Asperger's Syndrome

Many highly creative students have been labeled with an assortment of labels ranging from autism, Asperger's syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia, to learning disabled. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition, used by psychiatrists and psychologists to identify disorders, requires that people have at least normal intellectual functioning, impairments of social perceptions and skills, and repetitive behaviors or obsessive interests and thoughts. The mildest of the autism spectrum disorders, Asperger's syndrome, often may simply be perceived as intellectuality and eccentricity. Most creative, intellectual, quirky students can be successful with appropriate guidance, education, and mentoring. One brilliant student with Asperger's will enter and stay in a good career because of good mentoring, but another, more neglected Asperger's student may end up depressed or in ...