Similarities and differences between Asperger and gifted children

Many people may think that the child with Asperger's Syndrome, an autistic spectrum disorder, and the gifted child have nothing in common, however, there seems to be at least seven common characteristics in both cases. In fact, there are cases of gifted children who are also diagnosed as Asperger. S

Many people may think that the child with Asperger's Syndrome, an autistic spectrum disorder, and the gifted child have nothing in common, however, there seems to be at least seven common characteristics in both cases. In fact, there are cases of gifted children who are also diagnosed as Asperger. Seme 7 similarities between Asperger and gifted children

Recently, it has become evident that there are cases of children with high abilities whose behaviors are attributed to giftedness itself but that by making a deeper diagnosis have turned out to be gifted children with Asperger's syndrome . And, there are common features in Asperger children and gifted children.

1 - Both show great verbal fluency, even at early ages.

2 - They have a great memory.

3 - They show great interest in numbers and enjoy memorizing information from very young.

4 - They present an almost obsessive interest in a specific topic and know a lot of information about it.

5 - They can ask questions without stopping and respond very carefully to what they are asked.

6 - They are hypersensitive to sensory stimuli, that is, they do not want to touch certain kinds of materials, eat certain foods or listen to some sounds that are very unpleasant.

7 - Both can demonstrate extraordinary ability in specific areas.

7 differences between Asperger and gifted children

1 - While the language of a gifted is normal but with a rich vocabulary, the language of the Asperger may seem pedantic.

2 - The gifted ones adapt to the changes but the Asperger children have a low tolerance to the changes and show them aggressive behavior.

3 - The gifted child understands jokes and ironies, while the Asperger does not, for him, everything has a literal meaning and they do not usually laugh at what others find funny.

4 - Asperger children have motor difficulties and their movements are clumsy, something that does not happen in the gifted.

5 - Children's memory Asperger is selective about people or facts while the gifted have an excellent memory.

6 - Many times Asperger children seem lacking in emotions or their emotional response is not adequate at every moment, this does not happen to gifted children.

7 - The Asperger child has a lack of insight into the feelings, needs, and interests of other people.

Sometimes, a gifted child may also suffer from Asperger's Syndrome

, but parents and teachers first identify high ability and fail to realize that some of their behaviors are due to their Asperger status. In these cases the school is usually blamed for not understanding the needs of the gifted child, when the reality is that it has not been diagnosed as Asperger or is being treated as it should.Source

: Federation Asperger Spain