Asperger syndrome, or Aspergers, is a previously used diagnosis on the autism spectrum. In 2013, it became part of one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5).

What is an Aspergers person like?

Individuals with Aspergers Syndrome, known as Aspergians, suffer from a number of impairments, namely social, but also can have challenges with motor skills. For example, Aspergians have difficulty with communication in a variety of ways. They may have self-imposed rules or patterns that are usually very restrictive.

Is Aspergers no longer a thing?

Once regarded as one of the distinct types of autism, Aspergers syndrome was retired in 2013 with the publication of the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It is no longer used by clinicians as an official diagnosis.

Why did they stop diagnosing Aspergers?

As a result of this inconsistent application and similarities among the PDDs, the APA removed the clinical term from use and replaced it with a broad Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) term — encompassing several previous distinct disorders — when they published their most recent diagnostic manual in 2013.