pdd-nos/hfa/aspie?

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I am a precise person--so this spectrum thing has got me reeling! I'm the kind of person that studies the dictionary for the most precise word. Anyway, I found this online.

ABBREVIATIONS & LAY TERMS

Aspie- An endearing term orrignially used to refer to persons with Asperger's Syndrome. However, in recent years, as the lines between the High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders have begun to blur this term has been applied to PDD-NOS and HFA as well.


I need to advocate for my son (very high functioning). Should I refer to Aspergers --more literature on the topic, when citing important information. Honestly, there are more books written about Aspergers and more people seem familiar with this term, lately. I'm trying to avoid the pdd-nos because lay people and others don't take it seriously. Or, it can be used for kids with language and cognitive delays--none of which my son ever experienced. High functioning to me sounds like Aspergers which describes my son best.

any ideas/comments?

What is the general feeling about this?

I think PDD-NOS is used when someone displays characteristics on the spectrum but falls a criteria short of Asperger's or classic autism. I would use Asperger's for your son since he he didn't have language or cognitive delays. My son is characterized on his IEP under autism, with Asperger's specifically mentioned.

It depends on what you are trying to "get" when you are advocating.
I don't subscribe to the "high", "low" functioning labels, they are arbitrary. Is your son diagnosed with something specific? Then you should use that term.
I dispute the idea that Aspies don't experience language delay as many (most?) are slow to comprehend idioms, sarcasm and metaphors and jokes. That aside, if your son didn't experience a formal language delay (recognized by a speech therapist), then I'd stick with whatever his dx is.
If a professional who is working with your son "doesn't take it seriously" (PDD-NOS) then they are being unprofessional. You should not change your terms because that may screw up stuff later on.

Bugsmom,

mine, too. It is mentioned in the formal report--his AS behaviors.

I guess it doesn't much matter. I use the term ASD which seems to encompass all of it. I had heard that Aspergers might be eliminated from the DSM-IV due to so much confusion. It seems weird as it was just added recently! How often does it change?

KIm,

I have someone on my street who has a dx of pdd-nos and my son does not present at all like her! The problem arises when the spectrum is too broad and, so, I don't want my son to be misunderstood. This is why I feel AS would have been a better fit for him. He really is mildly effected and flies, for the most part, under the radar. I think this might be why the evaluator chose pdd-nos because he was too "with it" and not quirky enough (I know seems wierd). She should come to my house when he's in his zone--eyes shut, head jerking, replaying movies and games in his head. He plays like this for hours at a time and is perfectly content. Or, when I'm trying to get him out of the house!
thanks for the responses!