Quick question & brief update

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Hey gang,
I know it's been a while since my last post and well theres a good reason for that:
First off I gave the folks at my local VR office a kiss off being that they were doing more talking then producing
I have found my own job working as a receiver for a health store, making a decent buck at that!
Plus my boss is fully aware that I have autism & sensory issues and knows when I'm about to be over stimulated so he helps me out with avoiding the triggers. My co-workers are aware as well and they assist me when needed without it making it look obvious.
On the side I am starting to look at doing some freelance video production work, so things are finally looking good for me!

I do have a question to propose to you all: what is the difference between high functioning Autism & Aspergers besides the lack/delay of early speech? Is it possible for one to have an Austin diagnoses early on in life and then be rediagnosed with Aspergers (pre DSM-V) In late teens early adulthood?

Also where does the line between HFA and AS end or does it simply overlap?

I hope things have been going well with everybody here

Those two diagnosis overlap. You can go from one to the other. In fact, the US has moved to change things so that there is no longer a distinction. Aspergers and Autism (and a few others) are becoming Autism Spectrum Disorder. So, everyone gets the same label and we expect that your level of need will fluctuate over time.

There is no clear evidence that they are different disorders.

But there is the notion, which I find to be true based upon anecdote:

That: Aspergians have relative difficulties visual-spatially, but are quite intact verbally

The opposite seems true with people with "high-functioning" autism who are not seen as being Aspergian.

Though the above is really only a generalization.

In my life, I have found people with classic autism to be, at times, even physically gifted, with excellent balance. Aspergians, on the other hand, frequently seem clumsy physically.

It sounds like you've really made progress, Joel.

It looks like your present company only cares that you can do the job well. Which is a good thing.

it's a good thing I have an understanding boss and that things are actually going well for a change...kinda like a 2nd chance at life if you will


could you give me a simplistic definition of visual-spatially difficulties means?

Basically, it means you're clumsy.

You also don't learn too well with pictures. You might learn better through words.

I am both of these things.

This might be a meaningless distinction with aspergers on the way out, but since you know I love these conversations, I'll respond anyways.

You're talking about a subtype of aspie that aligns more with Non-Verbal Learning Disability. They have great verbal skills and rotten visual spacial skills.

But there are also aspies, like myself, who have great visual spacial skills and deficits in language processing. Your stereotypical science-nerd-genius is usually of this type, as science usually requires great visual spacial skills. (Except biology, lol) These folks tend to be co-morbid with auditory processing disorder.

They are both significant differences in sensory processing. But with the first you have deficits in visual processing, and the second you have deficits in auditory processing. I guess that it would fit with this theory that you could also have motor processing problmes - the dispraxia type you mentioned.

In general, we both have enough strengths in other areas of of our IQ to compensate to a certain degree. At least, that was the point - to have a diagnostic catagory for those who are able compensate and to keep them distinguished from those who would not and would need life-time care. Except, we all know life isn't that simple.

Thank you for the update. Congratulations on your job!

I'm glad you are going well! Being accepted as you are (in your job) is my dream - it makes me so happy to know that someone has achieved it!