Heredity and an adult diagnosis

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Hi everyone. I'm new here. My son, John is 13 and diagnosed with AS this year. From the time he was a toddler I had always said he acts like he's autistic, except that he is much more talkative than what you would think of as an autistic child. I've also said many many times that my heart aches for him because I can see so much of me in him I know what he is going through. I went through it all myself. We've been to 4 'specialists' within the past few months. All of them very pointedly informed me that AS is strongly hereditary. One even went so far as to ask me "Now does anyone else in your family exhibit these symptoms, other than yourself I mean." I know that AS is a relatively new diagnosis, I think within the past decade, so it wouldn't have been something those of us who are forty (did I type that outloud?) would have been diagnosed with as kids. Are there adults out there getting an AS diagnosis? Any of you parents of the Aspies know or think you might be one yourself? Just how does one Aspie parent another? It feels a bit like the blind leading the blind at times.

welcome to WP, MissHap.

there are a number of people on here in a similar situation to you. i'm 43, and didn't know i have AS until just over a year ago - still trying to get a formal dx. and there are people here who are aspie parents with aspie kids.

have a good look around the board - i'm sure you'll find lots of somethings.

Vivi
(as Mod)

after many problems and mis-diagnoses of my son, age 13, the doctors finally announced this summer that he has aspergers. ( some of the potential diagnoses included:ADD, bipolar, schizoaffective disorder, borderline personality disorder)
once my son had his diagnosis, we began to look at my hubby and his family. hubby was just diagnosed this summer also. in our estimation, all of hubby's siblings( 4 in all) and some of our nephews are effected by aspergers in varying degrees. the doctor says that a person can exhibit asperger-like tendencies, but not be truly diagnosed with aspergers.
i'm still trying to get hubby to write in this chatroom, but in addition to having aspergers he is also dyslexic....so trying to get him to type anything is virtually impossible. he reports feeling somewhat surreal about just receiving a diagnosis now after 38 years. in some ways he feels better that he has the diagnosis ( his mother and all of his teachers always claimed that his difficulties were just because he was lazy). in other ways, he has felt depressed. to realize that you have walked through much of your life with issues you thought everyone had ( sensory integration, etc), and then realize that not everyone is just like you can be very disconcerting.
it's been quite an adjustment to say the least.

HA! I'm dysgraphic and possibly dyslexic! I used to be hesistant to post on boards until I started on an adult LD (learning disability) board and figured out no one gave a hoot about spelling as long as the message can be read. I try to be more careful on other boards but have found, in general, that people are flexible. HeeHee. I'd love to see him join!

Back on topic...There are many, many adults just now getting the dx. You can read though the general forum to see some threads on the advantages/disadvantages and the actual procedures. As has been mentioned, many people have mixed feelings.

And welcome!

BeeBee

I too have not had an official diagnoses of asperger's but I don't honestly think I would be likely to get one as I have some of the same symptoms but I do understand the importance of personal space, eye contact, etc. which follow in with an asperger diagnoses evaluation. I have however been diagnosed with adult add, my mother is beating herself up over not having had us evaluated as kids ( I am 29 ) because she thinks it may have helped and I have to constantly remind her that there was no official diagnoses of asperger's in the medical field until 1994... the year I graduated. I advocate for a diagnoses now for early intervention purposes but in all honesty I can't see the point of being diagnosed as an adult as long as your issues are being tended to without one. For School age children I highly recommend a diagnoses simply for the early intervention piece that is so important in helping children understand themselves and each other better and learning how to help control their own symptoms.

I'm an Aspie, I only found out after my son was diagnosed back in July 2003 with Autism (Moderate HFA). It led me to research and finding out that a lot of it fit perfectly in what I experienced and all growing up. I have an 'unofficial' dx of Aspergers (official by professional but not on records by request). I think main thing is that I adapted this far and learned, my son can too and will. My main thing is he knows who he is, that he knows he is unique and special and can do whatever he wants in life.