Specific, all else excluding, repetitive interest

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Sorry, this is my 3rd post about this I think it would have been easier to just ask this question.

Do you need to have a specific, all else excluding, repetitive interest to get diagnosed with Aspergers?

As re autism, 'repetitive' generally refers to stimming, which is a physical motion, a repetitive body movement, like rocking, swaying or hand flapping.

'Obsessive' interests vary in both number and intensity. It is possible to have more than one, though usually there is a single one that stands out above the others. An obsessive interest may change - it is possible to obsessively study one subject or area until all 'relevant' information has been absorbed and the fascination simply plays itself out.

However, as 'hyperfocus or no-focus-at-all' is a defining characteristic of AS, I'd say its unlikely some obsessive interest would not be present. The question is, could there be an obsessive interest present that seems so mundane as to not be recognized as 'obsessive'?

Sorry....I'm still very new to all of this!! !! So I don't have any fancy answers to this Q.

Why is this so important to you? What I mean is this: Why do you want to know? Sorry for asking.....But how I see this: My DS doesn't meet all the diagnostic criteria for AS, but he is almost like high functioning Asperger.....How I see it, is that AS is not a linear, one dimensianal thing but almost 3 D, with a child falling somewhere on the spectrum....?

It depends on the opinion of the appraiser/therapist/psychiatrist.

Unlike online tests they will probably use three pillars, the tests, case history, and the impression you make on them.

In other words, the largest part of the diagnosis lies in the personal discretion of the therapist.

Also, whether or not you meet the technical criteria for the diagnosis, the psychologist might still recommend similar treatment. Even though I was technically diagnosed with ADHD, the presentation was so similar to AS that my psychologist specifically recommended that my parents look for a social worker who specialized in AS, rather than ADHD.

This psych seems to have interpreted the criteria as no special interest = no AS, which is not in line with the DSM, but diagnoses are not based entirely on the DSM. But it is strange that he disregarded the interests that kept changing, as you mentioned in another post. Are those of high intensity and focus? I don't see why those wouldn't count as special interests. Children can change their special interests, as long as the idea pops into their heads. The intensity and focus and pursuing the same activity for many hours at a time, being uninterruptable during this time, melting down if interrupted, constantly talking to self or others about special interest - these are the key markers of a special interest, not whether your son is interested in WWII for three weeks, three months, or three years.

My son's special interests reach nowhere near this intensity. He'll keep asking to do his project du jour (make a wedding cake, have a yard sale, etc.) until it gets annoying, but it's more on the order of every half hour or so. I questioned the AS diagnosis for this very reason. The psychologist said it was enough for the level of interest to be unusual for his age. He showed a fascination with glass elevators (where you can see the cables and such) at both the children's museum and the doctor's office, and found them to be the most interesting "exhibit" at the museum. The psych said that an engineer like myself might not find the interests to be that unusual.

My son doesn't have any "odd" obsessions, but he is seriously obsessed with Lego. he eats, breaths and sleeps lego. When he was younger it was farm equipment and cars, but ever since he was 4 it has been lego and it seems to only get more intense as he gets older.
I think I notice it as an obsession because my son can't talk about anything but Lego.
and if he just so happens to talk about soemthing else he is always giveing us amazing facts on this or that.

My son has not special interest but he is clearly on the AS planet!