Asperger’s disorder was originally included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-4) under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders along with Autistic Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Rett Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD). In 2013 the DSM-5 was released and all of the above diagnostic labels are now identified as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Asperger Disorder (also referred to as Asperger’s syndrome or AS) is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that exists on the “higher-functioning” end of the autism spectrum. This means that individuals with Asperger’s tend to have better –developed language and cognitive skills and less severe symptoms presentation than those who would have had the diagnosis of Autistic Disorder. Typically, the main issues of concern are related to social skills, socialization, complex and pragmatic language, personal interactions, and skills of independence.
