Defining Asperger's

[tomtomm]

My 10 year old son has always "flapped" his wrists with a pen or pencil in his hand (as if he's a conductor) while walking and either singing or talking softly to himself.  He seems to do this with more frequency when he is overstimulated for various reasons.  Other than this wrist flapping, he appears developmentally "normal".  He is very social, and loves playing with his many friends, and has recently found acting in plays to even be of interest.  He even will do this in front of his friends when it's just too much going on or something (like water or patterns of some sort on the ground, catch his eye).

Of all the things that I have read about Asperger's, though, it seems as if he doesn't fit in this category because of his social skills.  Do you have any idea what this could be?  Could it still be Asperger's even though he's socially active?  

Thank you for any advice.
Concerned Mom

[Eileen Roscoe, PhD]

Although one of the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s Disorder is stereotyped patterns of behavior similar to your son’s wrist flapping, there are a number of other criteria that need to be present to receive this diagnosis. In addition to stereotyped and repetitive motor movements, individuals with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder usually exhibit more than one form of impairment in social interaction (e.g., limited eye contact, lack of social initiations or interest in others). In addition, the impairment in social interaction and repetitive motor stereotypy limits the individual’s overall functioning. From your description, it sounds like your son may not meet all of the diagnostic criteria to receive the Asperger’s Diagnosis. However, to determine the cause of his wrist flapping and to receive services to treat this problem, I recommend that you seek the assistance of a qualified professional who specializes in the diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. This is the only way to definitely determine whether or not your son has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder or a related disorder, and more importantly, it will allow you to identify appropriate services for your son. I also recommend that you seek the support of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, who would be able to conduct an assessment and determine an effective intervention for decreasing your son’s wrist flapping behavior. Please visit the website of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (http://www.bacb.com/) where you will find a directory of service providers.