How to Treat Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder that is classified as part of the autism spectrum. Social awkwardness and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics is typical, as are impaired communication and social skills. There are more than 400,000 families in the United States affected by Asperger's. Its causes are unknown, and there is no known cure, but children with Asperger's might benefit from treatment.

Instructions

Many Methods of Treatment

• 1

  Children with Asperger's have difficulty reading facial expressions.

  Children with Asperger's syndrome often struggle with social and communication skills. They might be able to learn these skills when concepts are taught in a more concrete way--much like foreign language is taught. Voice tone and nonverbal forms of communication, such as eye contact, gestures and facial expression, also can be learned and practiced. People with Asperger's do not typically read other people's social cues and emotional state, but a trained therapist can teach them how to interpret other people's facial expressions and body language.

• 2

  An occupational therapist can teach fine motor skills.

  There are different forms of sensory-related disorders; sensory processing disorder is common among children with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Licensed occupational therapists are trained to diagnose and treat sensory integration problems with activities that include fine motor movement, such as using scissors or zippers; experimenting with various textures such as sand, playdough or shaving cream; and gross motor skills, such as jumping and balancing.

• 3

  Children with Asperger's sometimes exhibit unpredictable and extreme behavior, such as tantrums, pacing or interrupting. A licensed therapist is trained to identify behaviors that need modification, and they will teach the child how to cope with these situations. Traditional psychotherapy is not typically effective, but cognitive behavior therapy and play therapy are known to be effective forms of treatment.

• 4

  Medications can target symptoms of Asperger's.

  There are no medications to treat Asperger's, but some drugs can target specific symptoms, such as inattention, depression, anxiety or obsessions.

• 5

  Parents and siblings need support, too.

  Effectively parenting a child with Asperger's requires actively seeking information and getting professional help and support. This can be found in the form of books, licensed professionals, support groups and workshops.