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Asperger's Syndrom
Asperger's is sometimes referred to as "high functioning" autism, because many children with Asperger's are noted to have high intelligence, with social skills which are considered lacking. Named for Hans Asperger, an Austrian physician who first described the disorder in 1944, Asperger's has only received international recognition in recent years.
Children diagnosed with Asperger's tend to have difficulty in learning the "unwritten rules" of society, which are usually learned through the normal course of childhood interaction. They can appear physically clumsy. Their speech often sounds peculiar due to abnormalities in inflection, and a repetitive manner. Many children will fixate on an area of fascination which borders on obsession, and become experts on the subject. Children with Asperger's often have sensory problems and will self-stimulate with behaviors like rocking. On the positive side, intelligence seems to develop at a normal or above normal rate, and many people show great aptitude in areas like math, science and engineering.
Treatment plans vary, especially since medical experts often disagree about the nature of Asperger's (believing that it is simply autism), but is generally similar to autism treatment. The child is taught through voice and interaction therapy models how to communicate in one-on-one conversations, and how to read nonverbal cues so they can understand and empathize more with others.