Asperger Ally

What Medications Can Help A 30 Year Old Male With Asperger Syndrome?

20th May, 2009 - Posted by admin -

Question: What Treatments Are Available for Adults with Asperger Syndrome?
Your symptoms seem to point to Asperger syndrome. But is it worth doing all the work of getting a diagnosis? What good will a diagnosis do and what therapies are available to you once you have an “official” diagnosis in hand?
Adulthood: There is less information on Asperger’s Disorder in adulthood. Some individuals with mild Asperger’s Disorder are able to learn to compensate. They become indistinguishable form everyone else. They marry, hold a job and have children. Other individuals live an isolated existence with continuing severe difficulties in social and occupational functioning. Individuals with Asperger’s often do well in jobs that require technical skill but little social finesse. Some do well with predictable repetitive work. Others relish the challenge of intricate technical problem solving. I knew a man, now deceased, who had many of the characteristics of Asperger’s Disorder. He lived with his mother and had few social contacts. When he visited relatives, he did not seem to understand how to integrate himself into their household routine. When the relatives would explain the situation to him, he was able to accept it. However, he was unable to generalize this to similar situations. Although he was a psychologist, his work involved technical advisory work, not face-to-face clinical sessions.
Associated Difficulties: Asperger’s Disorder may be associated with learning difficulties and attention deficit disorder. Indeed, many children and adolescents with Asperger’s have previously been diagnosed with AD/HD instead of Asperger’s. Individuals with AD/HD may have difficulty with social interaction, but the primary difficulties are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. In individuals with Asperger’s, the social awkwardness is a greater concern. As individuals with Asperger’s enter adolescence, they become acutely aware of their differences. This may lead to depression and anxiety. The depression, if not treated, may persist into adulthood.
Treatment for Asperger’s Disorder :
Medications: There is no one specific medication for Asperger’s syndrome. Some are on no medication. In other cases, we treat specific target symptoms. One might use a stimulant for inattention and hyperactivity. An SSRI such as Paxil, Prozac or Zoloft might help with obsessions or perseveration. The SSRIs can also help associated depression and anxiety. In individuals with stereotyped movements, agitation and idiosyncratic thinking, we may use a low dose antipsychotic such as risperidone.
Social Skills Training: This is one of the most important facets of treatment for all age groups. I often tell parents and teachers that the individual needs to learn body language as an adult learns a foreign language. The individual with Asperger’s must learn concrete rules for eye contact, social distance and the use of slang. Global empathy is difficult, but they can learn to look for specific signs that indicate another individual’s emotional state. Social skills are often best practiced in a small group setting. Such groups serve more than one function. They give people a chance to learn and practice concrete rules of interpersonal engagement. They may also be a way for the participant to meet others like himself. Individuals with Asperger’s do best in groups with similar individuals. If the group consists of street-wise, antisocial peers, the Asperger’s individual may retreat into himself or be dominated by the other members.
Educational Interventions: Because Asperger’s covers a wide range of ability levels the school must individualize programming for each student with Asperger’s Disorder. Teachers need to be aware that the student may mumble or refuse to look him in the eye. Teachers should notify the student in advance about changers in the school routine. The student may need to have a safe place where he can retreat if he becomes over stimulated. It may be difficult to program for a very bright student with greater deficits. In one case, a student attended gifted classes but also had an aide to help her with interpersonal issues. That student is now in college. Children with Asperger’s are often socially naive. They may not do well in an Emotionally Disturbed class if most of the other students are aggressive, street-wise and manipulative. I have seen some do well when placed with other students with pervasive developmental disorders. Some do well in a regular classroom with extra support. This extra help might include an instructional assistant, resource room or extra training for the primary teacher.
Psychotherapy: Individuals with Asperger’s Disorder may have trouble with a therapist who insists that they make an early intense emotional contact. The therapist may need to proceed slowly and avoid more emotional intensity than the patient can handle. Concrete, behavioral techniques often work best. Play can be helpful