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Does Asperger's syndrome really exist?

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zendell
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02 Feb 2008, 10:33 pm

Study evaluated 157 people diagnosed with ASDs and found that everyone diagnosed with AS really had HFA instead. It's no big deal because they're both similar and part of the autism spectrum. I just posted it because I think some people here may find it interesting.

Quote:
J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2001 Jun;29(3):263-71.
Does DSM-IV Asperger's disorder exist?
Mayes SD, Calhoun SL, Crites DL.

Department of Psychiatry, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA.

DSM-IV criteria for autistic and Asperger's disorders were applied to 157 children with clinical diagnoses of autism or Asperger's disorder. All children met the DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder and none met criteria for Asperger's disorder, including those with normal intelligence and absence of early speech delay. The reason for this was that all children had social impairment and restricted and repetitive behavior and interests (required DSM-IV symptoms for both autistic and Asperger's disorders) and all had a DSM-IV communication impairment (which then qualified them for a diagnosis of autistic disorder and not Asperger's disorder). Communication problems exhibited by all children were impaired conversational speech or repetitive, stereotyped, or idiosyncratic speech (or both), which are DSM-IV criteria for autism. These findings are consistent with those of 5 other studies and indicate that a DSM-IV diagnosis of Asperger's disorder is unlikely or impossible.

PMID: 11411788 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


DSM-IV criteria - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/overvi ... iteria.htm

I don't know whether I agree with this but 6 studies seem convincing. I think this may be a good thing if it's true that everyone diagnosed with AS really has autistic disorder because that would mean all of us are more similar. I'm curious whether those who are AS had symptoms before age 3.

Please Note - I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything or doubt anyones diagnosis. I just came across this while looking for something else and think it's interesting.

Difference between autistic disorder and AS:
For autistic disorder, there must be "Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.

For AS, "There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)."



Last edited by zendell on 02 Feb 2008, 11:50 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Berserker
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02 Feb 2008, 10:36 pm

LIES! AS does exsist, because I have it!



IdahoAspie
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02 Feb 2008, 10:38 pm

zendell wrote:
The "Most people on this forum don't have Asperger's Syndrome" topic reminded me of this study I read which concluded that AS does not exist. It stated that 5 other studies came to the same conclusion.

Quote:
J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2001 Jun;29(3):263-71.
Does DSM-IV Asperger's disorder exist?
Mayes SD, Calhoun SL, Crites DL.

Department of Psychiatry, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA.

DSM-IV criteria for autistic and Asperger's disorders were applied to 157 children with clinical diagnoses of autism or Asperger's disorder. All children met the DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder and none met criteria for Asperger's disorder, including those with normal intelligence and absence of early speech delay. The reason for this was that all children had social impairment and restricted and repetitive behavior and interests (required DSM-IV symptoms for both autistic and Asperger's disorders) and all had a DSM-IV communication impairment (which then qualified them for a diagnosis of autistic disorder and not Asperger's disorder). Communication problems exhibited by all children were impaired conversational speech or repetitive, stereotyped, or idiosyncratic speech (or both), which are DSM-IV criteria for autism. These findings are consistent with those of 5 other studies and indicate that a DSM-IV diagnosis of Asperger's disorder is unlikely or impossible.

PMID: 11411788 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


DSM-IV criteria - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/overvi ... iteria.htm

I don't know whether I agree with this but 6 studies seem convincing. I think this may be a good thing if it's true that everyone diagnosed with AS really has autistic disorder because that would mean all of us are more similar. I'm curious whether those who are AS had symptoms before age 3.

Please Note - I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything or doubt anyones diagnosis. I just came across this while looking for something else and think it's interesting.



I don't think there is any meaningful difference between HFA and AS. But I do believe both exist.

Best Regards,

Idaho Aspie



MissPickwickian
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02 Feb 2008, 10:43 pm

I was oddly sensitive to heat and nonsensitive to cold at three days old. I showed signs of a superior memory at seven months. I met some developmental milestones too early and others far too late. By age 1 1/2, I was stimming in the classic manner.

I believe that Asperger's exists, at least as a categorizable personality type (an extreme of M.B. INTJs and INTPs, possibly), and at most as a total condition.


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jarro_2783
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02 Feb 2008, 10:43 pm

The thing you have to remember is that AS is on the autistic spectrum, so in a way it is a kind of autism. But there are differences to other types of autism, such as it being a type of high functioning autism but still with other differences.



zendell
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02 Feb 2008, 10:44 pm

IdahoAspie wrote:
I don't think there is any meaningful difference between HFA and AS. But I do believe both exist.

Best Regards,

Idaho Aspie


I'm HFA. I listed the differences between HFA and AS below:

Difference between autistic disorder and AS:
For autistic disorder, there must be "Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.

For AS, "There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)."



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02 Feb 2008, 10:45 pm

:shameonyou: :thumbdown:



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02 Feb 2008, 10:55 pm

Zendell,
I'm just not sure you exist.


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02 Feb 2008, 10:56 pm

zendell wrote:
IdahoAspie wrote:
I don't think there is any meaningful difference between HFA and AS. But I do believe both exist.

Best Regards,

Idaho Aspie


I'm HFA. I listed the differences between HFA and AS below:

Difference between autistic disorder and AS:
For autistic disorder, there must be "Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.

For AS, "There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)."

Most ASD specialists do not differentiate between HFA and AS, especially if the patient is older.


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jarro_2783
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02 Feb 2008, 11:23 pm

sorry I missed that bit. So in that case, AS is characterised by no lack in language development whereas HFA isn't. In my case I was talking at 18 months.



sinsboldly
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02 Feb 2008, 11:32 pm

double post



Last edited by sinsboldly on 03 Feb 2008, 12:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

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02 Feb 2008, 11:34 pm

It exists. No doubt about that at all.



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02 Feb 2008, 11:41 pm

SeaBright wrote:

Quote:
Zendell,
I'm just not sure you exist.



:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

How very "zen"


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username88
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02 Feb 2008, 11:43 pm

What a rediculous question, if it didnt exist then we would all be as successful as we wanted to be!


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zendell
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02 Feb 2008, 11:46 pm

I noticed most people who replied didn't even bother to read my post. So I'll summarize what I wrote. The study I posted found that everyone diagnosed with AS was misdiagnosed and had HFA instead because symptoms started before 2-3 years old.



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02 Feb 2008, 11:51 pm

Your right, I didnt bother to read it. Thanks for the clarification though :lol:


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