What type of doctor should I see if I think my child might have Aspergers syndrome?
I suggest you start with your child’s doctor. Together you can decide if an evaluation for Asperger’s syndrome makes sense. If so, a neurologist, psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in diagnosing behavioral problems is the person you should see. Asperger’s syndrome is one of the autistic spectrum disorders. People with these disorders have difficulty with language, communication and social relationships, as well as repetitive or restricted behaviors. People with Asperger’s have relatively mild disabilities. Some characteristics include: • Normal intelligence and normal (or advanced) language skills • Difficulty with social interactions — they don’t use or understand nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, gaze, or gestures, and they don’t have social skills; unlike other forms of autism, they may approach people, but they have trouble making and keeping friends • Obsession with a particular area of interest, and often a preoccupation with the parts of things • An
