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