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Autism/Asperger Syndrome
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Question
My daughter is 20 months old and is showing a very high level of intelligence and it really makes me wonder if it is a sign of Asperger Syndrome. What signs should I be looking for? I just want to know if all the things she does is normal.
Linda
Hi there, Linda!
If the only symptom your child is showing is high intelligence, I would think that you should be proud of your child with high intelligence, rather than worried about Asperger's Syndrome! :)
Asperger's is a collection of symptoms, rather than one single one. And 'high intelligence' is not even truly a symptom of the syndrome, but rather a characterization in it. That is to say, doctors do not diagnose a child as Asperger's because they are highly intelligent, but if they are highly intelligent in addition to showing autistic symptoms, they are Asperger's rather than, say, PDD-NOS.
Hopefully my answer helped you out! If there are more questions, comments, feedback, or follow-ups to this, feel free to direct them here!
Trey
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Answers by Expert:
Trey McGowan
Expertise
My primary expertise is in the area of the social, psychological, and mental development of Aspergers Syndrome and other high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorders. I am also very knowledgeable in the communication disorders and common co-existing issues. I'm well-read on most of these as well as having experienced it myself. Other aspects of autism, I can do fairly well at as well, from the oversensitivity to the recognition of it. Warning: I am *not* a medical professional, and while I can research answers through books and online, I can not give direct medical expertise.
Experience
I am 19 years diagnosed Asperger's Autistic, and have been reading up and studying it, as well as taking 'first hand accounts' for most of those 14 years. In addition, I have had three children, adopted elsewhere, all of whom are varying degrees of autistic from mid to high functioning. My mother has done some research on the subject as well, and passed some of it on to me.
Education/Credentials
I have completed grade school and most of high school, and achieved a GED. I've also received home schooling.
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