title: Asperger syndrome in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review Asperger syndrome characteristics, assessment tools, interventions, outcomes, and the role of the nurse practitioner in diagnosing and caring for children with Asperger syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of published literature on and diagnostic criteria of the condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asperger syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder or an autism spectrum disorder that is thought to have an incidence higher than that of autism. Asperger syndrome is different from autism, with a lack of delayed language as the most distinct difference between Asperger syndrome and autism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of the importance of early diagnosis of Asperger syndrome for outcome improvement, screening at all well-child visits from infancy on is of utmost importance to primary care pediatric nurse practitioners. With early diagnosis, timely intervention is possible, which is proven to show improvement in outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY 10032, USA. julie_schnur@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schnur
mesh_terms: D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016896:Treatment Outcome