The concept of autism can sometimes be very confusing. The syndrome first explained by Austrian psychiatrist Leo Kanner in the 40’s has generated many controversial opinions throughout the course of history. Autism is a very complex neurological disorder that can lead to different forms of behavioral, communicational, social and cognitive impairment. People with autism rarely fit the standard symptomatic profile introduced by medical scientists in the past. In fact, the syndrome generates a very wide spectrum of symptoms that can be experienced on multiple levels and at various intensities.
In most cases, the criteria of diagnosis introduced by Rutter and other scientists may be enough to identify some categories of autistic children. However, some children may only present some characteristics of autism, showing no other signs of the disorder. Contemporary medical scientists have argued many times whether it is appropriate to consider this category of children autistic or not. Patients who partially fit the autistic profile could be referred to as “borderline”. The concept of borderline autism is very common these days and it generally includes patients who show clear signs of abnormality but they only reveal some symptoms of Kanner’s syndrome. In the past, many children with borderline autism were inappropriately diagnosed with psychosis or schizophrenia.
Patients who don’t fit the exact profile of autism but present certain signs of the syndrome might nowadays be diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Due to their common features, Asperger’s Syndrome and Kanner’s Syndrome were considered to be the same concept. Many scientists believed that Asperger’s Syndrome described a milder form of autism, while others completely failed to distinguish between them. In fact, the syndrome discovered by Asperger described patients who didn’t fit the exact pattern of autism and hence, it could be referred to as a form of “borderline autism”. Asperger’s Syndrome revealed how difficult it was to draw the line between autistic and normal children, proving that it was possible for patients to have only certain characteristics of autism.
As Asperger’s theories became popular, many children that have been previously diagnosed with “mild” autism were now considered to suffer from Asperger’s Syndrome. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome seemed more responsive to external stimuli and presented less preoccupation to sameness. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome also seemed to have higher levels of performance intelligence and better communicational skills. Unlike autistic children, who hardly made any progress as they reached more advanced stages of development, some children diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome could be partially recovered in early childhood. With the help of specific medical treatments and with the means of appropriate educational programs, most children with Asperger’s Syndrome showed signs of improvement on both behavioral and communicational levels.
Nowadays, most patients diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome can be successfully integrated into the society and they can even live their lives independently. As adults, many patients with Asperger’s Syndrome have proved to be very responsible and socially aware, showing few signs of neurological impairment.