if you are an aspie you are not autistic

Post Reply New Topic

Me and my gf argued about this yesterday in earnest. She claims that asoergers may be in the autistic spectrum but having aspergers does not mean you are autistic that they are under teh autistic spectrum but that aspergers is NOT a milder version of autism.

Can I get some feedback here? Is it or is it not true that aspergers is like a milder version of autism, making you, in turn, autistic?

I am a little tired of being told that if i am an aspie i am not autistic and therefore will not get the kind of goverment benefists an autie does.

Is Asperger's a form of Autism? Depends on who you ask. My doctor says it is not, I disagree. Baron-Cohen considers it to be autism, and I'm pretty sure he's just about the final word word when it comes to ASDs.*

*Not that he's all-knowing or infallible or anything. He just has spent more time and gained more expertise studying AS than nearly anyone else, and so I have some respect for his opinions.

Most medical professionals will tell you it is.

It's sometimes referred to as a variant of "High-functioning Autism". However I cannot give a valid personal opinion since I don't know any non-aspie autistic people. Obviously there's going to be differences, but it's not like all Aspies are alike.

I certainly believe being Aspie is being autistic. It is a separate diagnosis that may have different eligibility rights than "classic autism".
My son is dx'ed autistic and seems "higher functioning" than many Aspies here. That's one reason I think "high" and "low" functioning are irrelevant, arbitrary words that don't help anyone.

Well, the DSM indicates that AS itself is NOT debilitating. HFA CAN be(The DSM doesn't prohibit it). Still, HFA ******DOES****** get more funding. My step mother was in a city council to provide funding for such thigs, and they decided NOT to fund AS interests. As for it being autism, many symptoms say it is autism. It IS in the same family.

No. I have gone into extensive detail about this matter previously - I will not reiterate. I understand & appreciate how many (most?) Aspies consider themselves partly NT. However, for me, I am 100% autistic in every respect, regardless of my high cognitive functioning. I may be 'organically' autisitic due to extraordinarily high genetic propensity and neurology (ie: lack of Sylvian Fisssure). Others in professional capacities concurr with this assessment. I AM AUTISTIC (and diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome only because of my IQ: 160+) but I have the entire spectrum! Understood?

Certainly, there are different ways of being, which are fine, but the demaracation is blurry, if it in fact exists.

WOW Labpet. You got reassessed? And they said you were AS simply because of the high IQ? Then I guess there are a number of HFA people here(I know at least 3 that are CLOSE to your IQ), that could ALSO be diagnosed AS!

At least two were 156. Not that I am really keeping track.

I am curious as to why you got reassessed. AS people will, at least at times, have a harder time getting support.

BTW most ASPIES, at least here and asdgestalt, appear to distance themselves from NT.

Pointless semantics really. But I can think of at least one member here who has 2 to 3(if you include her as she is unsure) aspie/HFA close family members and a LFA child. Which suggest some common genes.

The doctor who diagnosed me with Aspergers told me that it was a mild form of autism. Therefore I consider myself to be autistic, but not as severe as those with "classic" autism.

Doctors say that people with AS generally have an average or above average IQ. My IQ was professionally tested and was 83, which is quite a bit below average. The only reason I wasn't diagnosed with HFA was because I did not have the significant speech delay as a toddler.

But I still consider AS to be a mild form of Autism.

well i owuldnt worry about it unless your girlfriend is some kindof doctor

Doctors are FAR from God or perfect anyway.

Dr. Temple Grandin is cognizant of being fully autistic AND high-functioning too; these are certain NOT mutually exclusive - in fact, far from it! Further, autism is without argue one of the most inheritable neurological conditions (NIMH). I am not mildy afflicted yet my autism is not only my identity but my strength. Consult Temple Grandin's book(s)!

Brittany2907 you should be retested for IQ. Your writing clearly is that of an individual with an IQ at least 1 standard deviation above normal. I don’t know what arbitrary numerical scale they assigned to the normal distribution curve of the test you were given; these scales are not standardized or comparative between tests. That is to say that a result of 120 on one test might result in a measurement of 150 on another investigators test scale using identical questions. But I do know that these number jockeys always use 100 as the norm and you are clearly above the norm and not below it. If you are retested try to get the results interpreted in standard deviations (e.g. +1,+2,+3) it’s the only meaningful format.

Based on what I have seen/heard so far,the autistic brain may be different over all. It is almost like some I/O is coarser but the actual processing is enhanced. There are more nerve bundles, they are smaller, and there are more glial cells. That means that if the brain was TOTALLY healthy, it would work about twice as well.

It is probably subject to problems similar to electrical circuits, which means a greater chance of failure, more cross talk, etc... THAT is probably why people have such wild differences in ability, meltdowns, pauses, etc... As for the last part, who knows.

A lot of SCIENCE that existed even 15 years ago is now considered trash. It turns out, for example, that some neuron damage CAN be effectively repaired. Who's to say how much else is wrong? Anyway, another bit of science that is still out there is that the neurons are pared back at times, and that even some functionality is just LOST.

As labpet mentioned, she lacks the Sylvian Fissure. It's rumored that Einstein had the same oddity, and Einsteins brain was denser and had more glial cells. Also, Einsteins IQ was only about 160!

BTW look at what one website said about him:

After reviewing all the current info on autism, Asperger's, PDD-NOS, and HFA, I believe they are all related disorders. They are the same types. They are only separated by degree. However, the difference in degree between someone with Asperger's versus someone with severe autism is quite considerable. With more severe forms of autism there is such a lack of language development, especially in children. I'm writing this while tired, so if I'm babbling, that's why. I had to spend last night at my in-laws because my home lost power on Thursday due to a powerful severe thunderstorm.