Greetings to all! I do hope that the holidays are being kind to everyone. God has greatly blessed me in that my family is healthy, we had plenty to eat, and we were able to share a few gifts among ourselves. Nothing elaborate mind you but we had a wonderful Christmas. Darcie viewed her first Christmas without much excitement as if it were just another day which is what I expected from a six month old baby.

I regret that I have been lax over the last nine weeks or so in regards to posting on the blog. I was involved in Biblical studies that took up every spare waking moment and, I believe, more than a few hours of what should have been not to be spared sleeping moments. God allowed it for the time but has impressed upon me that now I know how classes are conducted that I am to plan ahead to take care of the blog as well. This post will be different in that I will begin explaining one of the “disabilities” that affect the population and provide additional resources for further reading and education.

Asperger Syndrome is a neurological disorder named after a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper describing a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development but exhibited marked deficiencies in social and communication abilities. It is noted that these deficiencies were autistic like in nature. However, it was not until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was added into the medical world by being included in the DSM IV with diagnostic criteria.

Asperger Syndrome is a diagnosis that falls into the Autistic Spectrum of disorders. Individuals with AS have a normal IQ or greater and many exhibit exceptional skill or talent in very focused or specific areas. Vocabularies may be extraordinarily rich. However, persons with AS may be brutally honest or blunt and have difficulty using their advanced language skills in a socially acceptable manner. Some researchers think that Asperger Syndrome is merely a highly advanced state of autism known as High Functioning Autism (HFA).  As a nurse and the father of a HFA child, I do not agree with this thinking. AS individuals usually have too great a command of language even though they may use their language skills in a manner that is socially unacceptable. The Diagnostic Criteria for Asperger Syndrome according to DSM IV is as follows:

A) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

1) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye to eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction.

2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level.

3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.

4) a lack of social or emotional reciprocity

B) Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:

1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus.

2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals.

3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms

4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

C) The disturbances causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D) There is no clinically significant general delay in language

E) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

F) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia

A few people with AS have been very successful but until recently were not diagnosed with anything. These people were viewed as brilliant, eccentric, absent minded, socially inept, and physically awkward. Albert Einstein is believed to have had Asperger Syndrome as well as Isaac Newton and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Notables diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome include Nobel Prize winning economist Vernon Smith, industrial rocker Gary Numan, Vines frontman Craig Nichols, and Satoshi Tajiri who created Pokemon.

On the common front, many people with Asperger Syndrome demonstrate gaze avoidance or eye to eye contact and/or may actually turn away from people at the point of greeting. Most have a desire to interact with others but my observation has been that they seem to have difficulty in deciphering how to make interaction work. There seems to be a pre-occupation with certain and varied tasks or interests that is individualized. In adults this pre-occupation may well lead to a successful career in the desired field of interest. In younger cases this will appear as a rigid routine which, when interrupted, may cause the individual to become apprehensive. Many people with Asperger Syndrome are very blunt to the point of being brutally honest. To them it is merely stating what they consider to be fact. An example would be telling a singer, “You are singing out of key”, or “You might consider voice lessons.” Then, when the individual is made aware that their comments have hurt the feelings of others they seem greatly remorseful that their comments have hurt others. Tact is usually not in the tool kit of someone who has Asperger Syndrome. Although it is difficult, people with Asperger Syndrome can have relationships, families, and very productive lives.

I hope that this has been helpful. Many people in society may indeed be involved or have contact with someone who has Asperger Syndrome and not even know it. However, the church can be helpful in helping parents and adult individuals “fit in” better within the church setting and in the public at large.

Peace and Blessings

Lonnie Richardson