What are its signs and what can I do to help my child?  

At Clinica Ricardo Palma we have the specialties required to provide multidisciplinary Asperger management, such as pediatric neurology, child psychiatry, psychology and rehabilitation, mainly in the area of language, behavioral and emotional management, as well as providing guidelines to patients.

“In a pandemic, consultations to treat this condition have increased due to the depression and frustration that patients experience because they do not enter classes or turn off their cameras, precisely because they prefer to be alone, which generates rejection in their peers and questioning family “says Dr. Pamela Muñoz, pediatric neurologist at our clinic.

What is Asperger’s Syndrome? 

According to the WHO, Asperger’s Syndrome is recognized as a pervasive disorder of childhood development and related to autism. It is estimated that it affects 3 to 7 per 1000 children. Asperger’s develops in the first years of life and many families do not even notice it until the child enters school.

What characteristics does a child with Asperger’s have?

• Poor social skills and little relationship with the family or their environment
• Lack of empathy and intolerance to routine changes
• His/her attention is fixed on a specific topic. Shows little facial expressiveness
• Uses extremely formal language with an extensive vocabulary
• It shows motor deficiencies. Slow to walk, run, or learn to ride a bike
• Has an exceptional memory and can be very intelligent

How can I help my child?

• The most important thing is to be patient, accept and understand that the child has a disability, did not decide to be born with it and needs all our support
• Put yourself in the child’s shoes and help him/her control his/her emotions, teaching him/her to use an appropriate tone to greet, to carry on a conversation, and social roles such as playing with a ball, etc.
• Encourage his/her effort and reward him/her for every achievement. Avoid punishment and do not force him/her to do something he/she does not like, as he/she could become frustrated and anxious when he/she does not see himself/herself accepted
• If he/she receives virtual classes, monitor him/her and inform his/her teachers and other parents of his/her condition, to avoid exposing him/her to bullying

In the event of presenting an associated medical condition, such as epilepsy, the treating physician may order auxiliary neurological examinations (electroencephalogram, magnetic resonance, etc.) which are also performed at our headquarters.

Dr. Pamela Muñoz
Pediatric neurologist at Clinica Ricardo Palma