Definition: Asperger’s Syndrome is a type of pervasive development disorder (PDD), which is a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of basic skills, and lack of socialization and communication. Asperger’s is often categorized as a specific type of Autism and the two terms are used interchangeably. As with Autism, Asperger’s can be overcome.

Symptoms: Because Asperger’s Syndrome is categorized as a specific type of Autism, it contains symptoms very similar to Autism. People with Asperger’s are often diagnosed at a young age. Early indications of Asperger’s include:

• The inability to pick up social cues such as reading body language or upholding a conversation.
  
  
• The disliking of any changes in routine.
  
  
• The lacking of empathy.
  
  
• The inability to recognize changes in the tone of a voice, such as sarcastic comments.
  
  
• The formal or advanced speaking for his or her age.
  
  
• The lack of short and quick conversations with someone, talks for a long time.
  
  
• The lack of facial expressions or eye contact.
  
  
• The lack of motor skills, such as catching a ball.
  
  
• The heightened sense of loud noises, lights, or other senses.
  

There have been several books written on autism. While there have been a plethora of non-fiction books, there have also been fictional books referencing autism. One book titled, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," by Mark Haddon, is told through the viewpoint of an autistic boy. The boy tries to solve the murder mystery of a dog. Within the novel, one can catch a glimpse of how the mind of someone with autism works. Several symptoms of autism are implemented in the story. The boy:

-does not understand emotions

-does not understand orders

-does not lie

-does not understand abstract concepts

-is good at math and physics

-goes in great detail and digresses often when explaining certain subjects

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