This condition was originally described by Hans Asperger in Vienna in 1944. Although Asperger was not aware of Leo Kanner's work on autism, he did use the word autism ("autistic psychopathy") to describe the social deficits he observed in a group of children.

His original description, in German, received little attention in English-language literature until Lorna Wing translated his work in 1981.

Asperger syndrome (also known as Asperger's syndrome, Asperger's disorder, and AS) is characterized by social isolation and eccentric behaviour in childhood. Impairments in social interaction, non-verbal communication and unusual responses to the environment, similar to those in autism, are observed. Unlike autism, however, cognitive and communicative developments are within the normal or near-normal range in the first years of life.

Although verbal skills may appear to be an area of strength, typically speech patterns are characterized by abnormal inflection, repetition and a pendantic style. Idiosyncratic interests are common and may take the form of an unusual and/or highly circumscribed interest (e.g., in train schedules, snakes, the weather, deep-fry cookers, or telegraph pole insulators). There is some suggestion of an increased incidence of this condition in family members. The validity of this condition, as opposed to high-functioning autism, remains a topic of debate (Szatmari, 1992). Inconsistencies in diagnosis and the lack, until quite recently, of internationally accepted descriptions have made it difficult to interpret the research available. Even now, some clinicians will use the term to refer to persons with autism who have IQs in the normal range, or to adults with autism, or to PDD-NOS. Recent official definitions emphasize differences from autism, for example, in terms of better communication (particularly verbal) skills.