7-year-old Asperger sufferer fascinated by int'l news reports

(ECNS) -- A young boy who likes to watch news and discuss U.S.-Russian relations was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS) in Yuyao city, East China's Zhejiang province, dahe.cn reports.

Seven-year-old Huanhuan has been very talkative since three years of age, which his parents believed to be a sign of intelligence.

After beginning kindergarten, the boy began showing great differences from his peers – he didn't like watching cartoons and preferred news reports, especially those about American-Russian relations.

His classmates refused to talk to him as he always insisted on speaking about this topic.

Huang Su, a pediatrician with a maternity and child health care hospital in Yuyao, said Huanhuan recites speeches the same way as reading text, however his thought process is disordered.

The doctor also noticed that Huanhuan becomes immersed in talking; and if he is interrupted, he will protest by screaming.

The boy's behavior may be improved by training and education, Huang commented.

AS is an autism spectrum disease that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication; physical clumsiness and atypical use of language are frequently reported in sufferers.