What's the difference between Autism and Autism spectrum disorder?

[adrianna22]

Hi

A professional looked at DS ADOS report and commented that he met the
cut- off diagnosis of autism, as his diagnosis is not autism spectrum disorder.

Could someone explain what he meant?

Thanks.

frazzled "high functioning autism" is not the same thing as Aspergers. Autism is "high functioning" when there is no significant learning disability ie it appears to be distinct from the classic stereotypical highly withdrawn state of "Kanner" autism. I have a 9yo who has severe language disorder and clear learning disabilities, but because he is sociable and does learn (at his own pace and in his own order), he has been described as high functioning.

My bright, superficially articulate 11yo ticks all the boxes for what people would instantly say is "high functioning" autism (although, as other have mentioned, it's not a distinct specified diagnosis in either of the main diagnostic manuals.) His diagnosis, age 3, was Autism, as his language was disordered, at that point - lots of echolalia and jargon, selectively mute and an inability to directly communicate in speech. Being 11 years old and able to tell me all about every bus timetable in NE England (notable,whether I want to know, or not) does not change that initial diagnosis. The only significant change is that he is now described as having atypical autism, as many of his behaviours closely fit the emerging criteria for PDA. He could go to university and end up with a PhD and would still not have his diagnosis changed to Aspergers, because of that speech delay. "High functioning" is such a red herring, as in many ways, he is more disabled than his brother - his superficially more disabled brother who is thriving in mainstream and quite the social butterfly. DS1 hates people. He had an OT visit his special school to do some group work, today. He couldn't engage. I tried to talk to him about it, today and he said that yes, someone had visited but he didn't know them and didn't know why they were there.

Similarly, I have many traits and fit the broader autism phenotype. Were I to warrant a diagnosis, it would possibly be Autism and not Aspergers, as I was selectively mute as a young child. ASD/ASC encompasses both of those diagnoses. It's not a lesser form of autism, any more than AS is.

Often I use 'social communication difficulties' and leave it at that.

Sometimes I use 'language disorder' because his language is very much disordered.

I only tend to use ASD when I feel that someone isn't taking his difficulties seriously enough.

He's old enough now for no-one to bother trying to console me with 'He's not really THAT autistic though' or 'Are you sure?'. Thank goodness those days are over.

He's the boy that could get everyone to a pub with detailed maps and directions but could fail to organise the piss up in it!

Ha! DS1 would even tell you which buses you could catch to get there and how much the drinks cost and the possible coins you could get in change but "GET YOUR OWN DRINKS I'M BUSY!!!!"

I feel like that too zzzzz. DS has asd/autism/ASC or whatever it's being called. But no dx yet.

Think that's why I got so stressed over the ados/adr. Because if they turn round and say 'no he doesn't' I'm left with.... Well nothing that explains him.

I like the term neuro diverse. Kind of like the opposite of NT. I use that affectionately when talking about one of DS latest antics with very close friends. Along the lines of "he's so wonderfully neuro diverse".

Well that is true. Due to the whole spikey profile things there imo is a greater difference between two children with ASD/C than there is between two NT kids.

Which is why generic strategies for them are complete bollox. Yet teachers are all whinging about factory produced NT kids and stifling their differences but I never hear it for those with SEN.

It's all disorder in our house. And chaos. Though the furniture is roughly back where it belongs after a messy evening.

What's LFA? (Apologies for my ignorance).

I don't have enough floor for the furniture to be out of place.

Great thread nothing to add except Dd3 has a dx of ASD but she uses autism and aspergers interchangably and we think thats fine, we only use the term Asd on paperwork really.

And if the poster who was upset about polter not being a Proff comes back, I have learned more from her and other posters on this board than any so called Proff I have ever met and they always have time to help and support everyone who posts on here!!

Disorder certainly describes our household!!!!

What's different in the last couple of years? The work I'm doing nationally involves very large numbers of diagnostic professionals contacting our autism training team - to ask us to teach them how to diagnose autism. Especially in women. We ran a conference for a few hundred professionals of varying sorts with Tony Attwood recently, and one with around 100 diagnostic specialists and autism experts of various kinds a few weeks ago. I and other autistic colleagues are the keynote speakers.
That's vastly different to a couple of years ago, when it was standard to tell autistic folk like me that we knew nothing. And that even if we did, it wasn't relevant, as we had no higher Degree in it.
It's been really good to work alongside the big names in the country and get them taking notes and learning. I'm nothing special - just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get involved. But I am so very pleased that we're getting respect now.