Asperger's Syndrome

Medical professionals previously thought that Asperger Syndrome was as a unique neurological condition. It was not until the the 2013 edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) -one of the mental health experts go-to sources of clinical information – reclassified the syndrome.

No longer is Asperger’s syndrome clinically diagnosed as its own condition but a subset of the broader condition identified as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This group of related mental health issues shares some symptoms. Even so, many people still use the term Asperger’s.

The condition is what professionals call a “high-functioning” type of ASD. This refers to symptoms that are less severe than other types of autism spectrum disorders.

The DSM-5 also includes a new diagnosis, called social pragmatic communication disorder (SPCD), which consists of a. number of overlapping Asperger’s symptoms. Clinicians use the SPCD diagnosis it to describe people who have trouble talking and writing, but have normal intelligence.