So, I don't have Asperger's Syndrome...

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I've typed a longer message but my cellphone froze...

So, I had exactly the same problem with my dx when I was dx'd with PDD-NOS. I felt like an alien among aliens on a site that seemingly focuses on AS. After a lot of research and numerous posts I concluded the followings:

a) There are no clear diagnistic boundaries between the ASD dx's, especialy in practice.

b) Possibly in the USA AS is preferred over autism and PDD-NOS because it is more widely known and this could be a practical advantage.

c) The psychs might have some truth giving me that vague and unrecognized label. Although I didn't have language delay I always had issues with speech and my IQ scatter resembles more HFA than AS. While many of my traits are mild there are some that might even be moderate in comparison.

d) Sometimes they don't give you an AS dx just because you lack some stereotypical features of that particular dx. For example, I don't have special interests of which my knowledge is seemingly immense, and my speech is rather jumbled than elaborate, eloquant, pedantic, or monotone.

I have no diagnosis and I dont care about doctors or others who stipulate a DX in WP members here

I'm smart enough to be be sure I am a psychotic nemotoid aspergiate hooflaminator[with a bad attitude]

Yes it is.

Well hopefully changing the category so that everyone just has an ASD instead of AD and AS will make things more fair and less confusing.

=)
Now you agree!

yes.......at first I just didn't like the idea of the name of my disorder changing.....I don't like change.....also I was afraid people with AS wouldn't get services they needed because the criteria was more severe....but now they've modified it a lot so it will still include those who have the AS diagnosis now and I'm also glad they're including sensory issues and need for sameness in the criteria......I didn't know they were going to....it's about time!

Yes, this I do not understand as well.
You have the option "Neurotypical", but not "Classical Autism" or "PDD-NOS".
Then the option is "Other Autism Spectrum Disorder".

I wonder if Alex will change the options when the DSM changes to just ASD-diagnosed, ASD undiagnosed and the not sure, family member, and neurotypical.....

And an option for "Social Communication Disorder"?
I like your cat.

The only diagnostic difference between AS and autism is speech delay - to have autism you must have had speech delay at 3 years.

The IQ criteria are not diagnostic criteria - you can have any IQ to have either condition, though you are more likely to get an AS diagnosis if your IQ is above average and there are some sets of criteria that include the IQ. Just because a person is non-verbal it doesn't mean they can't have a high IQ, there are autistic people who have found other ways to communicate and shocked the world with their intelligence - this is especially clear now that there is a level of technology that can facilitate alternative modes of communication

Stimming is not a requirement for either diagnosis, repetitive behaviours may include stimming but are not necessarily the same thing and they are in the criteria for AS too where they are more likely to present as rituals and routines.

The differences between the 2 conditions are, and have always been, qualitative and subjective (even the speech delay is actually not about whether or not you could speak but about whether your language development is atypical - which it is for most AS people too) - this is why autism will be the umbrella condition from next year with no distinction between AS and autism in diagnostic terms - PPD-NOS will also come under the umbrella along with a couple of other conditions which we know are closely related.

There are pros and cons to the new criteria but the realisation over the last 2 decades that AS and autism share a common root is the main reason for the change.

I consider myself autistic but I meet the criteria for AS (I was speaking at 6 months old apparently and reading at 2 but my understanding and use of language in certain areas was delayed).