It's Asperger's SYNDROME and not DISORDER, GRRRRR!! !! !

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There were a couple of front-page articles in my local (rag) newspaper last week dealing with autism/Asperger's and the alleged tremendous increase in the diagnosis of them during the past two decades and the projected even greater future increase. I live on an Indian reservation, in a very rural area, and the city the newspaper covers, the nearest one (100-odd miles away) is fairly small by city standards as well. But it's a college town, so at least the intellectual level is higher than in many rural "cities." So, of course, they're gonna make a big deal over the increase in such conditions. You know the drill. OMG, OMG, they're coming to get us, the sky is falling, what'll we do, what'll we do!! !

All the usual crap was trotted out, from vaccines to the kitchen sink. Older school administrators and teachers complaining that they'd never even heard of such things when they first started out and now it's like an "epidemic." Everyone wringing their hands and weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth trying to figure out just what horrible trigger is causing such a frightening "epidemic." Well, duh. HELLOOOOOO!! !! !! ! It's called increased awareness and knowledge, especially of both Asperger's and the fact that they now know that autism has a very wide spectrum and is not just the severe non-functional manifestation most people still associate with it (especially older people).

But what REALLY frosted my cookies was when they provided the Asperger's information. They kept calling it Asperger DISORDER. Not ONCE did they EVER say "Syndrome", it was DISORDER. GRRRR. It is NOT a disorder, damnit, it's a SYNDROME. My teenage son is NOT "disordered." My new husband is NOT "disordered." I am NOT "disordered" (I have a severe learning disability with overlapping AS/autism tendencies).

We may think differently and have generally different perspectives, but we are NOT "disordered." So we're not smooth social smoochers, so freaking what? I get so damned sick and tired of NT's disdain and attempts to conform us to THEIR standards, especially socially. I emailed my sentiments to the reporter. Haven't heard back yet, though, and I doubt if I ever will. This is still a very backwards area when it comes to any kind of understanding about these issues.

I've seen some Aspies with pretty disorderly rooms. And lockers. And thoughts.

- D

I agree with you completely. I have Non-Verbal Learning Disorder and the last thing I really consider it to be is a true disorder. And I also agree that it is stupid of people to refer to AS as a disorder rather than its proper name, Aspergers Syndrome.

It's called Asperger's disorder, which is an autistic spectrum disorder; take it up with the people who name it.

LOL, no kidding! I've given up trying to get my son to keep his room even somewhat clean and keep the clutter to a minimum. Same with his locker and closet.

And new hubby-we married in November, but lived together for several months beforehand. I thought I was bad with clutter, but he is the worst I've ever seen in my life. I don't even bother to try to change that, after 54 years it'd be hopeless. I just tell him to keep the clutter and crap on his side of the bedroom and on his side of other rooms.

Of course, I've known plenty of OT"s with the same problems.

Actually, no, it isn't. It's Asperger's Syndrome. I have never, ever heard it referred to as "disorder" before now, not officially or informally.

I hear disorder a lot. In my book about aspergers they keep calling it a disorder. I don't like it being called that but I hear it so much that I don't know what to think. I guess I have a disability.

ICD-10 F84.5 Asperger's Syndrome
DSM-IV-TR 299.80 Asperger's Disorder

So it's both, depending on your location. DSM-IV is United States, ICD-10 is Europe iirc.

That being said, I am American and have only seen "disorder" used in very clinical places. I use syndrome myself seeing as its an observed set of behaviors.

When/If I do choose to get married, I'm definitely going for the half and half bedroom deal.... maybe put the bed smack in the center.

- D

Syndrome :A set of symptoms or conditions that occur together and suggest the presence of a certain disease or an increased chance of developing the disease.


Disorder:In medicine, a disturbance of normal functioning of the mind or body. Disorders may be caused by genetic factors, disease, or trauma




So what we can call Asperger Medically?? Neither.

Asperger is only diagnosed by psychiatrists and psychiatry is a fake pseudo-scientific profession which was created to benefit the Pharamatical industry.

As long as there's no real medical diagnoses (by REAL brain/neurology doctors) such as brain scan or blood test that detect and prove the 'existence' of Asperger in the patient then there's no way to call it disorder or syndrome.

Unfortunately ,for the time being , asperger remains just a psychiatrist label.

Uh, no.

Here in the USA, the only people qualified to diagnose an ASD do not practice psychiatry.

