Nonverbal Asperger's?

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For whatever reason (be stress, shutdown, whatever), I am nonverbal to the point of using AAC. I've kind of lost my speech abilities with increasing frequency over the past... lifetime... but I always tried to push through. I've been pushing so much lately and it got to a point that I simply can't speak without major physical consequences (nausea, gagging, migraines, etc... from a few words).

My neuropsych, as of the last time I saw her 6 months ago, still insists that I have Asperger's (other evals have led to diagnosis of autistic disorder). If I DO have Asperger's... is it possible to have AS and be nonverbal? Or does complete lack of speech signify classic autism?

I may be wrong, but pushing through might be the reason why you're having more and more trouble speaking (selective mutism, which this seems to be, is symptomatic of AS). Try this: Next time it happens, don't push yourself to speak. Wait until you can on your own.

I've heard of that happening (AS adult losing speech). Unfortunately, I'm not in contact with the person I'm thinking of anymore so I don't have any more info. beyond that it was related to "autistic catatonia."

And also like MrLoony said about pushing through without enough recovery time in between.

You might try asking on ANI-L. I haven't been there in about 10 years, but back then there were at least 3-4 adults who were AAC users.

I would technically call it PDD-NOS if you occasionally lose speech; but your psychologist may be referring to the possibility that you have selective mutism in addition to Asperger's, which leads to the same thing--intermittently not being able to talk. Having a history of normal speech in childhood and not losing access until adulthood may lead your psychologist to shy away from the possibility that this is strictly a feature of your autism. Selective mutism is a speech/language disorder that can happen to autistics and NTs alike, and it may be that your psychologist is assuming that you have something of this sort going on--probably something that you have an inherent vulnerability to because it has always been harder for you to produce speech than it is for most people. It's probably not necessary to add another diagnosis to the pile, though. You deal with them pretty much the same way--establish communication, speech therapy, etc.

Callista, I did have speech issues in childhood, though. I had articulation problems, echolalia, very rarely spoke (not even when spoken to), and still occasionally lost speech abilities. I do think it could be SM in addition to AS, but I lean more toward that it's autism-related and should be called something different. (For the record, my neuropsych calls every even partially verbal adult AS... regardless of DSM "rules").

if I were you I'd refer to myself as autistic, not aspergers, one of the primary characteristics of aspergers is that there arn't speech issues like this.

But it's all still unclear, I still look foward to the DSM V when this is all simplified.

I would say if you did speak on time, then it is AS. If you don't "forget" how to speak, but just do not do it, you still have not lost the ability to speak, you just choose not to--no matter how subconcious this decision might feel. That is not a good explanation. There are people with autism who are CAPABLE of speaking words, but do not. Then there are those who are incapable of speaking words. You are obviously capable because you do not. If it is a regression, you would have to be retaught how to speak. If that is not the case, then it is not a regression, but just a choice of not using words (I don't like the word choice here, but I can't think of a more appropriate one--I have no idea what the scientific explanation or terminology is for autistic people who can talk but sometimes don't).

When you were a baby and you spoke on time, I would say that would be AS. When did you start talking? I qualify for a diagnosis of classic autism--going to get reevaluated in a couple weeks. I did not speak until after the age of 2 1/2, then a few months later at the age of 3, I regressed entirely and could not speak a single word. It was not selective mutism or anything related to selective mutism under a different label because I had to be retaught very slowly how to speak again from scratch. If that is similar to your experience, I would say you have classic autism. If you were on time, and you have selective mutism (or anything related to selective mutism under a different label), I would say AS would be more accurate...or even PDDNOS.

I CAN'T speak. I can move my lips, and I can make a very short, generic noise with my mouth closed, but I cannot simultaneously open my mouth and make sound, even if alone (except for one case which I'm about to explain). If I try REALLY hard, as hard as I can, all that comes out regardless of what's in my head is "Hi, Els." (Elsie is the cat.) I may well need to be retaught again how to speak... because it's not working, what I'm trying.

I spoke on time but didn't really communicate, I guess. By age 3, I was very behind (based on the videos I've watched) and hardly spoke at all except to repeat or speak in jargon. I can't understand a thing I said unless it was the last word my parents just said. I did not ask or answer questions at all.

I would honestly say that you're right about falling more closely into the "classic autism" category than AS, because with that history, I really don't see why your psychologist insists on saying Asperger's.

Sometimes I think they are just scared of saying "autism" because they are still working on the old stereotypes of what autism is.

My opinion on why the neuropsych does that? Her son has "severe" classic autism. Anyone who is any kind of verbal must have Asperger's. I've met some of her other AS patients (social skills group) who are massively dependent on their parents (even more than me, if that's possible) and speak only about ten words with so much verbal stimming thrown in you can hardly tell what's what. I disagree with her method of diagnosis, because her method does not line up with the DSM.

Also, a speech delay is NOT required for a diagnosis of classic autism.

Not technically, no, but most people diagnosed with classic autism do have a speech delay. Some kind of communication has to be delayed, though. You probably are PDDNOS or classic autism, I really don't know for sure because I don't know you well enough. I could be wrong but it seems like a lot of people with autism who do not talk are not trying to move their mouth without words coming out though. I could be wrong, but when I regressed, I did not try to talk and couldn't, it was like my brain forgot than I once knew how to talk. I see nonverbal people on youtube all the time, and I know that is a very short exposure to a person, but it doesn't seem like they are trying to talk and can't. Also, I have never heard of cases where people with autism regress over and over and over again. I am not saying this does not happen, just that I have never heard of it.

I've never heard of it either!

I assumed that was what you were implying since you said you "still occasionally lost speech abilities." Your words, not mine. An *occasional* loss of the ability to speak would imply a regression, would it not? I mean, if it is not selective mutism, which although selective, is still not always in the person's control.

Oh, no... not that I regressed every time I lost speech (which is most days, many more than not). Speaking hasn't been easy for a very long time, and I would hit a wall and that would be that for a few hours or a day. Only this time, the words haven't come back... yet.

However, I kind of have been experiencing one long regression since I was born, almost. I was diagnosed with AS almost 3 years ago... and just a few days ago received a label of moderate autism (unofficial, though). Something's up.

I would say the autism diagnosis might end up becoming more official if it was your doctor/psych who gave it to you. Also, if you have been having these speech issues especially your entirely life, along with the other characteristics, I am surprised it took so long for them to diagnosis you even with AS. Likewise, I am very clearly autistic (classic autism), but I wasn't diagnosed (and it was with AS) until a couple months ago at the age of 26. So many of us just slip through the cracks. Has your doctor made any suggestions about speech therapy or anything to help with the loss of speech?

My doctor has been away for 3 months and will be away until June 7th. Even then, she won't answer her email (never does...says to email her and never answers it). And I can't call her on the phone. My appointment is June 16th. She called my loss of speech "just an autism quirk" and no more was said about it.