Autism IS linked to higher intelligence

[Slithytoves]

Autism is a spectrum, a range. Let's just arbitrarily call them low, medium and high functioning.
All may have various and sundry issues that make social integration into their cultural world difficult for them.
The L's may be the most challenged or distressed and need support and perhaps a hand relatively offer.
The M's may have better social and/ or coping skills.
The H's (Aspergers) are socially inept but focused and clever and they develop systems and tools that allow many H's not only flourish, even excel, although perceived by the NT's as abrasive, quirky, eccentric, and thus shunned and isolated.
I could be wrong.

One important distinction needs to be made. The four previously recognized ASDs have been subsumed into one umbrella dx, but only in the U.S. (in the DSM), so we can still consider the four disorders as discrete for the purposes of discussion. That said, levels of functioning should be described for each individual disorder, not with Asperger's identified as the high-functioning group. There are people diagnosed with Asperger's whose functioning is far more impaired than some diagnosed with Autistic Disorder.

Also, the autism spectrum was originally called such because it included an array, or "spectrum", of related but different disorders. It is only recently that the term "spectrum" has come to be associated with the range of severity or traits demonstrated by individuals with the same ASD, and not everyone within or outside of the research community has made this transition. For those concerned about the wisdom and ramifications of the APA decision to fold the four separate disorders into one, maintaining the original definition of "autism spectrum" is very important (I'm obviously one of those people). If we allow "spectrum" to refer to range of traits and severity within a single disorder, forgetting its original intent, it is effectively tacit support of the new Autism Spectrum Disorder umbrella dx. This is how language assists the permanent institutionalization of change. Just something to think about. Sorry if it read like a lecture.

 

[Epicurean Pariah]

One important distinction needs to be made. The four previously recognized ASDs have been subsumed into one umbrella dx, but only in the U.S. (in the DSM), so we can still consider the four disorders as discrete for the purposes of discussion. That said, levels of functioning should be described for each individual disorder, not with Asperger's identified as the high-functioning group. There are people diagnosed with Asperger's whose functioning is far more impaired than some diagnosed with Autistic Disorder.

Also, the autism spectrum was originally called such because it included an array, or "spectrum", of related but different disorders. It is only recently that the term "spectrum" has come to be associated with the range of severity or traits demonstrated by individuals with the same ASD, and not everyone within or outside of the research community has made this transition. For those concerned about the wisdom and ramifications of the APA decision to fold the four separate disorders into one, maintaining the original definition of "autism spectrum" is very important (I'm obviously one of those people). If we allow "spectrum" to refer to range of traits and severity within a single disorder, forgetting its original intent, it is effectively tacit support of the new Autism Spectrum Disorder umbrella dx. This is how language assists the permanent institutionalization of change. Just something to think about. Sorry if it read like a lecture.

Slithy, thanks for that. I never looked at it from that slant.
When I accepted the fact that I was AS Asper a few weeks ago, the very first thing I did was to web search Aspers throughout history and I thought this is a list of just about every person I ever wanted to learn from and emulate, with a few exceptions.
Let's say I. Newton, perhaps a bit eccentric but he altered the entire human paradigm. So I concluded that I am also at least considered eccentric, and could perhaps change one human's paradigm.
I wanted to offer pride and ability in to overcome shame and disability.
Would you give me an example of low functioning Asper or the opposite a high functioning.... I don't know what the word is, a high functioning Autistic?
Thanks you, very clear and well expressed. I wish I had that talent

 

[Slithytoves]

I wanted to offer pride and ability in to overcome shame and disability.

Can't argue with that! Do you know how you'd like to make yourself an example?

So you've only recently discovered your Asperger's?

Would you give me an example of low functioning Asper or the opposite a high functioning.... I don't know what the word is, a high functioning Autistic?
Thanks you, very clear and well expressed. I wish I had that talent

Thanks, EP. And you do have that talent. I've seen some terrific and very well-stated posts from you.

First I should say that as far as I know, there is no clinical designation for high-functioning vs. low-functioning Asperger's. These terms are more often applied by clinicians to people with Autistic Disorder, because manifestations at the "low" end of the range can be so profound. There's no doubt there's a wide range within Asperger's, too, but there are a number of reasons why it probably hasn't been officially distinguished. I'll save you the details of all that speculation because that's all it is.

A person who could be considered a less functional Aspie would be someone whose primary symptoms (see DSM-IV or ICD-10 diagnostic criteria) are severe enough that they significantly impair their ability to hold a job, maintain personal relationships and other markers of "normal" functioning. (Some doctors would also include Aspies with marked impairments from Asperger's Disorder's most common comorbidities, but that's readily debatable.) A higher-functioning Aspie would therefore be one whose primary symptoms are relatively slight such that their socio-economic functioning isn't particularly impaired.

 

[Epicurean Pariah]

Can't argue with that! Do you know how you'd like to make yourself an example?

So you've only recently discovered your Asperger's?




Thanks, EP. And you do have that talent. I've seen some terrific and very well-stated posts from you.

First I should say that as far as I know, there is no clinical designation for high-functioning vs. low-functioning Asperger's. These terms are more often applied by clinicians to people with Autistic Disorder, because manifestations at the "low" end of the range can be so profound. There's no doubt there's a wide range within Asperger's, too, but there are a number of reasons why it probably hasn't been officially distinguished. I'll save you the details of all that speculation because that's all it is.

A person who could be considered a less functional Aspie would be someone whose primary symptoms (see DSM-IV or ICD-10 diagnostic criteria) are severe enough that they significantly impair their ability to hold a job, maintain personal relationships and other markers of "normal" functioning. (Some doctors would also include Aspies with marked impairments from Asperger's Disorder's most common comorbidities, but that's readily debatable.) A higher-functioning Aspie would therefore be one whose primary symptoms are relatively slight such that their socio-economic functioning isn't particularly impaired.

Slithy. Oh I have Asp. No doubt but with a twist. I am proud of it. I think that the contributions to mankind in comparison to our proportion of the general population is impressive.
Well I think that I want to be an example of a joyous yet socially inept Asper that cares so little about our cultural imperatives and memes I would not bother playing the games of social acceptance. I like my isolation usually. Others increase the drama and make for increased complexity.

 

[tree]

Jennifer T