Asperger’s syndrome is a disorder of the autism family, a pervasive developmental disorder affecting between 350 and 000 people worldwide and which manifests itself in childhood. Asperger’s syndrome has a neuro-biochemical origin associated with a genetic problem probably involving several genes, is distinguished by the fact that the intelligence of the affected person remains intact although neurological disorders affect the activity of the brain. People with this syndrome have difficulty socializing and interacting with other people. It is a chronic handicap that we do not know how to cure. 

Asperger’s syndrome is a neurological autism spectrum disorder which affects the brain and is part of pervasive developmental disorders. Boys are more exposed than girls (about 4-5 times more). The causes of the disease are unexplained, although the genetic factor (heredity) is often put forward.

The disorders associated with Asperger’s syndrome result from poor transmission between reception and processing of information at the level of the brain. This anomaly leads to different perception of life and the world surrounding it by the patient, and abnormalities in interactions between people.

Before 3 years, Asperger’s syndrome is little diagnosed. However, signs are already often present, and the child communicates little with his parents by gestures, babbling, smiles, laughs.

From the age of 3, the symptoms become more visible. Children do little to interact with those around them, but concentrate or focus their attention on specific subjects and objects. Non-verbal language is difficult for them to decode. They therefore often react in a way that seems inappropriate because they do not understand the implicit codes.

Asperger’s syndrome is therefore manifested by difficulty communicating, socializing, enduring noise or a very stimulating environment. Repetitive movements are often observed in children, difficulty coordinating movements and to situate oneself in time and space. People with the disease have difficulty understanding the abstract and emotions. They are able to experience feelings such as love, but in a different way.

Not all children with Asperger’s syndrome have all of the symptoms mentioned. The severity of the disorders also varies from child to child.

Children with Asperger’s syndrome are often intelligent, perfectionist and demanding children who give special importance to details that may escape others. They have specific areas of interest which are sometimes out of the ordinary for children of their age, for example the conquest of space or trains. They are gifted with remarkable memory and logic is the basis of their reasoning. They also have great lucidity and a good analytical skills.

In adults, Asperger’s syndrome continues to present the same symptoms with three axes (autistic triad) as in children:

• Impaired communication, that is, difficulty in verbal and non-verbal communication. A person with this symptom has difficulty decoding the meaning of a facial expression, tone of voice, humor, double meanings, and sense of gesture… They have to learn it and not integrate it. automatically like other people do. She can therefore seem distant, cold.
• A qualitative alteration of reciprocal social interactions, that is to say a difficulty in creating bonds with others, in having friends, difficulties in friendly and loving emotional exchanges.
• Restricted interests and repetitive and stereotypical behaviors which are a priori a way of containing inner anxiety.

Asperger’s syndrome is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can direct the doctor to another pathology, in particular a mental pathology such as schizophrenia. It is sometimes after several years, after regular monitoring of its behavior and nature, that the diagnosis is confirmed. 

There is no treatment allowing to cure Asperger’s syndrome.

Researches⁵ start to give interesting results, however, with the use of a diuretic, bumetamide⁶, which used in children reduces the severity of autistic disorders in three quarters of children.

It is important that those around the child, especially his family, understand the thought mechanisms associated with the disease in order to adapt their behavior. It is right to protect the child from noise, limit his social interactions and not to overwhelm him with information, without plunging him into isolation. These measures aim to reduce his anxiety so that he feels comfortable.

The right thing to do for children with Asperger’s syndrome is to learn to manage their skills in order to adapt to the world and to the people around them. This is set up by teaching them to compensate for the difficulty in decoding behavior and communication by learning allowing them to behave as much as possible like the others, or at least in a sufficiently adapted manner. This learning prevents them from developing stress, anxiety, depression or violence towards themselves or towards the outside.

Behavioral therapies have thus demonstrated an effect on the ability to control outbursts of anger. ¹

Computer programs helping to learn face recognition in children with Asperger’s disease have also shown efficacy.²

Behavioral therapy can also help children learn to adapt to unusual situations in which they will not spontaneously know how they are supposed to behave.

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (ICIP) programs are a very common recourse for parents with a child with Asperger’s syndrome.³ These are ABA, PECS, Integration, Teach, Greenspan or social scenarios. ⁴

La schooling must can be done alongside neurotypical children (who do not suffer from developmental disorders so that they gain self-confidence and learn to adapt to the codes that govern society.

The child can benefit from a multidisciplinary follow-up by a doctor, a speech therapist, a psychomotor therapist and a psychologist.

Some complementary approaches help children who have it to grow as normally as possible.

Food supplements for Asperger’s syndrome

Although not fully proven, certain dietary supplements are sometimes used to help people with autistic disorders, including Asperger’s.

These include:

• chelators intended to eliminate heavy metals,
• magnesium and vitamin B6,
• vitamin C,
• melatonin to regulate sleep.

Alternative therapies for Asperger Syndrome

Other alternative therapies can be considered, more to improve the comfort of the affected child than to treat him. From this perspective, osteopathy (the craniosacral approach in particular) and massages are very interesting.