Knowledge seeker

[Wander]

Hello. I've been lurking around for a few months, reading all I can about Asperger's to better understand myself. As a fiction writer, I was doing research for a character when I first began reading about autism, and quickly noticed how much I related to what I read. Intensely.

Quick Question: Is Asperger's truly separate from autism, or are they the same? Autism is a spectrum, so differentiating Asperger's from autism makes very little sense. Wouldn't "Asperger's" just be a particular set of traits on the spectrum?

Anyway, I don't have any real support or understanding on this matter, so I might turn to this site if I have questions or concerns. I try not to be long winded. Thanks for having me.

 

[Nitro]

 

[Judge]

Quick Question: Is Asperger's truly separate from autism, or are they the same? Autism is a spectrum, so differentiating Asperger's from autism makes very little sense. Wouldn't "Asperger's" just be a particular set of traits on the spectrum?

Welcome to AC.

For Americans and any other medical communities which follow the protocols of the DSM-V, they replaced Aspergers Syndrome with Autism Spectrum Disorder in May of 2013. Conversely other jurisdictions like Europe and Britain tend to follow the protocols of the World Health Organization's ICD-10 and still retain Aspergers Syndrome as a separate condition. And still other jurisdictions like Australia may employ either protocol.

The world just isn't on the same page when it comes to diagnostics.

 

[Streetwise]

wrong about the UK- its just high functioning AUTISM spectrum disorder now but a lot of people like me only really associate Aspergers ,diagnosticians say yes it used to be called that they changed it as nts associate savants only

 

[corrinnemcmahon]

Hi and welcome, I hope you find the forums helpful. Members are great here

 

[xudo]

Welcome

In the UK, it's used interchangeably by medical professionals with HFA. I was diagnosed last year with Asperger's, but my best friend was diagnosed a couple of years ago by a different person and told she was HFA, but Asperger's was referred to throughout too. Now when she sees people from various places for help and support, they either say Asperger's or HFA.

 

[Aspie_rin]

The only differences I know of is that people with aspergers don't have any problems learning to speak, and often use language more complex than that of the ones their age, especially as children, and usually have an higher than average IQ (you need to have at least an average IQ to qualify as an aspie)*. They also tend to be living encyclopedias about their favorite subject(s), some aspie kids even put professionals to shame with their knowledge (though it's probably not the case for every aspies). I've read somewhere that the cerebral structure of aspies is different of that of other autistics. I think Asperger is just a variation of autism though

*Keep in mind that I'm not saying that other autistics necessarily have lower than average IQ, and actually IQ tests are not accurate on LFA because they can't understand the test (or don't get why they need to do it, or are not in the right state of mind to take it), and not because of a lack of intelligence. Often, non-comunicating LFA with low IQ scores turn out to have an average IQ once they have learned to communicate in complex ways such as speaking, writing/reading and sign language.

 

[tree]

 

[toothless]

hi wander,welcome to AC!
aspergers is a form of autism,just like classic autism is a form of autism.
there are some small differences but pretty much aspies are just the verbally able [no speech delay] autists of the spectrum,you will find some aspies with a speech delay below 4 years-above 4 is considered significant delay and that definitely calls for a classic diagnosis,some shrinks just dont want to label a now very high functioning adult autist with what could be a more affecting label like 'childhood [classical] autism'.