Signs and Symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome
The signs and symptoms of Asperger's syndrome vary widely from person to person and can look very different depending on age, gender, and individual personality. What follows is a general overview of the characteristics most commonly associated with the condition.
Social Communication Differences
Social difficulties are central to the Asperger's experience. These are not about being antisocial — most people with Asperger's genuinely want to connect with others — but about the way social interaction is processed.
- Difficulty understanding unwritten social rules (e.g., when it is your turn to speak, how long to maintain eye contact)
- Trouble reading facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice
- Tendency to speak in a monotone or with an unusual speech pattern
- One-sided conversations focused on a topic of personal interest
- Literal interpretation of language — sarcasm, irony, and figures of speech are often missed
- Difficulty knowing how much information is "too much" to share in a given context
- Unusual eye contact — either avoiding it or staring in a way that others may find uncomfortable
Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors
Another hallmark of Asperger's is the presence of intense, focused interests and a strong preference for sameness.
- One or more very deep interests in a specific topic, sometimes pursued to an extraordinary degree
- Strong adherence to routines; significant distress when routines are disrupted
- Repetitive movements such as rocking, hand-flapping, or pacing (known as stimming)
- Insistence on doing things a particular way
- Difficulty transitioning between activities
Sensory Sensitivities
Many people with Asperger's experience the world more intensely through their senses. This can go in either direction:
- Hypersensitivity (over-sensitivity): Certain sounds, lights, textures, smells, or tastes feel overwhelming or painful. Examples include fluorescent lights, crowd noise, scratchy clothing, or certain food textures.
- Hyposensitivity (under-sensitivity): Less sensitivity than typical, which can mean seeking out more intense sensory experiences — louder noise, stronger pressure, brighter light.
Cognitive Style
People with Asperger's often process information differently:
- Strong systematic and analytical thinking
- High attention to detail
- Tendency to think in very concrete terms
- Difficulty with abstract concepts
- Very strong memory for facts and details in areas of interest
- Challenges with executive function — planning, organizing, and shifting attention
Emotional and Psychological Characteristics
- Difficulty identifying and expressing emotions (alexithymia is common)
- Strong emotional reactions that may seem out of proportion to the situation
- High rates of anxiety, often related to social situations and unpredictability
- Deep sense of justice and strong moral code
- Perfectionism
Physical and Motor Characteristics
While not universal, some people with Asperger's show:
- Unusual gait or posture
- Difficulty with fine motor skills (e.g., handwriting)
- Challenges with gross motor coordination
- Delayed development of some physical skills in childhood
Signs in Children vs. Adults
The way these signs present changes over time. Young children may stand out because of their advanced vocabulary but struggle in the playground. Teenagers may manage to "mask" their difficulties in some settings while quietly burning out. Adults may have developed coping strategies that obscure many of the visible signs, making diagnosis harder. See the separate articles on Asperger's in children and Asperger's in adults for more on this.