Diagnosing Asperger's

If you feel that your child might suffer fromThe team of doctors and analysts will submit a
Asperger's syndrome, there are many differentneurological assessment of the patient, as well as
ways to diagnose it. Most doctors will recommenda genetic assessment to see if things like autism
a full battery of tests that check many differentof Asperger's runs in the family. The child will also
aspects of the child's development. There is noundergo I.Q. tests, tests to judge his
one definitive test that can tell a parent if theirpsychomotor development, and a complete
child suffers from Asperger's, so an entire groupevaluation of communication skills as well as the
of tests are usually performed for diagnosingability to maintain eye contact and to understand
Asperger's.verbal cues that a healthy child at the same age
The first step for most kids in getting a properwould react to.
Asperger's diagnosis is undergoing screening at theOnce all the testing is complete, the test results
doctor's that measures things like cognitivewill be combined with any symptoms that the
development.child is showing and also take the child's
As any mother can tell you, these screenings aredevelopmental history into consideration before
completely normal and every child goes throughmaking a determination. At this point, a decision is
them. It is usually at these screenings that ausually made one way or the other.
doctor can tell if there is a problem or not andAsperger's disorder can change the way you and
whether a referral should be made to a specialist.your child live your life, and while it is not nearly
The second step is actually when your child wouldas debilitating as a diagnosis of autism, it will
be assessed in order to make a diagnosis. Thisimpact almost all aspects of your child's life,
can be carried out by more than one healthdepending on the severity. He or she can still go
professional, so it may involve a number ofon to live a full, enriching and rewarding life, but
appointments who would want to see your childthings socially may be very awkward as years go
and also speak in detail to you about theiron.
behavior.For more information about symptoms and the
The team of doctors that the child will interactvarious treatments for Asperger's Syndrome sign
with is wide-ranging. It usually includes a speechup for the free newsletter below.
therapist to determine if the child's language skillsWhile there is no conclusive proof, it is thought
are developing correctly, a psychiatrist to helpthat people such as Albert Einstein and even Sir
analyze the mental development of the child, aIsaac Newton might have had Asperger's
neurologist to look for any problems in the child'ssyndrome. So, diagnosing Asperger's is far from a
nervous system and any other doctors that thesocial death sentence for any child, it just means
child's pediatrician feels is necessary to properlyliving your life in a different way than you might
diagnose the child.have originally imagined.