Which feature is more characteristic of Asperger's disorder than autism?

• A. Obsession with moving objects.
• B. Repetitive patterns of behavior.
• C. Age-appropriate language development.
• D. Stereotypic movements and speech patterns.

Answer: (C)

Language development pattern is what distinguishes Asperger's from autism in the spectrum. In Asperger's disorder, children typically have normal or even advanced language development for their age, with main difficulties arising in social communication and in having narrowly focused interests. This stands in contrast to autism, where language delays or impairments are common early on, such as late onset of words or limited expressive language. Therefore, age-appropriate language development best characterizes Asperger's more than autism. The other features—obsession with moving objects, repetitive patterns of behavior, and stereotypic movements or speech—are more associated with autism spectrum presentations and are less distinctive of Asperger's.