difference between Asperger's and high functioning autism

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I have some questions.

Do those with Asperger's not have language problems? Or tend not to? Are those with Asperger's good with language? And by that, I am meaning speech. (EDIT, actually now I'm curious about both speech and using language in writing).

Are those on the spectrum with language/speech problems more with the autism diagnoses (and by "autism" I am talking about the specific autism spectrum diagnoses, of "autism").

For all I know both can have speech and language issues and I guess it's all likely to change to ASD but I am just wondering.

I'll find out soon enough when I try to get my official diagnosis, although I suspect AS is most likely.

I do have speech issues, although I don't think they're obvious to most people who talk to me:

I was hyperlexic, and my mother describes at least some of my early speech as echolalia (although she doesn't realize that this is what it was). I started using sentences at 13 months, and I demonstrated that I had at some point been teaching myself how to read at three years. I had quite a history of mispronouncing and misusing words that I had learned through context (reading) rather than by other means.

For that matter, I still repeat things back to people. Although it's not so frequent now, it's not always voluntary.

I find that I sometimes talk on autopilot, like my brain and thoughts are not entirely engaged with my mouth when I talk to people. I mean, to the point on occasion that I may as well just not talk. Sometimes this gets really bad when I completely zone out of a conversation while continuing to talk, and even miss instructions or information while I agree I understand it (this happened at the end of December while doing some paperwork). I usually just keep using scripted phrases and responses in these situations.

There is one person who lives in the same house as me with whom I either won't talk at all, or I only speak to in the above fashion. It is very difficult for me to actually communicate what I am thinking to him, and I usually tell someone else and she passes it along. This is completely informal, however, and has been going on for the five and a half years I've lived here.

I also find I sometimes have difficulty putting my thoughts into words. Like I end up talking in circles or talking myself into knots trying to make a point but losing it at the same time. This can happen in writing, but not as frequently. It's bad enough that at least some people who have met me in person have noticed. It can happen right at the start of a conversation - and I end up having to start over after making no sense for a few sentences. This happens a lot when I'm trying to order fast food. It's like I start talking before my brain even catches on that I need to mentally assemble my order.

Palilalia - I sometimes get stuck repeating something I've said, like I can't move on to the next word or phrase. I don't even notice until after three or four repetitions, at which point I can usually stop.

My speech is pretty fluent (or at least fluent-sounding) but has plenty of odd issues. It's primarily this that first started tipping me off that I might be autistic (echolalia and palilalia) over a decade ago. Since it's much easier to avoid these issues in text, I spend most of my time socializing online and getting to know people that way before meeting them face to face (and having to deal with my own speech issues, socialization issues, and trying to make a good first impression). Also, meeting people the first time all of these issues are worse. And I mean I was doing the online socialization thing for years before I even had a hint of a thought I might be autistic - it was just easier to get to know people that way, and make a first impression without the immediate - often unavoidable - social issues that I typically had in person.

I didn't even all this suggested I had any kind of speech problems until I read another's (diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome) account of her own similar problems and similar coping mechanisms:

http://www.existenceiswonderful.com/200 ... erent.html
http://www.existenceiswonderful.com/200 ... -fine.html

And a lot of things clicked.

So I think I'll likely be diagnosed with AS, and I have language problems. Anne Corwin (the blogger linked above) is diagnosed with AS. I think others have talked about this here on Wrong Planet. I think that it's easier to hide these problems because of verbal fluency.

I also think that there are people diagnosed with autistic disorder or PDD-NOS who have described similar problems who also have had more obvious speech/language difficulties, but I can't point to any links right offhand.

I talked at normal age my mom told me but I also would ask questions over and over no matter what the answer given (perseveration maybe). I also have repetitive phrases I say out loud at home. Sometimes I say them when I'm excited or very nervous. I'll also say them for reasons I'm not even sure why. They do change though.

I ask this because the one person I've talked to the most in my life tells me I definitely have language problems but they might be mild. She says I can talk enough to communicate to get work done, not a ton of talking, but beyond that I have some issues or roadblocks with language itself. I'm not even sure to what it all is, mild or not. She's almost the only one I get feedback from. I don't know how to explain exactly.

