Difference or disorder?

[Ronald Zeeman]

All my cousins on my dad's side of the family are bright as hell. not sure if any are Aspies, also my nieces and nephews are bright as are my second cousins. Amazing so many master's degrees in the family it's astonishing Cousin won award as best cabinet maker international award years ago. Cousin's son won reach for the top in the eighties. Wonder how many have autistic traits that made them this gifted, language, music artistic A family reunion as my son always jokes are like a Mensa meeting.

Having the same surname as Peter Zeeman and Sir Christopher Zeeman may be part of the story, so far cannot make a connection with either. My grandmother's maiden name was also prominent in the scientific Community.

 

[velociraptor]

Thoughts?

I don't feel disordered or broken. If anything, most NTs seem broken to me. It's a shame that they live their lives so ineffeciently.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Ya you got a point being able to focus so intensely on just one area does help. example one of my cousins is an incredible drummer, has perfect pitch, has won Juno awards for best band and singing is he an Aspie or just a perfectionist? Started a second career as a hairdresser same attitude Super focused, in a way only a autistic person could, top of his class.

 

[Crossbreed]

IIUC, "disorder" = "unconventional development," but not necessarily broken. Giftedness & left-handedness are two more examples. The severe co-morbid conditions of ASD2 & 3 are secondary conditions on top of what would otherwise be ASD1. This view is espoused by a Dr. Martha Herbert and the US Autism Association.

Severe co-morbids ARE neuro-psychological defects, due to illness or injury. They need to be cured or prevented, if possible, but that person would still be ASD1 when it was done.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Sounds like they are figuring it out. Just fix what needs to be fixed.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

@Ronald Zeeman, my extended family is like that. We're all engineers, inventors, and artists. (Except for me. I haven't figured out what I am yet.) No one is 'diagnosed' autistic but I have been learning that our common family traits most likely place us all on the spectrum. We have several certified OCD's, ADHD, dyslexia, even a possible schizophrenic. Family life has always seemed normal (even our beloved germophobe), but then, we're pretty insular and keep to ourselves. My husband has a lifetime of working with a lot of people from many different backgrounds and says he has never met any other single family that is as creative and intelligent as ours, so I know something about where you're coming from. We've just had little exposure to the idea of autism before. I know without having to ask any of them, that if someone were to say to any one of my relatives that they were in any way disabled, the person making the claim would get an earful. Talented, yes; weird, definitely; disabled? Not in a million years.

Yes sounds like my extended family, So many really interesting people. lots of teachers in my family, musical progenies. artists, gifted next generation. expecting a granddaughter in the next few months going to leave a interesting legacy for her.

 

[GypsyMoth]

IIUC, "disorder" = "unconventional development," but not necessarily broken. Giftedness & left-handedness are two more examples. The severe co-morbid conditions of ASD2 & 3 are secondary conditions on top of what would otherwise be ASD1. This view is espoused by a Dr. Martha Herbert and the US Autism Association.

Severe co-morbids ARE neuro-psychological defects, due to illness or injury. They need to be cured or prevented, if possible, but that person would still be ASD1 when it was done.

That is very interesting. Thanks for this & for sharing the link, @Crossbreed.