Autism

[skysidhe]

You say asperger curve of behaviors?

You mean autism and aspergers is under the pervasive developmental disorders as is 'non verbal learning syndrome'. There are a specific characteristics yet separate diagnosis.




http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec04/definition.html

"These are kids who talk before they walk," Volkmar says. "Language is their lifeline."
However, notes Volkmar, children with Asperger's syndrome generally do not master the usual give-and-take of conversation. More characteristically, they will drone on about their favorite topics, such as meteorology.
While many children with Asperger's syndrome acquire an impressive vocabulary, children with autism tend to find their strengths in motor skills and manipulating objects, according to ongoing research by Klin and Volkmar. In this study, they are comparing 21 children with Asperger's syndrome with 19 similarly aged children diagnosed as autistic--through all have normal IQs. Both groups took the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children, including tests of their motor and language skills.
The participants with a diagnosis of autism performed well on tasks requiring visual-spatial perception--such as puzzle-solving--or motor skills. Those with Asperger's syndrome tended to show deficits in these areas, though they outperformed the participants with autism on vocabulary, auditory perception and verbal memory tasks.
"Though both of these groups have similar trouble with social functioning, they show different patterns of neuropsychological functioning," says Volkmar.

Non-Verbal Learning

http://www.pediatricneurology.com/autism.htm#Non-Verbal%20Learning%20Disabilities%20(NVLDs)

NVLD kids, though, do typically appear interested in human bonds--even though they may be clueless how to actually achieve them successfully. Additionally, children with Asperger’s more typically have diminished “symbolic play” than in NVLD. For example, the toy school bus is a box that rolls, rather than something that little plastic figures climb into. So, how about this for a gross oversimplification? NVLD kids recognize that you exist while they miss the subtext of what you are saying. Asperger’s kids appear behind a plane of glass as they miss the subtext of what you are saying.