How I distinguish high functioning Autism v.s Aspies, IQ

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I never remember the anniversary. I'm always in trouble. It's definitely not the woman's thing around here. I never notice the starving or illness. I never notice the affection either. I'm always in trouble for that too. I think I live my life in trouble. Oh well, that's what make up time is for.

As for the help, can't do that. Are you forgetting the lawn incident??? The housekeeper episode was worse! I never try to help anymore. I just follow the rules. Besides, I like all that order. I guess two AS people could get a housekeeper and cook. They need their own Alice from the Brady bunch!


Do you find that AS women take care of that stuff? I've found most of them have husbands who take care of most of that. I wonder how many AS/AS relationships there are out there compare to NT/AS (female that is). Interesting. Maybe I'll do a poll.

That's another thing. In AS/AS, I guess they just bluntly tell each other they are interested? It certainly isn't normal flirting! LOL


I can't cook. I'm not even allowed to touch anything in the kitchen. The two times I tried to be nice and cook for a change resulted in me wandering off and forgetting that I was cooking. That resulted in me burning the food so badly that one pan had to be thrown out and another actually cracked from the heat. Who knew such things could happen? Anyway, I was banned after that. I ruined two of his pans and there are probably rules about what brand, type, etc. pan you use for what. I don't know. All I know was that it happened when we were first married and there was lots of yelling and frustration on his end and major confusion on mine. So, he just made up the rule that I never touch anything in the kitchen and now we're fine.

Do AS women remember things like Anniversaries, Valentine's day, Mother's day, etc? I just think that stuff is all silly made up social constructs. Maybe that's why I'm always forgetting them. It is a big deal in the NT world, so I've found. You get big frowns and harsh words. Not that it has ever made me remember. I find a co-worker to remind me. Otherwise I get in the car to go home and still forget to buy the present. Mostly he just gets them late, after I've gotten the frown.

LOL I don't mean literally starve, but I suppose it could get close with me. I've gone as many as three days without eating before someone notices and makes me eat. Mine is also when I'm into my interest. I also think it's because I can't stand to handle food. Someone on here said space sticks. That is a good idea except I'd never go to the store to get them. I guess I could order online.


I think it's funny how you run the statistics. I do that. I always think, man, what would happen if hubby died? Then, I speculate. I have 100 criteria men would have to pass to live with me now (after living like this so long). Then, I run the statistics. It's less than .00001% of the male population. What are the chances of that???? I better enjoy hubby. That's all I can say.

I think the distinction between HFA and AS is that in HFA, there was a speech delay, whereas in AS, usually speech occurs at the normal time or is even advanced for one's age. The speech can be eccentric, but normal speech milestones are met. (Single words by one year, sentences by two years, etc.)

Well heck, at least you remember Valentine's Day. This year, someone says to me, everyone is in red. I look around and go, Huh. I thought it was a blue day so I put on blue. She gave me this really odd look. Later, she comes over to me and goes, You do know it's Valentine's Day don't you? I didn't. So, then she yells at me about because she knows that Hubby will get me some great present and I don't appreciate him and blah blah blah. You get the drift. She yelled at me as I left to stop at the store. I got in the car, stopped to get gas and it went right out of my head. I'm all happy thinking about my writing all the way home. I get in the door and stop dead in my tracks. I'm already in trouble and I haven't gotten to relax. Ugh. But, here's the better thing with guys than girls, I think. With a guy, make up you know what actually does make up for just about everything.

They will have to confirm this.


P.S. They tried to put me in girl scouts, but I sewed my finger to whatever the heck I was sewing. I didn't get asked to do that again!

I have HFA and my IQ is somewhere in between 120-140.


-SpaceCase

Generally speaking, the distinction between "classic" Autism and High Function Autism is IQ. Autistic Individuals with an IQ that is normal or higher are classed as High Functioning. This is because most Autistic Individuals with classic Autism have an IQ that measures below normal. The criteria for a diagnosis for Autism does require a language problem of some sort, however it is possible that the problem may be eccentric, repetitive use of language rather than a language delay. A diagnosis of Autism also requires that the individual in question have by the time they were three years old displayed delays or problems with social interaction, types of play, or language. In order for these things to have been noticed by age three that means that these are not minor impairments, but more substaitial/serious ones noticable from that early age.

In contrast, Aspergers does not require any language problems or any cognitive delays.

I am going by the standard definitions. Many people today feel that there is actually little difference between HFA and AS. Some professional actually question whether or not AS is even really on the spectrum-- the current ideas of what is or is not on the spectrum are always changing. More and more disorders are currently thought to be pervasive developmental disorders than used to be. Also, the issues of IQ in Autistic Individuals is another issues that comes under a lot of scrutiny. Many feel that IQ cannot be accurately measured in individuals with classic Autism, or that even if it can be it might not mean the same thing as it does in people who are "NT".

Furthermore, IQ itself is an often debated issues as many posters have pointed out. Exactly what does it measure? What is it good for? What IQ? There are different sorts of IQ-- Verbal IQ, Performance IQ as are measured on the WAIS, a standard intelligence test. There are also subtests that measure for specific abilities/types of intelligence.

My psychology degree is from the University of Illinois.

I also wanted to mention that the diagnosis of Autism rules of the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Yale, however, is promulgating a "new" disorder called Multiplex Developmental Disorder that is somewhere between childhood autism and childhood schizophrenia. You can read more about it here http://www.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/pddinfo.html

The DSM criteria for Autism: http://www.autism-resources.com/autismfaq-defi.html