![\"aspergers-redefined_sm\"](\"http:\/\/specialneedsresourcefoundationofsandiego.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/aspergers-redefined_sm-300x200.jpg\")
\nKeagan Peterson\u2019s first birthday party was a happy occasion\u2014cake, balloons and gifts\u2014but his mom, Stephenie, couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Keagan, now 6, seemed to be suffering from a major sensory overload.
\n\u201cHe didn\u2019t want to touch the frosting on his birthday cake. He was greatly upset by the feeling of the grass on his feet. And I noticed that he wouldn\u2019t sustain eye contact,\u201d she recalls.
\nBy age 2, he\u2019d been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). But the diagnosis didn\u2019t explain all of Keagan\u2019s quirks: his habit of repeating words and phrases, his obsession with patterns or his penchant for gigantic violent meltdowns.
\nHe was officially diagnosed with autism at 3, but his symptoms, such as the inability to read social cues, avoidance of eye contact, high intelligence and advanced vocabulary, were more consistent with Asperger syndrome, one of numerous developmental disorders on the autism spectrum. Earlier this year, his 4-year-old sister Eden received the same diagnosis: high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome.
\nTwo kids with three labels between them\u2014SPD, autism and Asperger\u2019s\u2014made life complex, and insurance paperwork was a nightmare. It\u2019s a familiar scenario for families with a child (or two) on the spectrum: Because many spectrum disorders have overlapping symptoms, arriving at an accurate diagnosis and getting needed treatments can be a murky medical maze.
\nA New Label<\/b>
\nIt may be getting a little clearer. At least, that\u2019s the hope of the American Psychiatric Association, who earlier this year removed the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Under the new definition, Asperger\u2019s is recognized as a form of high-functioning autism and is grouped under the autism umbrella, along with other familiar spectrum disorders like pervasive developmental disorder and childhood disintegrative disorder. The change could make it easier for those on the spectrum to get needed treatments, since certain states provide services for autism but not for related spectrum disorders like Asperger\u2019s.
\nThe DSM is the diagnostic bible used by mental health professionals, education providers, and insurance companies. Its language channels the flow of treatment resources, helping schools determine how to allocate special education funding and informing insurance companies\u2019 decisions about coverage. Changes to its verbiage are a big deal, and not without controversy. This one sparked angry protest and impassioned petitions from Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership and the Asperger\u2019s Association of New England.
\nNew research is stirring up more controversy by making the case that Asperger\u2019s is, in fact, a distinct disorder. According to a study published in BMC Medicine, children with Asperger\u2019s have different electroencephalography (EEG) patterns (or brain waves) than children with autism\u2013showing that Asperger\u2019s is not merely a mild form of autism, but an entirely separate condition with unique neurological implications.
\nMany health professionals acknowledge that Asperger syndrome has unique characteristics that differentiate it from autism: Individuals with Asperger\u2019s don\u2019t have the language deficit often seen in those with autism, are not intellectually impaired, and can have tremendous focus. These uniquely \u201cAspie\u201d (a friendly nickname for those with Asperger\u2019s) characteristics will continue to shape treatments and therapies for those with Asperger\u2019s, even under its new \u201cautism\u201d label.
\nRegardless of how the disorder is labeled, early intervention is key to successful treatment.
\n\u201cWhile the brain remains plastic throughout life and new things can always be learned, the greatest plasticity is during the younger years,\u201d says Stephen Shore, Ed.D., author of \u201cBeyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome.\u201d So interventions like occupational therapy, speech therapy, and specialized social skills groups may have the greatest impact\u2014and the best chance of positively shaping a child\u2019s future\u2014if they\u2019re initiated during early childhood.
\nSneaky Symptoms<\/b>
\nAsperger syndrome can be tricky to spot, particularly in toddlerhood, because it doesn\u2019t cause speech delays. But symptoms often appear before age 3, and parents can pick up on the signs if they know what to watch for, says Gary A. Stobbe, M.D.
\nMany times, children with Asperger\u2019s begin speaking early, like Keagan, who knew hundreds of words before his first birthday. Children with Asperger\u2019s can have large vocabularies, but may speak in a monotone or with an odd inflection. They may be unable to match their vocal tones to their surroundings\u2014they might not use a quiet voice at the library or at the movies, for example. They may lack physical coordination; movements may seem either stiff and stilted or overly bouncy, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
\nIndividuals with Asperger\u2019s or high-functioning autism can struggle with \u201cexecutive functioning,\u201d or the ability to plan and organize, says Stobbe. Bigger challenges come during the school years, when children are expected to work on projects over several days and turn in homework.
\nDiagnosis Drama<\/b>
\nUltimately, the precise name of the disorder may not matter much; a parent\u2019s job remains the same, notes Stobbe. \u201cDon\u2019t let the diagnosis dominate your planning and parenting. Your goal as a parent is to provide an environment to help your child be happy and succeed.\u201d
\nLife in a home full of Aspies has not been easy, says Stephenie. But it\u2019s wonderful. \u201cMy kids are so smart, so funny, so amazing. And it isn\u2019t like they are great kids in spite of Asperger\u2019s. A lot of the amazing things about them are in part because of their Asperger\u2019s.\u201d
\n—————–
\nMalia Jacobson is a nationally published journalist and mom of three.
\nPublished: February 2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"