Difference between HFA and AS?

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Hey all.

Would someone mind explaining to me the difference between Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism?

I always thought that the main difference was that with HFA, you were either of average or above average intelligence, but your language development was delayed....whereas with AS there was no significant delay in language development.

However, I read somewhere (closed the tab, can't find the link now :S ) that people with HFA CAN start speaking at the proper age.

If this is the case, what is the difference between the two syndromes?

I think most doctors distinguish between HFA and LFA based on IQ, and between autism (in general) and AS based on speech delays. It may not be the most accurate way of dividing the population but it's better than having dozens of autistic sub-groups.

The way I, completely unprofessionally and unqualified in this area of study, define them are roughly this:

Autism and Aspergers are really similar except for whether or not you get "words" at a young age. Traditional Autistics may be late learning to speak and understand verbal language, if they learn at all. Pictures or visual communication techniques may have to be used instead. It's a bit like being deaf mute only different. um.

Aspergers - get words very early on, and the ones with higher IQs learn to read very early and talk (words) a lot - they like to give lectures (the little professors).

High functioning and low functioning - I believe can go with both or either Aspergers or Autism.

High functioning - is able to function in general society - look after yourself, make sure you are fed, clothed, sheltered, financially independent without being totally dependent on dedicated care givers.

Low functioning - needs someone else to look after them. This could also include a lot of NT husbands.

You can see by my definitions "high functioning" and "low functioning" are not restricted Autistics or NTs... And neither are directly related to IQ. I know incredibly bright people who can't look after themselves and quite stupid people who can. Go figure.

Of course - I'm still very fuzzy on what a high IQ means - does it mean I can explain something new to someone and they will easily understand the concepts - does it matter what the subject is or does it have to be across the board, does this mean the person will be good in an academic (formal study) related environment eg universities, or will they be really good at relating with other people ie an ideal real estate sales agent?

They mostly base it on language delay between Aspergers and HFA. Also in one or two years there is not even going to be a distinction between Aspergers and HFA they are merging Aspergers into HFA and disolving the Aspergers diagnosis. So in a sense we are all HFA soon. There is no distinction betwenn IQ and HFA and AS. Only really the language delay. IQ does have something to do with low functioning and High functiong. a person with Hfa or aspergers can have an average to genious level IQ sad to say i range in the average IQ however i am superior in some areas of the WAIS III but that is a different story.

Originally HFA and Aspergers were given in the same diagnosis. But the yanks decided to change it so Aspergers has language delay, and every other place that refers to the DSM followed suite. That change occured around the mid 90's.

One day I will scan my official diagnosis from 1992 for all to see this is what was done back when I was a lad

"Originally HFA and Aspergers were given in the same diagnosis. But the yanks decided to change it so Aspergers has language delay"

OK, am I misunderstanding you, or are you saying that Asperger's has language delay and HFA doesn't? Everything I have read has said the exact opposite.

"Also in one or two years there is not even going to be a distinction between Aspergers and HFA they are merging Aspergers into HFA and disolving the Aspergers diagnosis."

I have read nothing about this except for a few people on the WP chatroom and forums saying it, can you provide a link for that? Not that I don't believe you, I'm just curious is all.

So really, it all boils down to there is a difference between when a HFA and an Aspie begin learning to speak and understand words, but otherwise, the two conditions are very much the same?

I'm not sure I know enough about how people's brains work to say that autism and aspergers are pretty much the same. We might find some measurable difference that shows the difference in visual thinking in pictures and verbal thinking in words.

I do both.

At the moment, though, this is pretty much how they're looking at it. They're the same except for the understanding of language, spoken and written words. Strangely enough, some autistics are fine with the written word - it's just another kind of picture. In fact I'm pretty sure that's how I read. And that's why I hate bad and phonetic spelling.

And I also think Laz has it back to front. Autism is the one with language delay.

Imagine if autisics were the ones that talked a lot - I don't think so.