Traits but not AS?

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Hi everyone,
Is it common for people to have lots of traits but not have AS?
Has anyone here with traits gone for diagnostic assessment and got a negative result? ie no AS diagnosis?

Best, Zel.

The most common cases where you would have a lot of traits but not AS is if you have a condition that overlaps some of the same symptoms.

The most common that I know of is ADD non-hyperactive. In many cases, it takes a professional to tell the difference between borderline AS and ADD, as well as some other possible conditions.

If you have a lot of the traits though, then there is something going on, whether or not it is AS is just a question to be answered.

There is something called the "broader autism phenotype", which means a person displays traits of autism but only in some areas, or mildly, or not enough to qualify for a diagnosis of ASD.

If you have some traits, need support, but don't meet the autism or aspergers diagnosis, you might be given the pdd-nos diagnosis.

Jason

Hmmmmm I'm thinking maybe this sounds like me which makes me question whether I should spend all that money I'm about to on diagnostic assessment!
Best, Zel.

Yes people can have some AS traits but not quite score enough DX points to qualify for membership. Most NTs are like that, I would have thought. I think there are lots of half-Aspies around.

The major reason for presenting oneself for diagnosis is to pinpoint (in best case scenario) the issue by excluding others. You may get the diagnosis you suspected, a diagnosis you had overlooked or been unaware of, or be informed that there is no significant problem. Of course, if you're not convinced of the appropriateness of any diagnosis, you could get a second opinion.
If self-diagnosis for all ailments and conditions was 100% reliable there would be no need for diagnosticians.

I know about 5 or 6 people who have traits of AS but don't seem to have AS like I do. They all seem to get along socially with people in their peers and not have many social oddities like I do, but they have a lot of other AS traits that often makes me feel confused about them. I know everybody has at least one or two traits of AS, it's perfectly normal (a bit like ''I forget things a lot but doesn't mean I have Alzheimer's'' type of thing). But these few people who I know seem to have a lot of AS traits but still have normal social skills with other people and are able to fit in and are able to attend social situations and know what to do and can join in without looking weird or stupid or annoying.

You have to have the traits at a level that actually causes impairment--otherwise, you don't need a diagnosis and they shouldn't give you one. A diagnosis isn't warranted unless there are problems associated with those traits.

I agree, and get annoyed by the reported over-diagnosis (around here) of young children so they can receive training in socialisation skills that their families do not provide. I don't begrudge them the extra attention, only the fact that the system (it seems) needs them to be diagnosed before they'll be eligible for help. The result is that there are kids who have apparently had asperger's... and gotten over it with a few extra classes at school.

Well... I guess if the kids need extra attention and they're getting it, it can't be all that bad, even if they do get categorized as autistic along the way. I definitely agree that it'd be better for these kids if you could just say, "Look, Junior needs you to spend some more time with him, teaching him stuff," and have the parents listen to you. Some kids need more attention than others; and if they get treated like they're annoying little critters underfoot, their social development will slow down. You can't say "autism" until you've ruled out simple social factors--like, say, an introverted kid living with parents who work double shifts and come home too tired to play; or an army brat who moves too often to form stable friendships; or an immigrant kid who doesn't share a first language with playmates. Autism isn't the only reason you might need more attention and there's no use labeling kids with it unless they actually have it. It's not like you're either totally disabled or totally capable of everything, ever. Everybody has weaknesses, and it's annoying to me that weaknesses within the normal range should need a diagnosis to be addressed. The general educational system and society as a whole should be tuned to the fact that people have different strengths and need different things, even when they aren't disabled or gifted (or both).