If you have Asperger's, do you also have "autism"

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I say I'm autistic. Then I say that I have more Asperger's autism than classical autism and am HF.

But usually, people don't get to know as much about me. I start with 'I am autistic' and then I give an explanation of the autistic spectrum.

I did it the other way once. One person didn't understand that AS and classical are pretty much the same in essence and can be even more so. I don't want people to see Asperger's as most awesome and classical as a death sentence again. That's not making it easier for many on the spectrum.

I often say that my brain works differently. Then people tend to end the conversation as they cannot understand that not all brains are the same.

I say 'I have Aspergers Syndrome, which is a mild form of autism'... that way they know it's not classic autism (which it obviously isn't) as they would think of it - flapping hands, 'ret*d', Rain Man* etc stereotypes - but they also know it's something different enough to warrant its own name.


*Not saying this is what autism is; more the stereotype as a lot of people would think of it if they have no experience of it themselves

That's what Autistic Disorder is in the majority of cases, i.e., flapping/rocking/swaying plus verbal difficulties.

About the only people I have ever told are friends, teachers, and anyone that catches me on this site and is curious. Normally I just say it and if they want to know more, I will take them somewhere to read it, since I am not too good at talking.

Yes, but people don't know that - they associate the word 'autism' with that, rather than a large spectrum of all kinds of abilities and behaviours from the obvious to the very subtle.

Well, most professionals equate "autism" to Autistic Disorder, i.e., childhood autism, Kanner's syndrome, classic autism. Asperger's is an adequate term for someone who is autistic, but has a high verbal ability, plus different and more "normal" repetitive behaviours compared to Autistic Disorder.

Daniel is your friendly individual who often looks like a "ret*d"; I know that the people are looking at me when I sway, flap; walk with my head down and offset to the right, my left-hand curled up against my chest, and I apparently don't acknowledge their existence.

If anyone wants to call themselves "autistic" when they have Asperger's, that's cool, but don't call me "low-functioning", as I'm not.

So what is your diagnoses instead?


Too high functioning to be AS? What does he think AS is, they can't have jobs or something or live on their own and take care of themselves without needing care assistants?

I just say I'm mildy on the spectrum. I prefer not to give out any autism label I have.

There's a few labels below AS; atypical AS and BAP come to mind.

That's "mild" AS, and Broader Autism Phenotype, both of which come under the PDD-NOS label.

Most people don't grasp all the different forms and variations of it. They know what autism is in its more extreme forms, so I find just saying 'Aspergers-a-mild-form-of-autism' they have a broad idea of what the disorder is but that it's a mild form of it. From their own knowledge of you, plus you telling them what it's related to/is, they get the picture.

What's atypical AS? Is it someone who has it but doesn't really meet the criteria because they had a speech delay or developmental delay or they just slip on and off the criteria?

I head tilt. I didn't know that was a stereotypic behavior.

My husband claps hands at midline and used to beat his chest all day long. He has stopped the chest beating.

Does that sound more like Asperger's or HFA?

We haven't got formally dx'ed although a family therapist casually referred to our Asperger's.

Let me know what you think.

How many aspies have these repetitive body movements?

I still have not been able to hold a full time job successfully. I am almost 40 and have an MS and speak several languages almost fluently. This is frustrating to me.

I just prefer to say that I have Asperger's. If people ask me what it is, I say it's a form of autism (which is a better known term), but a less severe case of it.

I avoid the words 'autistic' and 'autism' as much as possible. I know for a fact that most people around here hear the words, they automatically think of the low-functioning form.

Some people around where you live may not realise that some people are more badly affected by autism than others, which is why they would think of the low form.