Aspergers vs autism vs pdd-nos

[hoeffelt]

What are the differences between these? Specifically between aspergers and high functioning autism? I keep seeing things online that say the difference is that autism has a speech delay and aspergers doesnt. Does this mean late speaking, as in not speaking till like 7 or does it include speech impediments? Is a speech impediment considered a speech delay? Or can speech impediments occur with aspergers as well. I never see much else besides that, are there any other differences? I hear some people still use dsm4 and not dsm5? Im curious to hear different peoples opinion on this as well. Im curious because i don't have an official diagnosis yet, and am curious to which i would be classified as, if and when i get an official diagnosis. I had a speech impediment when i was young and still have an occasional lisp.

 

[Judge]

Personally I wouldn't confuse a speech impediment with a speech delay. That said, I didn't start actually speaking in sentences until I was four years old. I think even that qualifies as a speech delay.

I wonder if speech pathologists consider speaking without any rhythm a kind of "impediment"?

I also tend to speak with a monotone voice.

 

[TSS]

I didn't start to speak until 3 1/2 or 4. Doctors said I was lazy and spoiled.

 

[hoeffelt]

Personally I wouldn't confuse a speech impediment with a speech delay. That said, I didn't start actually speaking in sentences until I was four years old. I think even that qualifies as a speech delay.

I wonder if speech pathologists consider speaking without any rhythm a kind of "impediment"?

I also tend to speak with a monotone voice.

Were you diagnosed with high functioning sutism or with aspergers? I would definitely consider not speaking in sentences by four a speech delay. But idk how long of a speechc delay is needed for it to be considered high functioning autism instead.

 

[Mr. Cat]

I got tested for Asperger's and was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism. At this place they still used Asperger's as a diagnosis. I haven't had a speech delay, but I find it difficult to talk. When I do talk, it's often dyslexic speech, slow, or non-sensical. I guess maybe this was the reason for HFA? I've no idea, but I'd like to know, myself.

 

[Nitro]

I got the autie tag for not speaking until after age five

 

[unsurewhattoname]

I had first words before age 1, but I have a very hard time articulating myself. My diagnosis is Asperger's. I'm pretty monotonous and I type better than I speak. I think it's first words age 2 or later for autism, before age 2 for Asperger's. Maybe that's too simplistic though. I have no idea about PDD-NOS. Think it's where you meet neither or something.

 

[hoeffelt]

Isnt pdd-nos where you go back and forth. Like you will speak like normal than just stop speaking and regress and than be normal again and regress and loose skills?

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Despite having a speech delay until the age of four I'm about to be diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome instead of High Functioning Autism. I asked my care coordinator about this and he said that because I was able to make up for it and speak like someone else at my age I'd still get diagnosed with Asperger's.

I think what the ICD and DSM say are more like guidelines for the professionals to go by rather that rules set in stone tablets.

 

[Judge]

Were you diagnosed with high functioning sutism or with aspergers? I would definitely consider not speaking in sentences by four a speech delay. But idk how long of a speechc delay is needed for it to be considered high functioning autism instead.

I haven't been formally diagnosed. I just consider myself on the spectrum of autism. Searching for finer distinctions given the DSM-V aren't all that important to me personally. Interesting though to see some sources cite speech delay as an aspect of high functioning autism.

 

[Nitro]

Despite having a speech delay until the age of four I'm about to be diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome instead of High Functioning Autism. I asked my care coordinator about this and he said that because I was able to make up for it and speak like someone else at my age I'd still get diagnosed with Asperger's.

I think what the ICD and DSM say are more like guidelines for the professionals to go by rather that rules set in stone tablets.

As long as their has been a diagnosis for autism spectrum disorders,it has always been a subjective determination and nothing more.Some pros see it one way and others another.The DSM manuals are mostly a guideline for where to spend money.I have no interest in the ICD as it will never apply to me.Here in the USA where the DSM rules the roost,it doesn't apply to me either because I seek no support. Some of us that are older just had to deal with our quirks because milder symptoms of ASD weren't considered that big of a deal unless you were profoundly autistic. Often in cases like that, a professional's opinion that the client would best be served in an institutional setting and not in the home. If you weren't profoundly autistic,you basically got nothing or some other lame assed diagnosis (subjective professional guess) that was still far from the mark.

The ASD umbrella used in the DSM 5 is supposed to address severity of symptoms instead of the differing names formerly used as the labels. It is very flawed as well in my honest opinion,because the symptoms are not the same in each individual. Even with dna testing,it still all boils down to a professional psychological opinion in the end.

Yeah,I had some relationship struggles all the way down the line and had to teach myself how to conform to society to an extent,but the good parts of my ASD made me what I am today,so I view my ride on the spectrum as a gift and not a curse. I am in no way trying to dismiss the struggles of others,I am only speaking for myself. I honestly believe that anyone anywhere on the autism spectrum should focus on their strengths and do their best to maintain a grip on their weaknesses when it comes time to do battle.

Screw what any damned book says,they are only opinions too

 

[clg114]

As long as their has been a diagnosis for autism spectrum disorders,it has always been a subjective determination and nothing more.Some pros see it one way and others another.The DSM manuals are mostly a guideline for where to spend money.I have no interest in the ICD as it will never apply to me.Here in the USA where the DSM rules the roost,it doesn't apply to me either because I seek no support. Some of us that are older just had to deal with our quirks because milder symptoms of ASD weren't considered that big of a deal unless you were profoundly autistic. Often in cases like that, a professional's opinion that the client would best be served in an institutional setting and not in the home. If you weren't profoundly autistic,you basically got nothing or some other lame assed diagnosis (subjective professional guess) that was still far from the mark.

