[Asperger syndrome in childhood: review of four cases]

Arch Pediatr. 2003 Feb;10(2):110-6. doi: 10.1016/s0929-693x(03)00306-3.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Introduction: Asperger syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder included lately in the international classifications.

Observations: We report the observations of four children presenting this syndrome. For every patient, we collected antecedents and psychomotor development; we made neuropsychological assessment and video recording. Three patients underwent an EEG and one a cerebral MRI.

Results: These patients were between ten- and sixteen-year old. The neuropsychological assessment showed a heterogeneous intellectual functioning with three times out of four a dissociation between high verbal level and low non-verbal level. Their language appeared sophisticated, apragmatic, their comprehension was inflexible. The mean age at diagnosis was ten years. They showed a sociability and autonomy improvement but they were conscious of their difference and suffered from it.

Conclusion: Our four cases allow to present Asperger syndrome, slightly known in France. Collaborative studies and genetic studies are necessary to improve the knowledge of this syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Asperger Syndrome / complications
  • Asperger Syndrome / pathology
  • Asperger Syndrome / psychology*
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intelligence*
  • Language
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Social Behavior