Asperger's syndrome¹ is a type of autism, and is a condition which affects a person's social interaction, interests and behaviour. As with all autism conditions, Asperger's is a spectrum² condition, and will affect different people in different ways.

亚斯伯格症候群是一种自闭症，是一种影响人们社交、兴趣和行为的症状。与所有自闭症的情况一样，亚斯伯格症是一种谱系障碍，会以不同的方式影响不同的人。

This means that different people with the condition will have different levels of need and require different amounts of support. It is not yet know what causes a person to develop Asperger's, but it is thought there is a genetic³ element to the condition.

这就意味着，不同的患者会有不同程度的需求，也会需要不同的支持。导致人们发展亚斯伯格症的原因尚未可知，但人们认为可能有遗传原因。

What are the signs of Asperger's?

亚斯伯格症候群的迹象有哪些？

People who have Asperger's and other conditions on the autism spectrum often have problems with social communication and interaction. People with Asperger's often have good language skills, in contrast to those with other autism disorders⁴, but they still find it hard to understand the expectations of others within conversations.

亚斯伯格症和自闭症谱系障碍其他症状的患者通常在社交沟通和互动方面存在问题。亚斯伯格症患者往往有较好的语言技巧，这与自闭症障碍患者形成对比，但他们还是很难通过对话理解别人的意思（期待）。

The National Autistic Society says people with the condition have difficulty understanding non-verbal language like gestures, and have a very literal understanding of language. They may find it difficult to understand facial expressions, tone of voice, jokes and sarcasm⁵ as well as abstract concepts. This means at times they may appear insensitive, or appear to behave in a way thought to be socially inappropriate.

全国自闭症协会表示：亚斯伯格症患者难以理解非语言行为，比如手势，而且只能理解语言的字面意思。他们难以理解面部表情、语调、笑话、讽刺以及抽象概念。这就是说，有时候他们看上去不体贴人、或者会做出被人视作不合时宜的行为。

Many people with Asperger's also develop a highly specific interest in a very particular subject or activity. This could be separate from any interest in the wider subject - such as collecting the serial⁶ numbers of trains without having a wider interest in trains themselves. They may also experience sensitivity to things like sounds, smells or lights. They may find background sounds which other people block out are loud or distracting.

很多亚斯伯格症患者也会对某一个特别的话题或活动产生极大的兴趣。这可能与其隶属的更广泛话题相分离--比如收集列车的序列号，但却对更广一点的话题（火车本身）不感兴趣。他们也可能对声音、气味或光等事物敏感。他们会觉得他人屏蔽的背景音很吵、或令人分心。

Another key symptom is repetitive movements, such as flapping hands, rocking back and forth⁷, or flicking⁸ fingers. Those with Asperger's also often favour familiar routine, and may find change upsetting.

另一个主要的症状就是重复的动作，比如拍手、前后摆动、或者弹手指。亚斯伯格症患者喜欢他们熟悉的事物，不喜欢变化。

How is Asperger's Syndrome diagnosed?

如何诊断亚斯伯格症候群？

A GP can refer those who may have the condition to appropriate specialists, such as psychiatrists⁹, psychologists, and speech and language therapists. The specialist can then carry out a detailed¹⁰ look at the symptoms, including an assessment¹¹ of development, health and behaviour.

全科医生可以将可能患有该症状的患者转诊给专家，比如精神科医生、心理学家、语言治疗师。之后，专家可以详细了解症状，包括对发展、健康和行为的评估。