Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a condition on the autism spectrum that causes difficulties in three main areas; social communication, social interaction and social imagination.
And now I know it is perfectly natural for me not to look at someone when I talk. Those of us with Asperger’s are just not comfortable doing it. In fact, I don’t really understand why it’s considered normal to stare at someone’s eyeballs. — John Elder Robison
There is no ‘cure’ for it. It is, simply put, a different hardwiring of the brain.
Characteristics include:
Difficulty showing empathy to others
Problems understanding another person’s point of view.
Difficulty engaging in social routines such as conversations and ‘small talk’.
Preferring routines and becoming stressed or anxious if disrupted.
Intense focus on a particular area of interest or hobby.
Trouble understanding other people’s emotions and often missing or misinterpreting subtle cues such as facial expression, eye contact or body language.
Problems controlling their feelings such as anger, depression or anxiety.