| The concept of autism can sometimes be very | | | | described a milder form of autism, while others |
| confusing. The syndrome first explained by | | | | completely failed to distinguish between them. In |
| Austrian psychiatrist Leo Kanner in the 40's has | | | | fact, the syndrome discovered by Asperger |
| generated many controversial opinions throughout | | | | described patients who didn't fit the exact pattern |
| the course of history. Autism is a very complex | | | | of autism and hence, it could be referred to as a |
| neurological disorder that can lead to different | | | | form of "borderline autism". Asperger's Syndrome |
| forms of behavioral, communicational, social and | | | | revealed how difficult it was to draw the line |
| cognitive impairment. People with autism rarely fit | | | | between autistic and normal children, proving that |
| the standard symptomatic profile introduced by | | | | it was possible for patients to have only certain |
| medical scientists in the past. In fact, the | | | | characteristics of autism. |
| syndrome generates a very wide spectrum of | | | | As Asperger's theories became popular, many |
| symptoms that can be experienced on multiple | | | | children that have been previously diagnosed with |
| levels and at various intensities. | | | | "mild" autism were now considered to suffer from |
| In most cases, the criteria of diagnosis introduced | | | | Asperger's Syndrome. Children with Asperger's |
| by Rutter and other scientists may be enough to | | | | Syndrome seemed more responsive to external |
| identify some categories of autistic children. | | | | stimuli and presented less preoccupation to |
| However, some children may only present some | | | | sameness. Children with Asperger's Syndrome |
| characteristics of autism, showing no other signs | | | | also seemed to have higher levels of |
| of the disorder. Contemporary medical scientists | | | | performance intelligence and better |
| have argued many times whether it is appropriate | | | | communicational skills. Unlike autistic children, who |
| to consider this category of children autistic or | | | | hardly made any progress as they reached more |
| not. Patients who partially fit the autistic profile | | | | advanced stages of development, some children |
| could be referred to as "borderline". The concept | | | | diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome could be |
| of borderline autism is very common these days | | | | partially recovered in early childhood. With the help |
| and it generally includes patients who show clear | | | | of specific medical treatments and with the |
| signs of abnormality but they only reveal some | | | | means of appropriate educational programs, most |
| symptoms of Kanner's syndrome. In the past, | | | | children with Asperger's Syndrome showed signs |
| many children with borderline autism were | | | | of improvement on both behavioral and |
| inappropriately diagnosed with psychosis or | | | | communicational levels. |
| schizophrenia. | | | | Nowadays, most patients diagnosed with |
| Patients who don't fit the exact profile of autism | | | | Asperger's Syndrome can be successfully |
| but present certain signs of the syndrome might | | | | integrated into the society and they can even live |
| nowadays be diagnosed with Asperger's | | | | their lives independently. As adults, many patients |
| Syndrome. Due to their common features, | | | | with Asperger's Syndrome have proved to be |
| Asperger's Syndrome and Kanner's Syndrome | | | | very responsible and socially aware, showing few |
| were considered to be the same concept. Many | | | | signs of neurological impairment. |
| scientists believed that Asperger's Syndrome | | | | |