On the Specturm

Post Reply New Topic

When I mentioned to my GP that I thought i might have Aspgers, she was very sypathetic etc but said there was a good chance I was 'on the austictic speturm'?

Can you simply be diagnosed with that without having aspergers, full autism etc? Has anyone here, espically from the UK, been simply they are 'on the spectrum'?

I'm quite confused.

Not technically; but that's what the PDD-NOS diagnosis is for. PDD-NOS is basically atypical autism, which is what they diagnose you with when they know you are autistic but can't figure out the precise diagnosis or can't fit you into the known categories.

Sometimes, they just don't know yet, or don't feel it's important to try and figure out "where" on the spectrum you are, or don't believe in giving someone a precise label, or think you will be able to handle things better if they stay vague about it, or just can't be bothered .
Anyway, on the spectrum means you're autistic, so basically from that simple sentence you already know how your brain works, then the rest is just a "functionning" label, and those are silly. What is important is : Can you work? Can you pay your bills on time and live independantly? Are your social skills ok or do you have stuff to figure out ? The label itself is not so crucial. It's your skills that matter so you know what you need to work on, what you WANT to work on and what you're perfectly fine with, etc.

Someone with PDD-NOS typically shows many of the characteristics of autism or AS but they fail to meet a certain diagnostic criteria. Thus why as the catch-all category it contains people who may be functionally on the severe end of autism all the way to an even milder version of AS.

My PsyD called me Aspergers but I NEVER got officially Dx's and do not care what my designation is. It is all going to be ASD soon anyway so it is fine to know that you are on the spectrum.

I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, which means that you are on the spectrum, but don't fit in any "pigeon-hole" that well.

I actually have PDD-NOS but got diagnosed with AS because it was the closest match for a diagnoses. I don't know why I got put in that category. My mom said it was to get me through school and it was for my education and to get the help I needed. But my psychiatrist wrote I have an autism spectrum disorder so I don't think it matters what label I have. I have noticed I am not alone in this.