Children with Asperger’s Disorder have a marked and ongoing impairment in social interaction, and they develop restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests and activities. In contrast to Autism, there are no significant delays in language acquisition and development. During the first three years of the child’s life, there are no significant delays in cognitive development, and they experience normal curiosity about their environment.

They do not experience significant difficulty in acquiring age-appropriate learning skills and adaptive behaviours, apart from social interaction. Children with Asperger’s Disorder may show a marked impairment in non-verbal behaviours such as eye to eye gaze, facial expression, body postures and gestures.  They may have difficulty regulating social interaction and communication with others.

What should I look for?

• Does your child have difficulty expressing him/herself using non-verbal behaviours like eye contact, facial expressions, body postures and hand gestures?
• Does your child have difficulty developing and maintaining friendships?
• Does your child have difficulty sharing their enjoyment, interests or achievements with others?
• Does your child lack emotional exchanges with others?
• Is your child preoccupied with one particular topic of interest at a level that seems unreasonable for his/her age?
• Is your child inflexible in following set routines or rituals?
• Does your child have repetitive body movements, such as hand or finger flapping or twisting?
• Is your child persistently preoccupied with parts of objects, rather than the entire object?

How can the Quirky Kid Clinic help your child?

The Quirky Kid Clinic is a unique place for children and adolescents aged 2-18 years. We work from the child’s perspective to help them find their own solutions.  If you suspect your child may be showing signs of Asperger’s Disorder, or if your child already has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder, you might consider one of the following options:

• Assessment and Diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule.
• Book an individual session with our experienced Child Psychologists
• Register for a  Social Skills group or ASD specific workshop
• Contact us for more information

The Quirky Kid Clinic is part of the FaHCSIA Early Intervention Service Provider Panel for the Helping Children with Autism Package and intervention can be claimed as part of this funding.

Reference:

American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

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