas. These include difficulty using nonverbal means of communication, such as struggling to use facial expressions, eye contact and body language to convey their feelings to others. Another area is the inability or disinterest in developing friendships. A lack of interest in sharing things with others, such as not showing or pointing to objects may also be apparent. Finally, the child may lack interest in sharing social or emotional experiences with others, preferring to keep to himself.
Communication
A diagnosis of autism, as described in the DSM-IV-TR, requires that children show deficits in communicating in at least one of the following areas. There is either a delay or absence of language development. For those children who do develop language, they often demonstrate difficulty carrying out conversations with others. They may also struggle to engage in make-believe play or play in which they imitate others. Additionally, their use of language may be unusual, with repetition of words, unusual tone or rhythm, incorrect stress on syllables, etc. As noted before, these delays are not part of the diagnosis for Asperger's Disorder.
Behavior
For both a diagnosis of autism and Asperger's Disorder, the DSM-IV-TR requires the presence of unusual behavior patterns and interests in at least one area. There may be a fixation on particular activities or interests, like playing with and talking about trucks. These children often demonstrate a rigid commitment to daily routines, having difficulty adjusting when their routine is changed. They may also demonstrate repetitive motor behaviors that include hand flapping, rocking and feet turning. Furthermore, these children may become preoccupied with specific parts of objects, such as the wheels on vehicles. These behavior patterns are often unusual in their intensity and interfere with the child's interactions with others.
Differences
Although these two disorders have some of the same symptoms, there are differences in their presentation in children. While both disorders show deficits in social interaction, children with Asperger's Disorder tend to be unusual in their social interactions, but do not show disinterest, as is often the case with autism. Children with Asperger's Disorder do not show delays in language as children with autism do, but their speech may still be unusual or tangential. In interactions, children with Asperger's Disorder may seem socially awkward and have intense interests that interfere with their ability to interact with other children. Children with autism often appear more isolated, showing little interest in others and are preoccupied in their own activities. Though the differences are subtle, a good psychologist can determine the proper diagnosis.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000
