Differences Between Asperger's Syndromeand Gifted and TalentedDifferencesGallagher mentions distinctions of the Gifted and Talented and a child with Aspergers. The GT child can become socially isolated because of his gifts, interest or inability to discuss with same age peers. The AS student is socially inept. The AS does not have empathy and can not read the nonverbal clues that the GT is able to read and respond appropriately too. The highly gifted and AS students both show signs of early reading skills and vocabulary skills. However, while the GT students are able to understand and relay what they read. The AS students shows sign of Hyperlexia, and doesn’t develop an understanding of what they read. The GT student’s displays and deep cognitive understanding for topics. They show higher thinking skills of evaluation and complex cognition of a topic. However, AS students have an advanced ability of memorization of facts. But is able to do into the higher thinking skills.Another difference mentioned (Neilhart, 2000) lies in how they respond to routines or structure. Although both at times show resistance to routine at home or school, typically GTstudents are not nearly as rigid about routines as some AS children are. The GT may display displeasure the change in routine, but are able to adjust. The AS student may become agitated and may then refuse to cooperate.While both the AS and GT student may exhibit strange behavior often seen as eccentric, the GT is able to understand they are different. The typical GT is aware of their behavior when pointed out, while the AS is unable to understand that the behavior are not typical. People with AS have no sense that they have done anything gout of the ordinary. This oblivious is a trademark of the AS disorder. It is clear the GT student is showing a deeper cognitive skill.Attentativeness is another similarity, but different trait of the GT and AS students. While the GT may become distracted or have difficulties with attention because of external factors. The AS student can easily become distracted from an internal factor. This internal distraction is often what others see as stereotypical behavior. The internal distraction usually impairs their school performance.Although the gifted child’s social interactions may technically show a qualitative impairment, it is of a different nature or reason than that of an Aspergers student. (Amend, 2003) Often when given the opportunity to converse with other “intellectual peers”, the GT is able to do so. In contrast, the Aspergers child is not as likely to reciprocate or discuss a topic.
