What's the difference between HFA and Asperger's?

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I've seen this topic around a lot, with a lot of conflicting ideas. Exactly what is the difference? A slightly lower iq with people that are HFA?

HFA people had speech delays as a kid. AS people developed their ability to talk on a fairly normal schedule, even if they aren't very articulate.

i don't think IQ has much to do with it. to have Asperger's, you can't have an IQ below 70, so they say. but, you can be perfectly bright with HFA and be sub-average with Aspergers. Though, it's often quite difficult to measure the intelligence of those on the spectrum, so the difference in numbers may come down to test practices.

there are very specific differences in the diagnostic criteria.

classic autism requires
- onset before age 3
- impairment in communication in at least ONE of these four areas:
a) significant delay in or lack of spoken language
b) inability to initiate or sustain conversation
c) stereotyped, repetitive, or idiosyncratic language
d) lack of spontaneous make believe play

asperger's requires
- no significant delay in speech
- no delays in self help skills, cognitive development, adaptive skills, or curiosity about the environment


so those with classic autism do not have to have a speech delay, but the lack of one is required for aspergers. those with classic autism do not have to have a cognitive delay, but the lack of one is required for aspergers.

you CAN have someone with classic autism who has no significant delay in spoken language and a high IQ. i live with two of them =)

That rules me out then. I expected as much. I had very classic but high functioning symptoms from 2 years old and onward.

I think I'd be a candidate for HFA rather than AS.

What is 'cognitive development?'

It refers to how you get better at solving problems and thinking in general as you grow up. For example, most two-year-olds cannot be taught to read because they are not far enough in their cognitive development; whereas almost all seven-year-olds are ready. Delay in cognitive development would mean you are behind your peers in the potential to learn and solve problems; if, for example, you are generally as good as a four-year-old at solving problems and learning things, but you are eight years old, then you are considered to have a cognitive disability or developmental delay. This is not entirely synonymous with mental retardation because it can also be caused by environmental problems like a poor environment, long-term illness, an abusive family, etc. It doesn't count specific learning disabilities because those occur in rather isolated abilities; but the divide between a specific learning disability and a global developmental delay tends to be more of a continuum, especially with autistics, where you can often see significant areas of delay as well as significant areas of precocity.

Is this saying all language used would be this way or just at times?

I was recently told I was exhausting at times as child because I'd ask the same question over and over even if the right answer was given.

I still sometimes have repititive phrases I say in my head. I never thought anything of it until recently. It's not all the time though.

People with HFA have a speech delay and people with AS don't.

It is a bit ambiguous if this rule ("no delays in self help skills, cognitive development, adaptive skills, or curiosity about the environment") is for all your life or only for young children.

The DSM description:



The ICD (research criteria) description:

Some studies have indicated (but not consistently), that those with HFA have a performance IQ that is higher than verbal IQ. Those with Asperger's can tend to have the opposite--a higher verbal IQ than performance IQ.

Z

Some studies have indicated (but not consistently), that those with HFA have a performance IQ that is higher than verbal IQ. Those with Asperger's can tend to have the opposite--a higher verbal IQ than performance IQ.

Z

Huh. That's interesting. My performance IQ was 121 and my verbal 109 which the psych said was only 1% of the population. I didn't have a speech delay but I had selective mutism, which is associated with AS. I guess that's why it's a spectrum and not clean little categories.