Does "Mild Aspergers Syndrome" exist?

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qawer
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15 Jan 2014, 4:53 am

I thought that either you have Aspergers Syndrome, or you do not.

It is not possible to have "Mild" Aspergers Syndrome, is it?


(is "mild" not just reflecting people who successfully manage to act like NTs a lot of the time)



DevilKisses
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15 Jan 2014, 4:56 am

It's not a real diagnosis, but it does exist since autism is a spectrum. I have seen people with an Asperger's who were obviously autistic and other people with that diagnosis that looked NT to me.


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League_Girl
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15 Jan 2014, 4:57 am

Of course it does just like moderate AS exists and severe AS.

I am finding mild AS is a relative term.


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qawer
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15 Jan 2014, 5:01 am

League_Girl wrote:
Of course it does just like moderate AS exists and severe AS.

I am finding mild AS is a relative term.


I am just wondering whether that is just because it affects people differently - and that they either have AS or they do not. And then it may simply affect people differently because there are more to the personality of people than their AS.

I mean, there are 3 different types of autistic thinkers, so which type it is would mean a lot too.

Is that not right?



Claradoon
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15 Jan 2014, 5:20 am

It seems to me that "mild" might indicate "way over on that end of the spectrum." But I'm no authority.

You say there are 3 different types of autistic thinkers? Please expound! I haven't heard of this before. :D



Sare
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15 Jan 2014, 5:56 am

Mild is often called 'residual' Asperger's. It's a label given to people with an Asperger's brain who no longer fit the diagnostic criteria of syndrome/disorder. Individuals considered as residual no longer need serious 'interventions'.

It basically means that you've learned enough coping strategies to pass as normal and have acquired enough knowledge to get over most of your dysfunctions. It doesn't mean you have transformed into a neurotypical person because you still think like an Asperger's person (or like gifted individuals). You don't acknowledge social hierarchies, you don't enjoy social chit-chat, you still have over-sensory issues, you still think deeply, have bouts of neurosis and you still may miss various social cues among other things. It is a label often given to women with Asperger's (because most are able to develop a social-persona to fit in). So, you're right in that you either have Asperger's brain or you don't, and it is more a reflection of passing as 'NT'.



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15 Jan 2014, 6:59 am

Like Sare said, many Aspie women and girls fall through the cracks because they can seem more "mild" than Aspie men and boys. Girls have the ability to mimic socially much better than boys so they learn to fit into society better and mask their Aspie traits better. Many people who know me casually are shocked to hear that I am on the Spectrum but if you ask my husband or my brother or experts who have observed me, they will tell you that it is no surprise to them at all. They will tell you that it is pretty obvious.


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paolo
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15 Jan 2014, 9:27 am

I think that the term "mild" wich runs even in dictionaries is very deceptive, An Aspie suffering may be ferocius and deerives from the capacity of a "mild" autistic ti fake some sort of fake integration in society, carving for himslef some marginal job, like Bartelby in Melville story or K. in Kafka's The castle.


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paolo
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15 Jan 2014, 9:28 am

I think that the term "mild" wich runs even in dictionaries is very deceptive, An Aspie suffering may be ferocius and deerives from the capacity of a "mild" autistic ti fake some sort of fake integration in society, carving for himslef some marginal job, like Bartelby in Melville story or K. in Kafka's The castle.


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paolo
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15 Jan 2014, 9:34 am

I think that the term "mild" wich runs even in dictionaries is very deceptive, An Aspie suffering may be ferocius and deerives from the capacity of a "mild" autistic ti fake some sort of fake integration in society, carving for himslef some marginal job, like Bartelby in Melville story or K. in Kafka's The castle.


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Soccer22
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15 Jan 2014, 9:43 am

I don't think we should say mild, moderate, or severe when talking about a disability. Once we do, that means we are controlling them and telling them what and how much support they need. That's not fair. People are really good at denying that they need help and faking their happiness. Because of that, we may label someone incorrectly and worsen them. If you're diagnosed with Asperger's, you deserve the same help and support as everyone else on the spectrum. We should at least offer it and if the person turns it down, then that's their decision but at least they know the support is there.



micfranklin
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15 Jan 2014, 9:44 am

There was a time when I originally thought I just had mild autism.



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15 Jan 2014, 9:50 am

As with any neurological condition, I think that different degrees of AS do exist. Whilst I have a diagnosis and have experienced a lot of the difficulties that are common to the condition, I think I can do a fairly good imitation of an NT when the circumstances demand it - which some folk who are higher up on the spectrum couldn't.



qawer
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15 Jan 2014, 10:26 am

Claradoon wrote:

You say there are 3 different types of autistic thinkers? Please expound! I haven't heard of this before. :D


They are:

1. Visual thinker
2. Verbal thinker
3. Pattern thinker


See here for more: Link



paolo
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15 Jan 2014, 11:01 am

I was disturbed while posting my post. That explains my triple repetition. I hope with this to be reinstated in this thread.


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JSBACHlover
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15 Jan 2014, 11:15 am

Hi, qawer. By the way what does your name mean?

Anyway, I am a "mild Asperger's" guy. But what this means is that I quickly learned coping strategies to get by in the NT world. But, let me make this clear, I was only able to get by, not to flourish. Mild Asperger's is still Asperger's. It is not a syndrome of degree but of kind. In other words, I am closer to the autistic than to the NT, no matter how high functioning I think I may be.

I hope that helps.