Asperger's Syndrome History
Asperger's was first described by Hans Asperger in the 1940s as he was observing boys that showed difficulty in social and communication skills but had normal intelligence and language development. Though the syndrome was originally only observed in boys, girls are now diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome as well. Asperger's became a distinct diagnosis in 1992 when it was published in the World Health Organization's Diagnostic Manual. Asperger's was first added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders in 1994 as a disorder separate from autism.
There are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder as just a mild case of autism and do not recognize it as a separate disorder. Asperger's is sometimes referred to as high-functioning autism. As further studies are done and new information surfaces allowing experts to further understand the brain development involved in Asperger's, the definition and terminology associated with Asperger's Disorder may change.
Asperger's Disorder is listed in IDEA under the category for autism. In 1990, autism was given a distinct category separate from other disabilities. Though autism was covered under the law prior to 1990, the change just clarified autism as a separate and distinct class entitled to the law's benefits. If a child shows signs of either autism or Asperger's but does not meet the specific criteria for either one then they can still benefit from IDEA under the category of Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)