your Autism

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Sophist,

Thanks for the clarification. So it theory there could be a wide variation between an HFA and Aspergers person right? I ask because someone trying to help us set up an Aspergers group asked if we were going to include HFA and PDD people. At the time I didn't see why she was making a distinction. Course the group is going nowhere fast as some people think we should let in low spectrum people, but then it would no longer be strictly Aspergers group now would it? Also lower spectrum tend to have caregivers with them at all times and I think having NT's sitting in on meetings is not condusive to discussions for Aspies. Plus in the autism group I belong to there is more low spectrum and all they do is sit in the corner and squeal at the top of their lungs. So why should they belong to the AS group when they can't contribute anything to discussion without an interpreter?

Is there any site that gives precise definitions of all these different "parts" of the spectrum?

If everyone were diagnosed using the same method, wouldn't that clear up some of the confusion?!
In Australia, there are differences from state to state in how one is diagnosed, using different criteria, past history, etc.
Here's my little story:
I was diagnosed by a psychologist, then a psychiatrist confirmed the diagnosis so I could be referred to appropriate services and such.
To diagnose, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, the Scales of Independent Behaviour - Revised and the DSM-IV-TR Criteria for Autism were used. The DSM-IV-TR criteria for autism differ from the criteria for Asperger's Syndrome. The criteria for autism includes qualitative impairments in communication in which I met one criterion.

I met eight criteria as well as the Additional DSM criteria.




Yet everyone I know (admittedly not very many people) was diagnosed in a different way to me.
I think a review of all this is in order.
Those quotes are from my diagnostic report.

That's the whole problem everyone is using different criteria even in the same city. There's even one idiot psychologist in town telling people that OCD, Multiple Personality Disorder & Bi-Polar are "forms of autism". Of course that is not true those are not autism the only relation is SOME people with autism will also have OCD or Bi-polar. See these guys get no training in this unless they just came out of medical school because the diagnosis is still relatively new. They read a few things online and they think they can diagnose it.

Now THAT is bad!! !! !

OCD -- Obsessions with Compulsions Similarity to autism? SOME possible repetitive motions MIGHT look LIKE stims. Possible autistic like consequences? Loss of friends due to extremes.

MPD -- Multiple personalities Similarity to autism? SOME changes MIGHT look LIKE outbursts from SOME autistics. Possible autistic like consequences? Loss of friends due to changes.

Bi-Polar -- Manic/Depressive Similarity to autism? NONE! Bipolar MIGHT be comorbid, especially if the autistic goes against his/her nature. Possible autistic like consequences? Loss of friends due to extremes.

Gee, the basic autistic symptom isn't there! It might appear to be, but by that measure EVERYONE has autism! Only one other symptom might appear to be there. BTW most OCD, MPD, Bi-Polars have historically been excluded from autism because of the IQ. Granted that isn't the case now, but it WAS.

Steve

Steve,

I agree. It seems though at least in US that there are psychs and MDs handing out multiple diagnosis. For instance my nephew is diagnosed with Aspergers, ADHD, Dyslexia, Bi-Polar and OCD. An Aspie I met told me she was dx'd also with Depression, Bi-Polar and Post Traumatic Syndrome. She is on medications and she thinks I should be on medications too just because I have Aspergers. So apparently many Aspies do not know better than to think all Aspies have these other mental disorders.

The other Bi-Polars I know besides her are all extremely outgoing and no way I could say that BP is a form of autism. With OCD that seems different than stimming and most of those people are just plain pain in the butts and not autistic either.

As I said, they CAN be comorbid. All AS people probably appear to be a little OCD. I know I CERTAINLY was earlier. My mothers nasty habits cured me of that. 8-( I organized my library, was pretty clean with everything, and a perfectionist around 5-7, and possibly earlier. Bipolar could happen when you go against your nature, etc... That was me several months ago. A lot of people with AS are diagnosed with ADHD. Again, it looks similar. As for dyslexia? Anyone could have that.

I wasn't saying any of those were autistic. I was trying to be fair. Still, like you said, a thinking person couldn't confuse them.

And yeah, this whole thing scares me. SO MANY things are potentially comorbid with AS. Being obsessed with a compulsion that is GOOD, like neatness, organization and, to a degree, perfection is a GOOD thing. I never insisted anyone else had to be that way, by the way. I GUESS if I knew what was going on with the bipolar, THAT would have been good also. Dyslexia isn't good but HEY, I apparantly don't have that.

BTW She had post tramatic stress ALSO!? WHY? Why did she feel THAT was due to AS?

Steve