"high functioning" autism

[WildCat]

So I've been wondering, if there's anyone besides myself with an official diagnosis of this, or who can relate to this...er, 'branch' of autism? And for the sake of the thread I'm differentiating between this and Asperger's because, although I know not everyone is going to agree on this, I'm fairly certain there are differences between the two and am certain of why I got this as my official diagnosis.

I know of a couple of people in here who might identify with "high functioning" autism but I could be wrong, just wondering if I'm the only one?

 

[epath13]

So I've been wondering, if there's anyone besides myself with an official diagnosis of this, or who can relate to this...er, 'branch' of autism? And for the sake of the thread I'm differentiating between this and Asperger's because, although I know not everyone is going to agree on this, I'm fairly certain there are differences between the two and am certain of why I got this as my official diagnosis.

I know of a couple of people in here who might identify with "high functioning" autism but I could be wrong, just wondering if I'm the only one?

I believe there's still a difference there're going to be no more in 2013 after it will all become ASD but anyway
When I was diagnosed the doctor said, the only reason he didn't give me the high functioning Autism is because I didn't have significant speech and developmental delays in early childhood. I believe that's considered to be the only difference.

Now I'm just curious, how do you think people (adults) with high functioning Autism is different from the one's with Asperger's?

 

[kasmanaft08]

I also would be curious what the exact differences are. I heard that about the delays, too, except I did have some speech delays as a child (I have AS). But they weren't hugely significant, I think. I think it was my childhood hobbies and interests that really tipped off an Asperger's diagnoses, though, although there's more to it, I'm sure.

I think there are similarities of course, but maybe the scale is tipped a bit in which features are more prominent.

 

[Occasional_Demon]

I have a book by Patricia Howlin [a prominent researcher in the autism field] who was of the opinion that in adulthood, there is little difference between an individual with HFA and a person with AS. That is, assuming that the person with HFA received adequate assistance for their developmental delays in childhood. She found that in adulthood, the lines are so blurred between HFA and AS that it was basically redundant trying to classify a person one way or another. I thought that was an interesting viewpoint.

I guess it's those sorts of viewpoints which have led to the introduction of collapsing our current system of categorising autism disorders into one big diagnosis - autism spectrum disorder.

I think, at the moment, the main difference between HFA and AS lie in the developmental history of a person. After a certain threshold, however, the demarcation between the two becomes insignificant. Some literature even describe AS as a form of "high functioning autism".

 

[WildCat]

Funny, because I'd never received help for any developmental delays and I'd been labeled as such. By the time I reached school age I was just...well, "odd" to everyone else and it was a moot point anyway - no one had the slightest clue that I had it and I'd done well enough in school to pass for an everyday kid. At least, up until adolescence and now when the differences became more obvious.

I don't know, I guess, seeing as I've received different diagnoses it doesn't matter to me anymore. I do feel a bit different as compared to the rest of the users on this forum, and society in general, but when it comes down to it I'll just say that I have an ASD rather than boil it down to specifics.

 

[142857]

I would classify myself as HFA, although when I was a kid I don't think anyone got diagnosed with HFA or Aspergers. People just thought I was retarded until I was about 7 years old.... after that I guess people thought of me as super smart but odd.

I had delayed development of speech, and went to speech therapy until I was 9 years old. I appreciate that very much now.

My mother would have been the classic example of HFA - didn't say a word until she was 3 years old, then started speaking in full sentences. And yet, as an adult and as I remember her she had great people skills, great social skills, made friends easily, was very well organized (unlike me) - a very high functioning person by any standards.

As an adult the developmental delays mean little to nothing. In the DSM V it is going to be a moot point anyway - no more diagnosis of aspergers, just different categories of autism.

 

[Needtobreathe]

There is a diff. I think I have aspergers and am getting tested for it. My identical twin bro has hfa. We are so alike yet so diff. I don't think they should change it, they are very diff.