Autistic Spectrum Disorder/ Aspergers/Autism

[JollyPirate]

What's the difference between them all. I mean DS has been diagnosed as ASD but is that the same as autistic? I think it is as he has the same triad of impairments that are common to all three. Is there a difference though?

ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder (though I think they want to change it to ASC - Autism Spectrum Condition) This is the same as Autism. Aspergers is a specific type of autism on the spectrum. I think its true to say that the main difference between thouse with AS and ASD is communication, ASD children normally have a speech delay.

I think thats right anyway, but someone more experienced than me might be along soon to tell me I am wrong .

Do you know what? There are a good many of us here who have undertaken quite a bit of research in the area and I still don't understand it. I think it is because in the early days it is important because you are trying to make sense of things, but actually, after a little while, there is only your child, with their specific problems and the dx is nothing more than the chip you need to begin your game of poker.

ASD (Autistic spectrum disorder), covers the whole spectrum (Asperger, high functioning autism, classic autism, severe autism).

AS (Aspergers) is high functioning autism without language delay/problems, people with AS often have very good language skills, can have very high IQ's but suffer the sensorry problems, lack of empathy ect that comes with Autism.

HFA (High functioning Autism) is similar to Aspergers but with language problems (speech delay/problems), they often meet academic milestones but struggle with communication milestones (speech and understanding).

Classic Autism - i'm not so sure about but i would think is slightly more severe than HFA and the child/person may struggle more academicly?

Both my dd's are at the high functioning end of the spectrum, dd1 has a dx of Aspergers but dd2 only has a dx of ASD , as dd2 is only 4 her pead does not want to place her on either end of the spectrum as she is still changing and developing, we have been told that she is more likely to be HFA but as her speech is still behind they will not dx Aspergers.

Thank you for the thoughts. My feeling is that DS is at the high end but I guess we won't know now until they do further assessments.

Weirdly, we won't know the official answer to "what is autism and what isn't?" until 2013 when there's the next publication of the "DSM V", which guides a lot of the world's thinking on autism and other conditions.

This is my understanding of what I read:

At the minute, the experts are thinking that there's actually no difference between autism and Asperger syndrome at all because autism is social communication difficulties plus huge need for routine/predictability.

It can ALSO occur with separate other diagnoses - e.g. speech delay/absence of speech, brain injury, learning disability, epilepsy, major sensory issues, ADHD, etc.

But they are thinking that none of those things are autism - they're other things.

So...if a child comes along for a diagnosis, they might get a far more complicated but maybe more useful one that says (in layman's terms)

e.g.
Mild autism, moderate speech delay, moderate epilepsy, very low IQ

Severe autism, no speech delay, severe sensory issues

Moderate autism, moderate dyspraxia, severe sensory issues

etc etc. And then the idea is that you'd get a package of care that looks at ALL the bits of this and actually helps the whole child, not just a bit of them.

Er, that's the theory, so far.

But we have to wait patiently until 2013 to see what happens. Meantime they'll continue to diagnose on the old standards.

Roll on 2013

I find it hard to except that dd2 is HFA as she is so different than dd1 and has many more problems than dd1. I would say dd2 is:

Moderate Autism, severe language delay, very high IQ.

Some parts of her Autism (mainly communication and language) to me seem severe, dd2 has only just started answering simple question (what is your name? and What do you want?) she only understands very basic instructions and still often blanks me completely, her language is coming along but its still at the age of a 2.5 year old. Her autism seems less severe at home but when we go out we get more sensory issues such as hand flapping,humming and holding her ears. On the other hand she can read, write, count to 100 and is spelling out 10 letter words with her magnetic letters.

I guess she's still to young to really tell where she is on the spectrum, the spectrum is so huge and crosses over with things such as dyspraxia and ADHD, maybe in 2013 we will get more answers to 'what autism is'?

I agree with Marne 'roll on 2013'!!

This would make so much more sense, as DS has quite a spikey profile, with moderate expressive but severe receptive speech delay, mild autism, mild to moderate sensory issues, and maybe slightly under average IQ (still a bit hard to tell, but he tends to take ages to pick things up, he learns something but seems to forget and can't do it again! )

I think of ASD as being like a spider web rather than a linear continuum ranging from severe to mild.

So within the triad of impairments (and many people think that Sensory Processing Disorder is also one, making four) children will have their own individual "shapes" on the web if you plotted for each of the four from normal, through mildly and moderately impaired to severe.

That's just my opinion and I like it as an image as it explains how similar and dissimilar people with ASD can be.

Milady, never thought of the spectrum in this way, but your way of thinking explains all the different profiles very well.
Will borrow your idea from now on