Similar disorders (or whatever) to HFA/Aspergers

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No we are born like this. We are born like this that is the onset.

Yes, I would think that different neurology is not something that someone could grow into. But does that invalidate the idea that it's not always apparent until later childhood?


Despite not remembering much I was able to get some information from my mum.

Apparently I was very quick to learn to count and recognize colours at 18 months old and it was only weeks that it took (less than a month). I don't know if that means something for ASD's.

I know I had issues socialising at school (that involved a fight or two over completely ridiculous things). What I don't remember mostly is having a special interest, though maybe wooden blocks (which I had all my life up to the age of 7) or a phase I had with transformers. Sometimes i'd watch a certain video over and over again. But nothing that I'm sure is solid for those ages.. teens onwards I can track special interests all the way.

Symptoms of an ASD can be not as evident/less severe when the external environment doesn't exceed one's innate ability.

For example, I got by in primary school (preteen) regarding socialization (I was the usual odd and eccentric make, but that needn't be a problem). As soon the social level exceeded my abilities, that's when the symptoms became worst.

That explains a lot as when I was 8 there were more demands like group activities and things that to me seemed completely stupid - things that involved using imagination as a learning process (to get used to the idea of writing essays and such I would guess).

I thought about the interests thing again and remembered some things. Actually it seems like I had an interest in shapes / building blocks etc like wooden blocks, marbles, mechano, lego, cubes (that you fit together to build something), other construction type toys involving shapes that I don't know the name of, transformers, etc.

I suggest John Ortiz' seminar book from a few years ago. In it, he makes a great case for distinguishing among HFA, Asperger's, and NLD. He died last year, but I believe his books are still available from his website and they are not very expensive.

I'm going to have a really nice book collection once I'm done

1. Nonverbal Learning Disorder

2. Bipolar Disorder (during the depressive phase)

3. Schizoid Personality Disorder

4. Avoidant Personality Disorder

5. PANDAS

6. Severe ADHD

7. Borderline Personality Disorder (usually only young women)

8. Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (maybe under some circumstances)

That's what I'm worried about.



Same for me, I'm pretty sure both my parents are on the spectrum, so a fair amount of my weird traits/obsessions went unnoticed. I'm fact I would go as far as saying that my parents often helped with them (driving me to car boot sales to complete various book collections among other things) Primary school wasn't so bad apart from getting bullied by one person pretty much constantly. Secondary school was awful though, I was totally lost in social situations.

I have two brothers on the spectrum one with really bad problems and some distant relatives where all of the families are on the spectrum and with really bad problems. That makes me think dna/genetics is a big part of this.

I didn't have the issue so much with school because i attended a special needs school for secondary school. People were kinda cool and just really lax but I sometimes wish I could go back and start over at a mainstream school (bearing in mind all social contact was mostly people with ADHD, ADD and maybe others on the spectrum) and maybe social aspects would have been easier to overcome. I was given the opportunity several times but refused. Though maybe I'd have had issues with people like you did - I was bullied at times as a kid too so I guess that may have been an issue if I had taken those opportunities.

Edit:
Sorry some typing/wording issues so I changed it.

Yeah I think it must be genetic, i'm pretty sure both my kids are on the spectrum. We are all high functioning. In only the last week since I've realised things have been easier around the house as I realised the things that were causing arguments, (one thing was me getting annoyed by my sons stims - fidgeting and humming) they are only 4 and 6, so there is a long way to go for us to all understand each other and I'm sure the teenage years are going to be tough, but now I know it will be easier.

High school was a nightmare, most people think that school was the best time of their lives, but with me it was a mind field of awkward situations.

I do reminisce on my school days fondly from time to time so I'm thankful for that much.

I got some really good responses here so thanks for all the replies

Things that are often confused with AS during the diagnosis process, and/or conditions I've seen lots of people ask qs about how they differ from AS are:

Social anxiety disorder
Avoidant personality disorder
Schizoid personality disorder
Schizotypal personality disorder
Schizophrenia
Borderline personality disorder
Psychopath/Sociopath
Attention deficit disorder
Dyspraxia
Sensory integration disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder
NT geek
NT shy person
NT introvert
NT with INTP / INTJ personality type

If anybody cares to answer I do have another question about this.

From dsm-iv:

(C) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

Stimming right? But what counts in context of the dsm-iv critera?

You might want to add PTSD to the list; that was my Dx prior to AS

Maybe an easier question would be what isn't confused with AS! Probably a very short list.