what, in your opinion is the difference between High Functioning Autism, and Aspersgers Syndrome?

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Slightly clumsy wording of the title I know, but there are so many differing opinions on this, and since I consider you ladies to be the real experts I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

We are pre-diagnosis and ds is nearly 4, His speech is improving massively almost daily at the moment, and so I'm just considering the implications this may have on his diagnosis...

It normally that with HFA there has been some kind of Speech and Language problem. With Aspergers there normally isn't any speech problem although there may be language difficulty ie taking things said as literal.

Nor does it actually matter what dx he gets in terms of what help he will receive.

I don't actually know.

I think that HFA they may talk, but they may talk in a more 'odd' way than AS? And probably the real difference is not in the speech but in the other behaviours?

But like I say, I don't know.

tbh, I think it's all more about the 'experts' being able to sort people out into the little boxes they love so much.

Because ASD is so totally different. I have never met 2 people with the same condition! Mine both have autism and they are very very different in every way. Even the way they speak is different. But the 'experts' still put them together in the same little box. Because 'experts' need boxes. It makes them feel safe

However, since those boxes work in our favour re support and services, that's fine by me.

Good to know it doesn't affect support.

I've just been reading different definitions of speech delay. eg if they have have two-word phrases at 2, three words at 3 not speech delay (as obviously this allows for there simply being some variance in all children's development).

Also, have heard that IQ must be average or above. This is definitely true for ds, there are some areas he show really high intelligence in. However, we received a copy of a letter sent yesterday that states the paediatrician believes he has some learning difficulties.

Possibly a stupid question, but is it possible to have learning difficulties in Aspergers? In medical terminology, do high IQ and learning difficulties co-exist? I always thought learning difficulties was a kind of shorthand for low IQ?

Finally! Are there differences in the social side of things? ds does not strictly fit the profile for autism in this respect, which is why I looking at if it may be Aspergers.

Well, a learning difficulty is exactly that - a difficulty in learning. A difficulty in one or 2 areas while developing normally otherwise. This may be because you have dyslexia, or because you cannot understand language, or whatever, but it has nothing to do with your 'intelligence', just the way you process information. You can be helped and can progress well. You can have normal or higher range IQ but have a difficulty processing information that you need support with.

If you have a learning disability, then that's a more general, global delay and a lower IQ.

I am not an expert, this is just my understanding of the two terms and what they mean to me.

A lot of our kids have 'spiky profiles', so can be really gifted in some areas and really behind in others....

Term learning difficulty is very scary, and you're just at the beginning of your journey so everything looks scary, but it may well be not as bad as it sounds.

My DD has very bad dyslexia which is obviously a learning difficulty, and school is very difficult for her at the moment, but she's bright enough. Can't show that at school yet, but hopefully she will one day....

I find it very hard to accept that 2 of my children are so far behind where they should be in school, but I do know in the bigger scheme of things its not that important, and school are working with us to try and get them to achieve what they should....

Thankyou for your responses. I haven't got the letter with me now so can't check, but thinking about it , I'm pretty sure it said learning difficulty rather than disability.

Of course I wont love him any less whichever is the case, I think I was really struggling with what I thought it meant not fitting what I knew about him! Twisting my mind a bit!

But, yes makes more sense that he has some learning difficulties, I would agree with that alongside fairly high IQ.

Phew, have kept it together so far, but having my first wobble! Such a build-up to getting the paediatrician's appointment, now it's done, he agrees there are problems and referring to the next level (whatever that may be!...)losing my focus and allowing worries to slip in.

I have one ds with a dx of HFA and one ds with a dx of AS.

At the time of dx the main difference between the two boys was language development and the social side of things. Ds1 (HFA) had little or no language until he was 3ish whereas ds2 (AS) had a few words. Ds1 had no particular interest in other people at all whereas ds2 seemed to get that people were not just walking objects.

Fastforward a few years and it's a very different picture:

My HFA 10yr-old has very good language skills, so much so that most people who know him now would find it almost impossible to believe that he ever needed SALT. My AS 7yr-old still has language issues and often sounds like someone who has learnt English as a second language - quite formal, a little old-fashioned and takes things literally.

The ds with HFA now has a little group of friends, although he's still quite happy to be by himself. The ds with AS also has friends but doesn't really get the 'rules' of friendship.

So far no-one has mentioned changing my HFA ds' dx. The Paed still finds my ds with AS something of a puzzle though and has looked into other diagnoses for him.

Both boys are bright but are still classed as having learning difficulties. This is because aspects of their HFA/AS have made it harder for them to learn than for other NT children.

Ds1 has problems with co-ordination, motor skills and organisational skills which all have an impact on how he learns. He gets good results at school but it's more of a challenge for him.

Ds2's difficulties are related to auditory processing (making understanding instructions and tasks an issue which impacts on his ability to learn), sensory issues and the fact that he finds the world a generally confusing place to be.

In the proposed new DSM V book (due out in 2013), there's no difference at all between HFA, Asperger syndrome or autism.

Some individuals have additional language or communication difficulties, some have additional brain injury or low IQ, etc. But from everything they're looking at, autism is autism...and it's thought now to be a combination of social clumsiness of epic proportions...and a terrific need for routine and/or predictability which lends itself well to being very good at detail for many of us. Plus there's often sensory behaviour relating to sensory needs.

Other stuff like language and IQ - they really are separate things, it seems.

We wait to see the final results of all this expert thinking in 2013.