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Question regarding learning disability and aspergers

Jena

Well-Known Member
My question is too long to put in the title so this is my question:

Is it possible to be diagnosed with Asperger and ADHD when young in 4th grade. But have a undiagnosed learning disability that has gone unnoticed?

I'm a 21 year old female, in college, and noticed since I started college how I somehow struggled more? In ways that I can't explain. I keep putting the right answer on test but not on Scranton and I keep mixing up things and so forth it's a lot to explain and I wanna keep this brief but I just want to know if it is possible to have been diagnosed with two disorders yet one going unoticed?
 
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I agree that it's possible.

I've been diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD and don't have the problems you describe. But I do fill in the bubble, check again that the question number matches the question number of the test, then check again that I filled in the letter I intended, and sometimes I do all of that two or three more times. Do you do anything of that sort?
 
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Welcome to the Forums! I hope you make new friends and enjoy your stay in the process! :)

As Loren has said, it's possible. I've always had issues with more advanced math (long division in particular) and never did get to learn how to do algebra or calculus because of it. I've also had issue with measuring, and conversion (cups to millimeters, metric to imperial and vice versa)
 
As said above, yes it is possible. If you give us some more detail of your difficulties we might be able to point you to resources or more refuse information :)
 
As said above, yes it is possible. If you give us some more detail of your difficulties we might be able to point you to resources or more refuse information :)

well some of my difficulties that I noticed in college include:
1. Loosing my place filling out those scantrons, or anything that is like that idk it is really hard to explain but like on a test when the question(s) gives possible answers for only selective questions. Such as "for questions 1-5 select which one matches the deffintion for each. And then I have to choose from A, B, C, D for which match 1,2,3,4,5.

Like I said it is really hard to explain what kind of questions I mean but hope you understand what I mean.

2. Explaining myself. I can never find the write sentences to use or write especially notice this when it comes to writing essays, or open ended questions.

3. Everytime there is a long question in a test I tend to read it fast and not carefully or skip it and come back later because of how much reading is involved and sentences.

4. I have a difficult time following directions verbally. My professor gave us directions on how to color and label each mitosis and meiosis step and said it many times but I can never follow up or understand what she is saying yet everyone else gets it.

5. During the Lab Practical when it was time for us to hand in our labs, even though I started the same as everyone, I was the last one standing to put my labs at her desk and gather my stuff together. Everyone was waiting on me to start the test because I was taking so long to gather my labs despite them being in the same folder.

6.When I do math or anything with reverse in it I get it mixed up. For example if the answer is -8 I might instead put 8 and forget the -.

7. I get similar words mixed up especially when it comes to knowning terms that are so similar in wording. (seriously who on earth thought it was a good idea to have words that are so similar that only one letter is different)

8. I mishear things. One time when mom accidently broke a dragon mini statue in a store and the clerk said she had to pay for it, I thought mom said "im going to call the police" but instead she ask to speak to the manager?

9. I have a really hard time just getting the overal picture of a story or a article. I always focus on small details non important and this just doesn't help at all when it comes to tests. Because I focus on the non-important stuff that never happens to be on the test.

All I can think of right now, these are all very recent except for number 8 was 2 years ago. I'm tired of typing and always cut things short like right now, it just feels exhausting.

Oh also I don't know how to end stuff either.. it's why i go on and on, or just end with so yeah.
 
I agree that it's possible.

I've been diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD and don't have the problems you describe. But I do fill in the bubble, check again that the question number matches the question number of the test, then check again that I filled in the letter I intended, and sometimes I do all of that two or three more times. Do you do anything of that sort?
yes very much so. Which is why I cannot understand how on earth I made that mistake AGAIN on my last test. I do what you do on tests. But still fill in the wrong one accidently. T-T
 
well some of my difficulties that I noticed in college include:
1. Loosing my place filling out those scantrons, or anything that is like that idk it is really hard to explain but like on a test when the question(s) gives possible answers for only selective questions. Such as "for questions 1-5 select which one matches the deffintion for each. And then I have to choose from A, B, C, D for which match 1,2,3,4,5.

Like I said it is really hard to explain what kind of questions I mean but hope you understand what I mean.

2. Explaining myself. I can never find the write sentences to use or write especially notice this when it comes to writing essays, or open ended questions.

3. Everytime there is a long question in a test I tend to read it fast and not carefully or skip it and come back later because of how much reading is involved and sentences.

4. I have a difficult time following directions verbally. My professor gave us directions on how to color and label each mitosis and meiosis step and said it many times but I can never follow up or understand what she is saying yet everyone else gets it.

5. During the Lab Practical when it was time for us to hand in our labs, even though I started the same as everyone, I was the last one standing to put my labs at her desk and gather my stuff together. Everyone was waiting on me to start the test because I was taking so long to gather my labs despite them being in the same folder.

6.When I do math or anything with reverse in it I get it mixed up. For example if the answer is -8 I might instead put 8 and forget the -.

7. I get similar words mixed up especially when it comes to knowning terms that are so similar in wording. (seriously who on earth thought it was a good idea to have words that are so similar that only one letter is different)

8. I mishear things. One time when mom accidently broke a dragon mini statue in a store and the clerk said she had to pay for it, I thought mom said "im going to call the police" but instead she ask to speak to the manager?

