Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder that is characterized by limited interests or by preoccupations in weird or unusual things. The disorder may also include repetitive routines or rituals along with socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior. While people with Asperger's syndrome often possess average IQs, they often have symptoms that include peculiarities in their speech and uncoordinated or clumsy motor skills.
Signs in Infants
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, parents often first see signs of their child having Asperger's around their third birthday. However, there are developmental milestones that parents should be checking for as early as three months of age in order to find signs of a possible delay. In addition, it is recommended that all children get their first developmental screening test for autism-related disorders at 9 months of age. Unlike children with autism, children with Asperger's syndrome display early language skills and are often better communicators. In spite of their normal language development, children with Asperger's syndrome may show signs of the disorder by crawling or walking late or showing overt signs of clumsiness as early as infancy.
Signs as the Child Gets Older
One of the most common features of Asperger's disorder as the child gets older is his preoccupation with odd or unusual things. Even as early as when an infant begins crawling, children with Asperger's may have a fascination with things around the house that normal children would not be interested in. For example, vacuum cleaners or other household appliances that other children would ignore may overly fascinate children with Asperger's.
Early Detection
As with all autism-related disorders, early detection is the key to a good prognosis for the child. If an infant displays signs of Asperger's, getting him into specialized therapy can help him develop the social skills needed to be successful in society as he gets older. In addition, therapy can help the parents understand ways that they can reach their child through specialized instructions and teaching techniques.
Considerations
Although you can see signs of Asperger's and other autism-related disorders at a young age, the risk factors that lead to the disorder remain uncertain. According to Amy Nelson of Reuters Health, research has shown that there is too little evidence to point to a certain factor as the cause of the disorders. Although researchers have suggested that complications during pregnancy, low birth weight and other factors play a role, there is not a single cause in the birthing process that causes an autism-related disorder. While there is insufficient evidence surrounding the birthing process, genetics remain the strongest link to a child developing the disorder, but how much genetics plays a role in the process remains uncertain.
