Can the therapist be correct that your 4 year old son has classic signs of Asperger's Syndrome?

Answer 1

for this you will need a second or even a 3rd opinion ASAP, if your son has the classic symptoms of this disease he will need immediate care.

----------------------

Added on 5/18/10:

Aspergers is not a disease, it is a disorder, or even, more specifically, a syndrome.

It is possible that a child exhibits signs of Aspergers, although 4 is a young age. Typically, young kids are given a diagnosis of Pervasive Development Disorder, because the kids seems "spectrum-y" but they can't pin down a specific diagnosis. Although, if the child exhibits superior intellectual ability, or other traits which are commonly found in Aspies (hyperlexia, for instance) then one could very possibly say that a child is showing signs of Aspergers, even if a diagnosis of AS can't be quite ascertained yet.

Autism spectrum kids are being diagnosed earlier, and more accurately. If the person is qualified and capable of an accurate diagnosis, then it's not unheard of to see fairly obvious signs as young as 4.

As far as immediate care, yes, Aspies do need help beginning as young as possible. Although, getting the wrong help can be more harm than help. I have Aspergers, so does my son, and I am an Aspergers Specialist, and I help (mostly) parents. I have found that when parents understand that Aspergers doesn't need to be "fixed", rather "managed" and guided, they see that really the parents play the largest part in the success of the child, over any single other thing.