Are There Treatments Available For Aspergers Syndrome?

The ideal treatment for AS coordinates therapies that address the three core symptoms of the disorder:  poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness.  There is no single best treatment package for all children with AS, but most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.

An effective treatment program builds on the child’s interests, offers a predictable schedule, teaches tasks as a series of simple steps, actively engages the child’s attention in highly structured activities, and provides regular reinforcement of behavior.  This kind of program generally includes:

• Social skills training, a form of group therapy that teaches children with AS the skills they need to interact more successfully with other children
• Cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of “talk” therapy that can help the more explosive or anxious children to manage their emotions better and cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines
• Medication, for co-existing conditions such as depression and anxiety
• Occupational or physical therapy, for children with sensory integration problems or poor motor coordination
• Specialized speech/language therapy, to help children who have trouble with the pragmatics of speech – the give and take of normal conversation
• Parent training and support, to teach parents behavioral techniques to use at home

Do children with AS get better? What happens when they become adults?

With effective treatment, children with AS can learn to cope with their disabilities, but they may still find social situations and personal relationships challenging.  Many adults with AS are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life.