Difference between Aspergers and Autism Spectrum Disorder

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I was diagnosed under the DSM-V, but told that I would have been classed as having Asperger's had I been diagnosed earlier.

I feel more honest and accurate saying that I'm autistic, because that's what I've been diagnosed as. However, I also think that the Asperger's label can be misunderstood as 'easy autism' or simply 'quirky behaviour'. It can minimise the difficulties that are actually faced.

I was diagnosed before even the DSM-II LOL Around 1964.

Like I said, I believe I am "Aspergian," even though I don't have, and I have never had, Asperger's--because of my classic autistic traits I exhibited before age 5.

Why can't you say you are "Aspergers-like?" It's not exactly conclusive--but it's illustrative.

Aspergers or no Aspergers, it would be truthful to say that you're autistic.

The normal person you talk to doesn't study diagnostic criteria.

If you fit the stereotype of someone with Aspergers, it can be very convenient to just say you have Asperger's, particularly if you are a science or engineering whiz with a flair for numbers. But, it doesn't make sense to do that and explain how that stereotype doesn't apply to you.

I'm glad for the change (US & a few other countries) and planned change (rest of the world) in the criteria. I met both the criteria for autism and Asperger's, and when HFA and AS are compared I'm not distinctly one. For example my speech occurred at the normal time (single words by 2 etc) which is a feature of Asperger's, yet my autism is apparently obvious because I really struggle to verbally express and such - I don't have that stereotypical high verbal ability of Asperger's. Maybe if you fit the stereotype you'd feel distinctly one, but I don't.

Interesting though in the table of similarities and differences it says for NLD:

Problems with Spatial skills - knowing where an object is in space in relation to other objects
Rarely


That contrasts with many other sites that list spatial deficits as a factor. I do wonder whether there is a general consensus of what NLD is or isn't. It would perhaps be difficult to take it seriously from an academic/clinical POV if there are marked descriptive differences.

NVLD is still a highly theoretical entity, as far as I know. There remains much subjectivity within it. But it is a phenomenon which is well-documented, but imperfectly defined.

Psychology is not exactly an exact science. Diagnoses are always in flux, as new research findings are obtained. NVLD should be taken seriously because it is a recognized entity. There are always differences in how "experts" perceive such things as NLVD and Aspergers--but there seems to be more consensus as to Aspergers.

Autism--especially classical autism--is much better defined, and much more consistent as far as symptomography is concerned.

To say that even autism is a "medical diagnosis" with the same objectivity as, say, pneumonia, would, in my opinion, be an erroneous statement.

One should remember that the correlation between Aspergers and relative weakness in the visual-spatial realm in not universal--but it is a frequent characteristic.

Both Aspergers and HFA (HFA is not even a diagnosis!) are fairly well-defined entities---but they are not objectively defined entities like Pancreatitis which is (absolutely) an inflammation of the pancreas.

But all components of the Autistic Spectrum should be taken seriously, even if they are not absolutely objective entities. Most psychiatric/psychological/developmental disorders are not objective entities, with an absolute test, or absolutely objective signs--like tuberculosis, which has the tine test and x-rays, and the tubercule Bacillus.

Autism does not have a bacterium/virus/pathological agent which causes it. There is not one single gene which causes it. It is probably more accurate to refer to the "autisms" than to "autism."

Aspergers is a narrower category than Autism Spectrum Disorder so it is often going to be closer to describing a person. A person who is an Orthodox Jew will often relate to Orthodox Judaism more than Judaism in general.

"Aspie" while closely related to Aspergers Syndrome is a colloquial term that people can and use as they please. For the purpose of describing oneself or self identity if a person meets the criteria for Aspergers today does it really matter if he or she met the criteria for severe Autism at age three?

I was diagnosed in the UK 6 months ago as Aspergers under ICD-10

Even though the ICD-10 is the main one in the UK, some places use the DSM 5.

I thought Aspergers was a part of the autism spectrum. So does this mean I also have an autism spectrum disorder? Is it possible to have both? I was thinking that autism spectrum meant just autism in general.

Remarkably, some places use the ICD-10 in the United States.

That's true. It doesn't really matter that I was classically autistic at age 3. That's why I can call myself an "Aspie."

I'm very Aspergian now----but I can't claim to really be "Aspergian" in some sort of court of law because I don't fit one of the main diagnostic points--namely, the acquisition of speech at the normal age.

You are both, aspergers is a name for the higher functioning among the autism community.

If you have Asperger's, you have "autism in general."

Asperger's is one component of the "autistic spectrum."

It is USUAL for somebody with Asperger's to be relatively "higher functioning"--though that's not always the case.

There is such thing as somebody who does not have Asperger's, but does have "high functioning autism." This person would exhibit more of the "classic" symptoms of autism than somebody with Asperger's.

The "difference between 'aspergers' and 'autism spectrum disorder'" is the same as "the difference between the 'state of Nebraska', and 'the USA'".

Nebraska is a subset (subdivision) of the United States. Aspergers is a subset, or subcategory, of the autism spectrum disorders.