Asperger Syndrome Characteristics
The following examples capture some of the common characteristics individuals with Asperger Syndrome may share.
- May not have an interest or does not know how to interact with others.
- Has a difficult time comprehending the give and take nature of social interactions.
- Has a difficult time comprehending the verbal and nonverbal cues of social interactions (eye contact, facial expression, body language, etc.).
- Difficulty with pragmatic (social aspect) use of language, one might see language as a way to share facts and information and not as a way to express thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
- Difficulty with the many aspects of conversation (processing information, initiation, topic appropriateness, sustaining attention, turn-taking).
- The prosody (pitch, stress, melody, or rhythm of speech) might be impaired.
- Conversations might appear scripted.
- Difficulty in understanding language beyond the literal level.
- Generally one with Asperger Syndrome will have few interests, but the interests she or he has are dominant.
- Prefers routine and structure.
- Difficulty with gross and fine motor skills.
- Difficulty with the motor planning involved in completing a task.
- Difficulties may include handwriting, riding a bike, and ball skills.
- Difficulty making inferences about what another person is thinking.
- Difficulty with empathizing: will often say what she or he is thinking before thinking of another person's feelings.
- Rigidity in thought which in turn interferes with problem solving, mental planning, impulse control, and the ability to stay focused on a task from beginning to end.
- Sensitivity can occur in one or all of the senses and the degree of difficulty is individualized.