confused. What is the difference between HFA and Aspergers?

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Is there any or are they two different terms for the same symptoms?

Both are Autistic Spectrum Disorders, and like other such disorders, it is unclear as to whether or not we are looking at the same condition expressed variably, or a complex of diverse causes with similar outcomes.

Diagnostically, according to the DSM-IV HFA should be diagnosed instead of AS where the symptoms are pretty much the same other than a delay in the acquisition of early language evident at approx. 2 years of age (in which case the diagnosis would be HFA instead of AS).

Depends on who you ask.

Attwood = same thing
Others = different

HFA can equate to autistic disorder/Kanner's without mental retardation as a child (IQ greater than 70); it can also equate to Asperger's in some circles.

According to my psychiatrist, it's: LFA, HFA then AS. Those at Attwood's say that if you reach adulthood and you can communicate verbally, you're AS/HFA (same thing to them).

DSM calls HFA/LFA autistic disorder, the main difference to AS being a delay in verbal ability (this doesn't equate to a delay in speech but with adequate reading/writing), and a greater propensity for mental retardation. Those with autistic disorder are more withdrawn/aloof than those with AS (that's what it says anyway).

Ya ^ about sums it up from what I understand anyways.

Of course prior to AS being accepted in the early 90's they DX'ed people HFA. WHen I was 4 I was lucky enough to have such a label, and again when I was 8 when I moved to NY. Now, I most certainly know that I have been DX'ed with the wrong thing, I have more in common with those having AS really then those adults who have HFA and their is a slight noticible difference, especally when communicating when them verbally, even typing to them, IMO.

Anyways, I never bothered to get my DX changed, I am the only onw who would care about the outcome anyways and will die with the label I have had for 21 years already.

I thought the only difference was in early language development. Aspies tend to have no language delay, where as Auties did in early childhood. I knew my friends son had autism when he was 9, but his doctors said no because there was never a speech delay, I said that that was because he was high functioning, then when he turned 17 they said "aspergers." Yeah cause when he was 15 thats when I heard of aspergers sydrome, but they wouldn't test him 'till WP told me about the aspie test, so when his family took it pretending to be him they then had him officially tested.......all these years, the schools would rather label him bad then AS. Go Figure....

I have a buddy who has HFA, of course their are other factors involved such as typing ability and cognitive stuff, but he is far weaker at both speaking and typing whenever we communicate.

Also, he is slow, and cant do school work, he has a job as a janitor, but no special interests, not able to really live alone and independently 100% and does not drive.

Their are of course other factors, but I see that even in adult hood mental processes are a bit weaker in HFA then in AS, and that is another reason why I have the wrong DX (for an adult in my shoes, childhood it was appropriate especally at a time when Aspringers did not exist).

By reading my posts, do I appear to have AS, or HFA? I'm just curious.

I asked my daughter's diagnosing PhD why she received a diagnosis of autism instead of Asperger's, since I always believed the only difference was delayed speech (in autism) and she didn't have that. The doctor explained that my daughter had too many sensory issues to be AS, as typically the sensory issues with AS are milder - or at least fewer - than in autism.