What is your diagnosis?

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I was diagnosed a few years ago and my official diagnosis was simply "autistic spectrum disorder". However I've been told that the person who diagnosed me said it was basically Asperger's with one difference, and I originally went to be diagnosed for AS as this was spotted by the school. I am seeing with someone experienced with AS right now and they call it AS, as well as a counsellor I've started seeing for several reasons.

I tell people that I've been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome even though I've technically been diagnosed with an ASD. Though, to be honest, I don't see where the difference comes in.

I've shown a lot of the signs of AS and there's no doubt that I am "an aspie". I have experienced/ do experience a lot of the difficulties and have a lot of the traits. I've always struggled in several social aspects and been more sensitive to sensory things such as noise. I never had any speech delay or any delay; I learned to read and speak and write quite early on. I'm slightly confused about why I was diagnosed with an ASD rather than simply AS.

I guess I was wondering what other people diagnosis' were and if anyone else was in a similar situation.

Hmm... *looks at username* I'm pretty sure I have Aspergers.

The person who diagnosed you is probably "preparing" you for the fact that, if the proposed changes for new diagnostic manual scheduled to go into effect sometime during 2013, Asperger Syndrome will no longer appear as a distinct diagnosis. Though DSM-IV, which still includes AS as a diagnosis, is officially still in effect, DSM-V is not planned to include AS anymore, but will move all AS diagnoses into and under Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which is what you have already been diagnosed with.

There is a lot of debate over whether all current AS diagnoses will fall under the new criteria for ASD. I personally feel it's a lot of "mucha do about nothing."

I honestly think that although the "official" diagnoses might change, most doctors will probably still use the term Asperger Syndrome anyway. I'm sure there will be exceptions, but I really don't think it'll amount to a big deal.

AS is already considered an Autistic disorder anyway, so it's not as if you've been "short-changed." If you have AS, you are Autistic.

My diagnosis was "cognitively high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder." My evaluation report uses the terms "high functioning ASD" and "Asperger's" interchangeably. I know that the psychologist used the DSM-V because I was also given a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder, and when I looked up the diagnostic code for the latter on google to find out what it was, the search results yielded were all on the website for the DSM-V.

The first day of my assessment, the psychologist said something about "high functioning autism," the second day said "you're a puzzle" and then eventually diagnosed me with "High Functioning ASD (previously known as Asperger's)."

I can't understand the difference between high functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome, and I've spent so much time trying to and becoming more confused that I won't even comment on why/what I can't understand....I refer to myself with either term, although I tend to use autism because it's less confusing for me. I don't care at all which label other people use for me.

My diagnosis is also Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

I don't really see the current different labels within this spectrum as helpful: as every person on the spectrum has a different set of abilities and disabilities and the different labels can confuse rather than clarify when explaining to others.

I am happy with my diagnosis, although I was expecting if I was diagnosed with anything that it would be Asperger's (though in reality I was convinced that they would just brush me off as depressed & anxious). I was told "towards the Asperger's end of the spectrum, but maybe not Asperger's".... but I did not need that extra clarification; it makes no difference.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder makes more sense to me, and to the few people that I've told.

The psychologist who diagnosed me used both Asperger's Syndrome and ASD in the report.

Asperger's and social anxiety.

My performance on the IQ Test decided that I'd have F84.5 Asperger's rather than F84.0 HFA/classical autism. That will never make any sense.

I stick to saying I have autism usually. Actually I say that I'm a “Autist” (=term for a person with autism), the one handy thing about the German language.

That way people can't assume their assumptions about me are correct. It's the same as saying that I have an ASD that I leave unspecified.

Not mentioning AS helps to fend off weird assumptions about me having to be a personification of an articulate, eccentric stereotype.

Borderline Aspergers Syndrome. When I was little I could have pulled off with mild classic Autism, but it became less apparent as I got older.

Asperger's Syndrome, Dyscalculia, Hyperlexia and Foreign Accent Syndrome.

Autistic disorder or autism spectrum disorder

Asperger's Disorder.

Started out being diagnosed with Asperger's. Currently the diagnosis is PDD-NOS. I'm pretty much identical to the stereotypical Aspie (or adult autie), but my childhood history and minor self-care issues exclude me from AS. Functionally and for the purposes of treatment, there's no difference. I have "Asperger's" on my record still despite the oddities of ASD diagnosis; my psychiatrist saw no reason to change it and neither did I. Technically, until about the age of 8 or 9, I would have been classic autism, and after that PDD-NOS (because I got the hang of conversations and communicative speech). But by the time I was diagnosed, at age 19, I had gotten to the point that I had the same traits as someone with Asperger's would have had as a child, so that was my diagnosis.

I figure, screw it all and just say "autistic".

I was diagnosed with high functioning autism at the age of 5 in 1988. Now I gave my age away! Now as an adult if I went in for diagnosis again it would be closer to Asperger's Syndrome if they see the autism at all. I know my current psychologist sees the autism though.