A case of Asperger syndrome diagnosed in adult age

Patient aged 34 was referred to the Department of Adult Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, for observation of his psychiatric condition. At the age of 6 he was hospitalized with diagnosis of reactive depression. For many years he has been treated as outpatient with different diagnoses - initially infant schizophrenia was suspected, later the neurotic disorders, connected with microorganic changes, as well as neurotical personality development and difficulties in adaptation to peer group and to school requirements as well as disharmonic intellectual development. When the patient was hospitalized in the ward it was observed: inappropriate development of social interactions, difficulties in understanding and using interaction, rules with other people as well as inappropriate verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication, with expression, irrelevant to the social situation. Ritual actions, backward movements and limited interests were also noticed. The patient was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Thanks to that he obtained status of the disabled person and was able to get an appropriate job.