if asperger is the same as HFA then do I have asperger?

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I'm seriously debating getting reassessed and having my diagnosis changed to ASD when the DSM-5 comes out. People have suggested that even though I was only diagnosed last year, if I get reassessed next year (even if the DSM-5 wasn't coming out), while fighting for SSI, that it might help the SSI application, and it'd mean I get to have the diagnosis I prefer.

If I could go and get the same person who diagnosed me to just write up how from those tests he did last year can see that I meet the DSM-5 criteria as well, so am now considered having the diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder, I really might do it, even just for the label change, at that point.

I have motor skils dificulties. So maby I coudl say asperger. My neice is 6. We are goign to explain to her about me. I do not want her to think I am stupid. I was thinkign of asking mum if we can say I am like asperger. I am not diagnosed with that. But peopel with asperger are smart. I want her to think I am smart. people say alot they are similar. and i say alot they are both autism but they are both diferent. But I have high fuctioning autism. this is nearly asperger so maby we can say to her I am like some one with asperger.

Asperger's mandates no speech delays. Autism does not require a speech delay, and you can be diagnosed if you appear to speak fine but have significant communication difficulties, or if you lacked imaginative play as a child.

Asperger's also requires no delay in adaptive or self-help skills, but a lot of people diagnosed with it have such delays, although not necessarily to the same degree that most diagnosed with autism have.

Good idea. If I could think of PDD-NOS this way, I could get rid of most of the stress I've got from receiving this label.

Anyhow, I don't think AS and HFA are that different. As it was already pointed out, HFA is not even an official diagnostic label, it can literally mean anything within the autism spectrum in terms of official diagnostic labels. However, most often it is associated with autistic disorder.

Goodness knows what my daughter's diagnosis is going to be. There was no speech delay, she has been assessed as very high end of average on communication skills and has very good imaginative play. Yet, when I tell her after-school teachers she's being assessed for autism, they say something along the lines of, 'Yes, I thought as much, She's very like this other autistic kid I deal with'. She's an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. Now that her behaviour has improved, I thought it would be easier to distinguish the other traits, but it isn't. Oh well, another year before the proper assessment.

You are like someone with Asperger's. HFA and Asperger's share many similarities.

But I think, because she is 6, she probably does not know what Asperger's is. She might not know what autism is. It is possible that these words do not mean anything to her yet. But I think there is a good chance she knows the word "disability".

So you might choose to tell her that you are as smart as most people, but you have a disability that makes it hard to make words. I think she might understand that.

It think it would also be good to help her understand that autism does not mean stupid, before other people who do not understand autism teach her the wrong thing.

And also, perhaps tell her that you do not display emotions like everyone else, but you still have them, they just not always reach your face. And likeways, emotions others display may not always reach your eyes/brain. ..unless thats too many big words/notions.

Hi Skyheart,
Feel free to use the term Asperger if you want if it helps your family to feel more comfortable. Ultimately it's up to you. You seem like a bright young person and I hope you get on really well with your niece