The ASD umbrella used in the DSM 5 is supposed to address severity of symptoms instead of the differing names formerly used as the labels. It is very flawed as well in my honest opinion,because the symptoms are not the same in each individual. Even with dna testing,it still all boils down to a professional psychological opinion in the end.

Yeah,I had some relationship struggles all the way down the line and had to teach myself how to conform to society to an extent,but the good parts of my ASD made me what I am today,so I view my ride on the spectrum as a gift and not a curse. I am in no way trying to dismiss the struggles of others,I am only speaking for myself. I honestly believe that anyone anywhere on the autism spectrum should focus on their strengths and do their best to maintain a grip on their weaknesses when it comes time to do battle.

Screw what any damned book says,they are only opinions too

What Nitro said.

 

[zurb]

The difference between HFA and Aspergers is primarily where, when and by whom you were diagnosed. I've elsewhere posted a video of Tony Attwood's take on this, and it does come down to speech delay. Otherwise they are clinically the same.
IMHO, PDD-NOS is exactly what it says - a miscellaneous category because the clinician doesn't know where one fits.

 

[clg114]

The way that I understand it, please correct me if this is wrong, according to the old DSM-4, HFA is a classic autism and there can be linguistic and cognitive impairments along with some or all of the other symptoms. The difference with HFA people is that they are very high on the spectrum and all of the symptoms that they have are slight. Someone with Asperger's Syndrome can have some or all of the symptoms except linguistic and cognitive impairments. Further more, it is not uncommon for Asperger's people to excel in linguistic and cognitive abilities. It is my understanding that this is the difference, by definition, between classic autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

Of course, non of this means much since doctors now use the DSM-5. The new criteria that they use for diagnoses does not mention Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism.

 

[unsurewhattoname]

The way that I understand it, please correct me if this is wrong, according to the old DSM-4, HFA is a classic autism and there can be linguistic and cognitive impairments along with some or all of the other symptoms. The difference with HFA people is that they are very high on the spectrum and all of the symptoms that they have are slight. Someone with Asperger's Syndrome can have some or all of the symptoms except linguistic and cognitive impairments. Further more, it is not uncommon for Asperger's people to excel in linguistic and cognitive abilities. It is my understanding that this is the difference, by definition, between classic autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

Of course, non of this means much since doctors now use the DSM-5. The new criteria that they use for diagnoses does not mention Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism.

We're not all American though. Most places use the ICD, where they're still separate.

 

[clg114]

We're not all American though. Most places use the ICD, where they're still separate.

You are absolutely right and I apologize for not pointing that out. Like a lot of people in the USA, sometimes I forget about the rest of the world.

 

[hoeffelt]

The way that I understand it, please correct me if this is wrong, according to the old DSM-4, HFA is a classic autism and there can be linguistic and cognitive impairments along with some or all of the other symptoms. The difference with HFA people is that they are very high on the spectrum and all of the symptoms that they have are slight. Someone with Asperger's Syndrome can have some or all of the symptoms except linguistic and cognitive impairments. Further more, it is not uncommon for Asperger's people to excel in linguistic and cognitive abilities. It is my understanding that this is the difference, by definition, between classic autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

Of course, non of this means much since doctors now use the DSM-5. The new criteria that they use for diagnoses does not mention Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism.

By saying that high functioning symptoms are slight, what do you mean? Do you mean they have few symptoms or that they have many symptoms but all very mild? do you mean they are slight compared to aspergers?

 

[OrSomething]

In the DSM-5, these categories don't really exist, it is all autism. But under the DSM-IV, Asperger's requires fewer symptoms overall, and there is no requirement for communication difficulties. (I wouldn't classify a speech impediment as a speech delay.) Also, to be diagnosed with Asperger's, you must have learned to talk at the normal time, and you can't have an intellectual disability. PDD-NOS requires only two symptoms; it is used for people who are on the spectrum but don't fit the criteria for either autism or Asperger's.

 

[unsurewhattoname]

In the DSM-5, these categories don't really exist, it is all autism. But under the DSM-IV, Asperger's requires fewer symptoms overall, and there is no requirement for communication difficulties. (I wouldn't classify a speech impediment as a speech delay.) Also, to be diagnosed with Asperger's, you must have learned to talk at the normal time, and you can't have an intellectual disability. PDD-NOS requires only two symptoms; it is used for people who are on the spectrum but don't fit the criteria for either autism or Asperger's.

For Asperger's is it needed that you don't have communication impairments, or is it just that they're not required? So what I'm asking is - is it possible to have Asperger's and communication impairments? My report says that communication impairments are needed for Asperger's, and I have them (and was given the diagnosis) so I'm confused.

 

[OrSomething]

For Asperger's is it needed that you don't have communication impairments, or is it just that they're not required? So what I'm asking is - is it possible to have Asperger's and communication impairments? My report says that communication impairments are needed for Asperger's, and I have them (and was given the diagnosis) so I'm confused.

You can have communication impairments, it just isn't required. Also, keep in mind that many doctors don't follow the DSM precisely.