[quote="LePetitPrince"]Syndrome :A set of symptoms or conditions that occur together and suggest the presence of a certain disease or an increased chance of developing the disease.


Disorder:In medicine, a disturbance of normal functioning of the mind or body. Disorders may be caused by genetic factors, disease, or trauma




So what we can call Asperger Medically?? Neither.

Asperger is only diagnosed by psychiatrists and psychiatry is a fake pseudo-scientific profession which was created to benefit the Pharamatical industry.

As long as there's no real medical diagnoses (by REAL brain/neurology doctors) such as brain scan or blood test that detect and prove the 'existence' of Asperger in the patient then there's no way to call it disorder or syndrome.

Unfortunately ,for the time being , asperger remains just a psychiatrist label.[/quote


Sorry, but you're wrong on several counts, at least in the US. Here, it is NOT a "psychiatric label." Pediatricians and other doctors diagnose it. My son was diagnosed in 1998 by a pediatric neurologist. We were lucky in that he was South African and had studied and received his degrees in Europe, where Asperger's was widely known and diagnosed for over fifty years before finally being officially recognized in this country. Two minutes with my son and he knew exactly what it was and he was right. Had he not had such training during his medical education, and experience as well, it would likely have been several more years before his diagnosis. I have never heard of it being just a psychiatric label. It is considered medical, just like autism. There are several bona fide medical diseases that are recognized but don't yet have any official, actual diagnostic tests. Alzheimer's, for one. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is another. And there are more.

And, btw, psychiatry existed before drugs did. There was no well-established pharmaceutical industry in the beginnings of psychiatry. And let me tell you something else. Many, of not most, mental illnesses are also biological in nature and benefit greatly from psychotropic drugs. Anti-depressants have been an absolute godsend to me; I am bipolar with a heavy tendency toward the depression end of the scale. And the same has been true for other members of my family; it is genetic, especially depression and mood disorders, which run rampant on both sides of my family. Don't ever tell me that they don't have a medical benefit. Yes, they can be overused and overprescribed, as can drugs such as Ritalin, and no, they are not the end-all and be-all as, admittedly, they are sometimes marketed and prescribed to be. But they are quite necessary as well.

Let listen to daniel here! Asperger called it a "sydrom"! Syndrom in English is Syndrome!

Oh....they ONLY called it a disorder? GREAT- cause my girlfriend and her mom keep accidentally calling it a DISEASE!! !! !! !! !! !! !

Are you sure? Didn't he just refer to it as "autistic psychopathy?" Don't forget that he didn't name the condition- Lorna Wing did, in 1981. Although she did call it "Asperger's Syndrome" I believe.

They wouldn't happen to be members of that hate group, FAAAS, would they? How terrible for them to talk that way to you.

Hubby's nasty ex-wife keeps trying to shove FAAAS's BS "informational" brochures down my throat; somehow she got our new address and keeps sending that bleep to me under the guise of being "helpful." I take great pleasure in shredding them to bits, along with her "letters."

She was emotionally abusive, narcicisstic, emotionally and physically abused her own children and then called hubby "abusive" when he tried to stop her and help the kids, and then blamed the kids for "starting trouble" with their marriage. She actually took delight in dragging him to social functions where she knew beyond a doubt that he'd have trouble, then berated him afterwards for his difficulties at the party or whatever. Her own children won't even talk to her now (they're grown), let alone see her, but they still have a good relationship with hubby and think of him as their second father. Delusional ex refuses to let go of her obsession over his AS, even though he's never been "officially" diagnosed (I know he has a mild form of it, however, as does he, he just doesn't want it on the record officially), and it was only after their divorce ten years ago that she heard of it and began bombarding him with information on it. She now blames ALL of their problems on it, is addicted to FAAAS and their bullroar, fancies herself a "Cassandra" and still will NOT let go of him and will not stop sending this bleeping crap. She will never accept the huge role of her own behavior in the demise of the marriage or as the reason why her own children refuse to have anything to do with her. She's a REAL piece of work, lemme tell ya, as her first husband could testify and has.

So be careful with this girlfriend, please. You don't want to end up with someone who doesn't accept you and love you for who you are without wanting to change it or who will buy into FAAAS's bullsnit and play the damned marty nonsense. If you think life can be difficult and exhausting now, just try being married to someone who doesn't understand you, who's constantly on your case about everything you say and do, who plays the suffering victim role and who has no understanding of the pain and difficulties you have to deal with every single day.