Autism, Asperger's Syndrome and Prevasive Developmental Delay

At BWB we treat the symptoms of Pervasive Developmental Delay, Autism and Asperger's Syndrome with EEG neurofeedback. For more information about this biofeedback modality, click on the Personalized Treatment button above. To read about individual responses to treatment, click on the Client Stories button at the top of this page.

For more general information about the symptoms in this spectrum, read the information below.

Asperger's Syndrome, also known as Asperger's Disorder, is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) characterized by severe and sustained impairment in social interaction and development of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. These characteristics result in clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Onset is later in people with Asperger’s than that seen in autism, or at least recognized later. A large number of children are diagnosed between the ages of 5 and 9. Motor delays, clumsiness, social interaction problems, and idiosyncratic behaviors are reported. Adults with Asperger's have trouble with empathy and modulation of social interaction.

Asperger’s is not easily recognizable; in fact, many children are misdiagnosed with other neurological disorders such as Tourette's Syndrome or autism. More frequently, children are misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit (and Hyperactivity) Disorders (ADD and ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Such mistakes in diagnosis lead to a delay in treatment of the disorder.

Many pharmaceuticals and natural remedies are used to treat multiple neurological and pervasive developmental disorders. Remedies used today range from St. John's Wort to drugs such as Haldol and Ritalin. Treatments vary to a great degree with the individual patient.

Because it is so new and so difficult to diagnose, our society is ill-equipped to deal with the special educational needs of children afflicted with Asperger's.