Asperger’s syndrome manifests differently in different people, usually with a combination of several symptoms at once.
There are several key features¹:
Difficulties with non-verbal communication, for example, when talking, it is difficult to look the interlocutor in the eye, understand facial expressions or gestures, intonation.
Problems in relationships with other people: it is difficult to start communicating, maintaining contact, making friends. Even when people with Asperger’s want to socialize, make friends, and maintain friendships, they find it difficult to do so.
Inability to communicate emotionally due to problems recognizing other people’s emotions.
Experience, hobbies, events in the lives of other people do not cause interest.
There is a tendency to constantly repeat patterned or limited actions, such as following a certain order of actions (even if it does not make practical sense) or making monotonous movements (swinging back and forth, tapping fingers).
The tendency to constant planning, strict organization, attention to detail.
Monotonous, unemotional, devoid of intonation speech.
Strange posture or movements, awkwardness, clumsiness, insufficiently good coordination of movements.
Difficulties with understanding figurative speech, abstract ideas, generalizations, but at the same time a good perception of clear, structured,
allowing only one interpretation of information.
Presence of sensory sensitivity – some sensations (bright lights, loud sounds, rough tissues, touch) can cause very strong discomfort.
A high level of anxiety, which in adults can even provoke the appearance of panic attacks.
Not always with the disease there are all these symptoms. Violations can manifest themselves in different ways, to varying degrees affect a person’s life and his relationships with other people.
Good and bad days
Manifestations of the disease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome do not always affect well-being and behavior in the same way. Sometimes there may be “good” days when you can avoid stimuli associated with sensory sensitivity, and then the state of health remains normal. On “bad” days, due to sensory sensitivity, disruption of plans, or for other reasons, anxiety, tension can build up, and this can lead to a breakdown. In order for breakdowns to occur as rarely as possible, it is important to create an environment around the child or adult that is comfortable for him, to take into account the restrictions that are important for him (for example, the need to strictly adhere to the daily routine or avoid large crowds of people).