What's the difference?

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I was wondering what the major difference is between Asperger's and High-functioning Autism?

Now that I have sessions with a therapist I'm starting to question whether she really thinks I'm on the spectrum. I feel like she's just treating me like a normal NT whiny brat.
I have so many sensory perceptions and thought patterns that are just so different.
What should I expect from a therapist for AS?
I sometimes wonder if this lady even knows the first thing about autism.

Sorry this post is probably a bit confusing.

Use the search bar at the top of the page, there are probably hundreds of posts dealing with HFA vs AS.

Well, if we're talking about traits, aspies tend to be better able to verbalize their thoughts, whereas HFA's tend to be better able to write their thoughts.

Socially, aspies tend to seek out social situations, whereas HFA's tend to avoid social situations.

That's... really all I know. HFA and AS are often used interchangeably, but there has been considerable effort been made to differentiate between the two.

That sounds a lot like me. I've been using a white board in sessions recently to communicate things. They just see me as refusing to speak. I absolutley hate this Aspie group thing my parents are forcing me to go to on the weekend it's so stuffy, awkward and pointless.
How aware are psychologists of HFA? Or maybe she didn't ask the right questions? I really don't know anymore.
All this lady has talked about is making me more independent and making sure I do my chores. She hasn't asked me anything about what I experience as far as sensory issues. I'm always confused when she talks too and she accusses me of being an unwilling participant and sulky.
I guess I don't know what to expect from a therapist?

That's really asinine of them. I wish I knew of some resource to direct you to or something to given them to read.

Here's one article, FWIW. Don't know if it'd be useful to show them, though.

http://www.autistics.org/library/spchasst.html

As far as the traits differentiating AS from HFA (such as verbal ability, performance vs. verbal IQ, seeking vs. avoiding social contact), it's my understanding that those differences haven't actually panned out when it's been researched. That is, when they checked people with those diagnoses, half had the "wrong" set of those traits.

I may print that out and show them although I don't know how much good it will do.
I've printed stuff out before and they've blown it off. I think they take her word as the law because she's 'a certified professional'. Yeah, the last lady we had was a 'certified professional' and she didn't do much good did she?

I was planning to try and get a referal again to the psycology clinic when I have my next doctor's appointment. Although if it's the same lady I don't know how much good it will do.

The problem comes in when professionals use the terms interchangeably. Let's say that HFAs do tend to have better written than verbal IQs. What happens when HFAs (written > verbal) start getting diagnosed with AS and those with AS (verbal > written) start getting diagnosed as HFA? The differences start going close to nil (because you'll have verbal > written people being grouped with HFA and written > verbal people being grouped with AS).

Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean that HFAs are written > verbal and aspies are verbal > written. I'm just pointing out the fact that even people making professional diagnoses do sometimes use the term interchangeably, and that makes the testing show that AS and HFA is interchangeable, even if there really is a big difference.

I don't see where you got this this whole idea from.

The difference from a diagnosticians point of view is when you first spoke. Delayed speech -> HFA Spoke on time -> Asperger's. There isn't a difference in adulthood if the person acquires speech.

Aspies have a higher language score on IQ tests and HFAs have a higher spatial score.

There is none. They will be merged into autism in a few years.

It doesn't sound like your problem is defining the difference between HFA and AS it sounds like your problem is a shrink who is more interested in eaching you to be 'normal' whether you have a condition or not.

Decide for yourself, and be critical on yourself. Read alot of the posts on this site. Pay special attention to arguements between the masses and lone individuals. Those are the threads that get alot of interesting specifics.

If you truely thing you are on the spectrum, find a shrink that will listen to your reasons WHY you think that. Find a shrink that asks you why you WANT to be recognized as being on the spectrum - what do you hope for it to gain you? Might as well tell us, too .

Even accredited people can be stupid sometimes.
A Piece of Paper does not make someone a God.

EDIT: By the way.. "Therapist"?
Therapist is usually the word used for the not-a-real-shrinks.
This means they can NOT officially diagnose you.
You need to find the kind of shrink that is also a DOCTOR.
Until then, your parents are just wasting money, and you're just wasting time.

http://depression.about.com/cs/psychoth ... logist.htm

Oh god not this topic again.

When I asked if I have asperger sydnroem I have been told I definatly do not have asperger sydnroem. I have been told I have high functioning autism. There must be a differene.

Written IS verbal. Verbal means word. Written language is MORE verbal than speech. No tone of voice.

I'm not sure what the question has to do with the rest of your post.

Now, personally, I relate to autism more than Asperger's. Yet, it's hard to say why, as far as distinct differences. I think it's more two ways of looking at the same thing, rather than the two describing two different sets of people.

...No. This is not true at all.

I for one have a much easier time writing out my thoughts than speaking them. Whenever I try and speak, I draw blanks all over the place. My mind will essentially stop working. This does not happen when I am writing.

I knew an aspie that was exceptionally well-spoken, but when it came to writing things down, he couldn't do it at all.