Autism is a brain disorder that makes ordinary communication difficult. It is believed to affect as many as one in 90 Americans.
Autism is a clinical diagnosis, meaning the diagnosis is reached through a clinical exam and not according to any objective biomarkers. It is regarded as a spectrum disorder, meaning that there are believed to be many different degrees of autism.
The cause of autism – its underlying biological or genetic roots – thus far remains unknown.
An autism diagnosis is reached when, through clinical examination, it is determined that the patient has extreme difficulties in three areas, and these are present during the first three years of life:
- Qualitative impairment in socialization skills
- Qualitative impairment in communication skills
- Restricted behavior range or lack of behavioral flexibility
Asperger's Syndrome
One disorder along the spectrum is Asperger's syndrome (though some experts dispute this characterization). In the past, Asperger's has been described as being "high-functioning autism" and people with Asperger's have been described as having "a dash of autism." It is not uncommon for people to confuse the two and even perhaps regard them as the same disorder.
But this is not the case. In fact, when the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) added Asperger's in 1994, it did so as a disorder separate from autism.
The WHO's Classification of Asperger's
The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases defines Asperger's accordingly:
A disorder of uncertain nosological validity, characterized by the same type of qualitative abnormalities of reciprocal social interaction that typify autism, together with a restricted, stereotyped, repetitive repertoire of interests and activities. It differs from autism primarily in the fact that there is no general delay or retardation in language or in cognitive development. This disorder is often associated with marked clumsiness. There is a strong tendency for the abnormalities to persist into adolescence and adult life. Psychotic episodes occasionally occur in early adult life.
Difference Between Asperger's and Autism
In differentiating between autism and Asperger's syndrome, experts typically refer to a pair of primary differences.
- Autism is associated with a language delay during developmental childhood, while Asperger's is not associated with any sort of delay in language.
- Autism is also associated with a comparatively lower or below average IQ score, while Asperger's is associated with either average or above average IQ scores.
While people with autism appear socially aloof and show no interest in social interaction, those with Asperger's have a desire to fit in socially, but find it terribly difficult to do so.
Ultimately there remains much confusion about both autism and Asperger's, and researchers are constantly seeking to further define each disorder.
