Asperger’s Syndrome and Treatment Options

Asperger’s syndrome is characterized as a distinct autism spectrum disorder. People suffering from this syndrome usually have average to above-average intelligence. However, they typically face difficulties in social interactions, and they often have absorbing pervasive interests in some particular topics.

The degree of symptoms’ severity varies among different affected individuals. There are some abnormalities in the use and interpretation of language, although language development remains normal.

Asperger’s syndrome is aa group of neurodevelopment disorders affecting an individual’s behavior, communication, language use, and social interaction patterns. Following are some of the commonly associated behaviors with Asperger’s syndrome:

• Repetitive and robotic speech
• Inappropriate and limited social interactions
• Difficulty with non-verbal communication
• Inability to understand non-literal phrases along with emotional/social issues
• Obsession with unusual, specific topics
• Awkward mannerisms or movement
• Lack of eye contact or even reciprocal conversation

Treatment Options for Asperger’s Syndrome

There is no best and single treatment for Asperger’s syndrome. In most cases, cognitive behavioral therapy seems most helpful in controlling emotions, repetitive behavior, obsession, and learning social skills.

Some educational groups and social programs help patients with Asperger’s syndrome to learn adaptive and social activities through highly structured activities. In addition to different behavioral interventions, patients affected by this syndrome are also helped by medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), stimulants, and antipsychotics to treat associated issues like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and hyperactivity.

The patient’s physician may also recommend different therapies for Asperger’s syndrome. So the treatment options include medication, therapy, and alternative approaches. Some of the commonly performed therapies include;

• Medication therapy
• Occupational therapy/sensory integration
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Speech-language and social skills training therapy
• Anger management and others.

Nonetheless, just like any other autism spectrum disorder, the sooner a patient starts with the treatment, the easier it becomes to manage Asperger’s.