Asperger's disorder, also called Asperger's syndrome, is a type
of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) as defined by the
American Psychiatric Association.1 Asperger's disorder is
similar to high-functioning autism in how it affects a child's
mannerisms and socialization traits. A distinction between
Asperger's disorder and autism is that young children with
Asperger's have normal language development, although the
rhythm, pitch, and emphasis are irregular. Unlike autism,
Asperger's disorder does not delay other aspects of development.
A child usually has age-appropriate self-reliance and an
interest in the world around him or her. But as with autism,
children with Asperger's disorder have abnormal social
interactions, facial expressions, and gestures. Asperger's
disorder affects males 4 to 5 times more than females.2 Its
cause is unknown. More research is needed to confirm whether
Asperger's disorder is a condition that is genetically related
to autism. eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise To