Asperger syndrome 'not being diagnosed by doctors'

Children suffering from Asperger syndrome tend to be diagnosed by their parents because of a lack of knowledge about the condition among general practitioners, a health conference in Dublin heard at the weekend.

Des McKernan, honorary secretary of Aspire, the Asperger Syndrome Association of Ireland, said many doctors were unaware that the condition was a form of autism. "They tend to think a child displaying signs of Asperger syndrome is just a bit odd, or eccentric or shy or withdrawn."

He was speaking at a conference on Saturday to mark the association's 10th anniversary.

Prof Chris Gillberg, a prominent psychiatrist and researcher in the field, told delegates of a number of key traits associated with the syndrome, including "superior fact learning", an impaired ability to empathise with other people, and a habit of looking at the lower part of other people's faces rather than at their eyes.

Children with the syndrome were able to function at a higher level than those with autism, Prof Gillberg said. He said that children could go from having autism to having Asperger syndrome "with very good parenting, or very good schooling, or a combination of the two".

However, the conference heard that without early intervention the syndrome could become extremely debilitating, and manifest itself in unpredictable and sometimes violent behaviour.

Mr McKernan warned that supports were lacking, particularly in secondary schools. "Children can cope easier in primary school but when they move to a situation where they have several teachers and various classrooms they can get confused."

He continued: "Bullying is the biggest problem in schools because these children are eccentric. They tend to be the one in the corner, the child with no friends. They tend to be clumsy and as a result not good at sports."

Prof Gillberg said "acceptance" was very important to children.

Prof Gillberg, who is attached to the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, said autism spectrum disorders could be found in 1 per cent of the population. However, other researchers have questioned his figures, particularly in relation to the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Last year, data relating to some of his research were controversially destroyed at Gothenburg University, purportedly to protect the confidentiality of his participants. However, his detractors claim the destruction was aimed at covering up inconsistencies in the research.