Introduction: Previous studies have not provided a unique conclusion of ability to recognize emotions in a persons who are suffering from autistic spectrum disorders (ASD); a number of studies confirm the thesis emphasizing a reduced ability to recognize emotions, while others state that the ability to recognize emotions in a persons with ASD is the same as in normally developed peers. This study presents a survey of literature dealing with emotion recognition in persons with autism and Asperger syndrome over the last ten years. ---- Methods: We used database „PubMed“. By inputting the key word: autism, Asperger syndrome, emotion recognition and children, we obtained the total of 26 references. 10 papers were left out with the exclusion crieria, so this survey includes 19 studies all together. ----- Results: The results are presented in four groups of articles. The first group showed the connection between autism and Asperger syndrome and decreased recognition of emotions on following tests and assignments: SMT, DANVA, 2AFC, CAM-C, RMF-C, ECT, POET and FEEST. The second group showed the results of new testing methods (ATOMIC, FEFA, ET) to recognize emotions. The third group emphasized the attention disorder as an important cause of decreased recognition of emotions. The fourth group talks about the positive impact of interventions in affected individuals. ----- Conclusion: The ability to recognize emotions is reduced in persons with autism and Asperger syndrome. There is a clear connection between reduced emotion recognition, age and IQ of the persons affected with this illness. Attention disorder of the affected people leads to reduced ability to recognize emotions. Early and intensive intervention can increase the ability to recognize emotions in persons with a higher level of functioning (HFA / AS).