What type of Doctor can Diagnose Adult Asperger's Syndrome?


Question:
Can anyone suggest the type of doctor I can recommend to to my 23 year old step-son, I suspect he may have Asperger's Syndrome, considered a high-functioning form of Autism. I have no idea what type of Doctor would be able to do the correct test to discover if this is true or not, anyone have any ideas? I sincerely need help with this.

Answers:
A psychologist. Any psychologist will do. If she thinks your son might have Asperger's she'll probably refer him to a psychologist or psychiatrist that specializes in diagnosing and treating autism spectrum disorders in adults. However, unless it's a problem for him, there's no reason to label him, and it's unlikely (though possible) that Asperger's would first start to be a problem for someone who's already in his early 20s.

Note that the only practical difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is that a psychiatrist can prescribe medications and a psychologist can not. That is very relevant to for something like ADHD or even clinic depression that can be controlled with medication. But there's no medication for Asperger's, so it's just a matter finding someone who specializes in that particular type of disorder. Whether they went to med school or grad school doesn't matter. Also, a psychologist who holds a PhD would be addressed as "doctor" and psychologists regardless of education level are generally included under the general heading of "doctor" when you're asking who would treat a particular mental disorder or syndrome.
a psychiatrist or sex therapist.


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