9. I have a really hard time just getting the overal picture of a story or a article. I always focus on small details non important and this just doesn't help at all when it comes to tests. Because I focus on the non-important stuff that never happens to be on the test.

All I can think of right now, these are all very recent except for number 8 was 2 years ago. I'm tired of typing and always cut things short like right now, it just feels exhausting.

Oh also I don't know how to end stuff either.. it's why i go on and on, or just end with so yeah.

I have all of these very much except 1, 2, 6, and 7. And three of those have to do with mixing things up. The rest sound like Asperger's or ADHD.

The ones I don't identify with sound to me like some sort of dyslexia, but I don't know anything about that subject so we'll just have to wait for the ones who do to show up. :)
 
I would say based on youre descriptions we have ALLOT in common as you pretty mush described many of my own side diagnosis and "iccues " in that list so you most defenetly MIGHT have Multiple learning disabilities as well as Possible ADHD (often co morbid with ASD )
 
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Learning disability is an IQ of 70 or less...
Unlikely you would get to college with that.

It is not unusual to have several co-occurring special needs.
Have you heard of Dyslexia? it relates to how you see patterns and may have difficulties with spelling, your mixing things could be that, but it could also be executive function and visual tracking. (your eye not tracking things as fast/reliably. It is an Occupational Therapy thing, could be related to dyspraxia, a common side of ASD..
Autism often comes with a lot of specific characteristics of your learning style, dyspraxia, language needs and executive functioning difficulties are very common.

Language disorders: pragmatic language (idioms), some weaknesses in receptive and expressive language, or even Specific Language Impairment - a speech therapist usually can assess that.

Part of what you mention, taking more time, could be explained by executive function difficulties. It is typical in autism and can improve with practice and deliberate focus.Even without reaching the threshold of 'clinical' language disorder, difficulties ith essays and writing are so, so common with ASD. It is not a learning disability. .
My daughter has a lot of similar problems to what you describe and has an IQ of 140.

Do you have exam accommodations?
You need an Educational Psychologist or similar. Usually they give 25% extra time, so you would be fine with being the last...
 
Learning disability is an IQ of 70 or less...
Unlikely you would get to college with that.

It is not unusual to have several co-occurring special needs.
Have you heard of Dyslexia? it relates to how you see patterns and may have difficulties with spelling, your mixing things could be that, but it could also be executive function and visual tracking. (your eye not tracking things as fast/reliably. It is an Occupational Therapy thing, could be related to dyspraxia, a common side of ASD..
Autism often comes with a lot of specific characteristics of your learning style, dyspraxia, language needs and executive functioning difficulties are very common.

Language disorders: pragmatic language (idioms), some weaknesses in receptive and expressive language, or even Specific Language Impairment - a speech therapist usually can assess that.

Part of what you mention, taking more time, could be explained by executive function difficulties. It is typical in autism and can improve with practice and deliberate focus.Even without reaching the threshold of 'clinical' language disorder, difficulties ith essays and writing are so, so common with ASD. It is not a learning disability. .
My daughter has a lot of similar problems to what you describe and has an IQ of 140.

Do you have exam accommodations?
You need an Educational Psychologist or similar. Usually they give 25% extra time, so you would be fine with being the last...

" Actually with the DSM 5 they have removed the IQ score of under 70 -75 as one stand first criteria for diagnosis of Intellectual Disability or Learning disability. standardized testing is used as While a specific full-scale IQ test score is no longer required part of diagnosing intellectual disability. A full scale IQ score of around 70 to 75 indicates a significant limitation in intellectual functioning. However, the IQ score must be considered in relation to the bigger picture of the person’s general mental abilities and executive functioning difficulties. And Sadly its a high % of those with ASD who also have Mild Intellectual disability/Learning disabilities if memory serves me right its between 30 -70 % actually.

Other than that i agree :) "
 
Learning disability is an IQ of 70 or less...
Unlikely you would get to college with that.

It is not unusual to have several co-occurring special needs.
Have you heard of Dyslexia? it relates to how you see patterns and may have difficulties with spelling, your mixing things could be that, but it could also be executive function and visual tracking. (your eye not tracking things as fast/reliably. It is an Occupational Therapy thing, could be related to dyspraxia, a common side of ASD..
Autism often comes with a lot of specific characteristics of your learning style, dyspraxia, language needs and executive functioning difficulties are very common.

Language disorders: pragmatic language (idioms), some weaknesses in receptive and expressive language, or even Specific Language Impairment - a speech therapist usually can assess that.

Part of what you mention, taking more time, could be explained by executive function difficulties. It is typical in autism and can improve with practice and deliberate focus.Even without reaching the threshold of 'clinical' language disorder, difficulties ith essays and writing are so, so common with ASD. It is not a learning disability. .
My daughter has a lot of similar problems to what you describe and has an IQ of 140.

Do you have exam accommodations?
You need an Educational Psychologist or similar. Usually they give 25% extra time, so you would be fine with being the last...
Hi, I haven't read the DSM in quite some time, but, based on my own experience, I can say for certain that, one can have a learning disability/ multiple learning disabilities and 'go to college'/university. : ) Additionally, measure of intelligence/ intellectual ability and learning disabilities are exclusive of one another, as I remember.

'A learning disability can impact the way people of average to above average intelligence receive, process, or express information.'
 
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