I don't know if I had selective mutism but I started talking more these last few years. In a way I sort of didn't talk much in most situations, not much at all. I just know it gets brought to my attention that I used not really talk at work (still not a whole lot, I think, maybe).

I'm thinking about this more because of a couple posts I did on this thread. I explained some of my speech and language problems here.
http://www.wrongplanet.net/posts148759-start15.html

According to the italicized, that means the distinction is speech delay. If people with Asperger's cannot have a speech delay, but people with general autism may or may not, then that is a difference. I guess I meant to say that only half of (1.) was true. But what seperates AS from the rest of the autism spectrum in the DSM-IV is about having to lack (significant?) speech delay and the intellectual functioning having to be in the normal or advanced range.

DSM IV TR Autism Diagnostic criteria A.2.B

in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

Note the phrase "adequate speech". Speech delay is not required.



Autism A.1.B

failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

Asperger's A.2

. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

Autism A.1.C

a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)

Asperger's A.3

a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)





Sensory issues are not in the diagnostic criteria for either Autism or Asperger's.



There is nothing in the diagnostic criteria that would indicate learning differences in acquisition of social information.



There is nothing in the diagnostic criteria regarding concrete thinking.



Anecdotal evidence. Aspies only need to meet this criteria:

Aspergers E

There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.




Range of Affect is not in the diagnostic criteria for either autism or Asperger's



I don't think "personal space" is in the criteria for ANY disorder in the DSM IV.



Basically, you just parroted every single stereotype about people on the spectrum.

Well done! (Is sarcasm an aspie or HFA trait?)

Last edited by wavefreak58 on 14 Jan 2011, 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I don't think I could speak on autopilot. I'm not sure I ever do that. I can certainly zone out in listening to others talking and come back and realize I was gone.




I wonder if this particular person gives you social anxiety?




I can be fluent but I'm not perfectly sure I have verbal fluency.

This happened while I was getting help applying for SSI at the end of December:

I started mentally checking out of the conversation because it seemed like we were going over end-of-conversation pleasantries and I just sort of stopped being present (my sensory impressions of this time are more of a blur of light and sound and few specifics), when I tuned back in, I was either answering "Yes" to the question "do you understand what I just said?" or I vaguely recalled answering it a moment before (I'm unclear on this), and she had no indication I wasn't paying attention (or said she didn't) but she could have just missed cues. Anyway, I had her go over the instructions again.

It actually happens to me often enough to be noteworthy but not consistently.



Possibly. I don't think I have social anxiety as a thing in general. If you mean does he give me anxiety, well, given that he constantly talks down to me and occasionally treats me like a child I do not like him much at all.

He also pitches a little tantrum whenever he says something to me and thinks my reaction is a bit off, which is like... every single time. Honestly, the way he interacts with me is just downright confusing.



I mean ability to use words and string them together, specifically. I'm pretty good at this.

I'm diagnosed with Asperger's, but I have always been very tense around the muscles used to speak, making me mumbly, also I always run out of breath in very inappropriate places when I speak, and I also have this thing, like some sort of tic I think, where I momentarily freeze up my speech and breathing and tongue, like go totally rigid, just for a second. Speaking always feel like a big effort for me, it feels like translating thoughts into words is really hard work. I remember my parents saying to me that they were going to send me to a speech therapist when I was a kid, but for some reason they didn't get round to it...

Actually hfa can be very gifted an ad get phds like temple grandin. Yes people with aspergers do TEND to perform better then those with autism, however not always there are many aspies I have surpassed in my life and many I am equal to I am not as good as all of them but I got diagnosed with hfa at a young age and then went on to improve greatly I have always prefered to be near people and have often loved being near people I am probably an autie with many aspergers like traits. Problem is when the dsm comes out they are not going to differentiate between the two they are going to classify them under the same heading. Also with autism the more you work it the greater your sensory tolerance can become.

In the German manual(or was it the european?) There is no difference made beween hfa and as.

If you are talking about the ICD, AS and autism are also separate diagnonis (although the ICD says that the validity of the diagnosis of AS is uncertain).