Can people with Aspergers have a Learning Disability?

Post Reply New Topic

A lot of those of you in America would describe those with an IQ lower than 70 has having Mental Retardation. However, we in the UK call it Learning Disability.
Anyway, heres why I'm asking: I know that there a lot of people with autism htat have LD's. However, it's part of the diagnostic critirea for Aspergers to have an IQ of average or above, which rules out LD.
Now, even though a person may not be able to get the diagnoses of AS if there IQ is lower than 70, I don't think that means it's tecnically not possible.

Here's what I mean: there are people with mild autism, but have an LD as well, which effcts their life a lot. Imagine, if they didn't have the LD, they may have had the diagnoses of AS, but the LD rules it out. Hoswever, that doesn't mean that they're autistic symptooms don't qualify for As, but their LD prevents this. So what I wonder is, is it possible to have an LD with still having AS. I know that diagnostic wise, it isn't, but is still tecnically possible? They could maybe be very like Aspergers, except they have a Learning Disability.

What you're describing was, before the new DSM, considered the primary difference between AS and High Functioning Autism (HFA), in that the AS criteria are only different in that with AS there are no delays in cognitive or language development whereas people diagnosed with HFA could have either or both.
For instance, Temple Grandin might be considered to be HFA rather than AS under these guildelines since she experienced delays in developing speech at an early age although she clearly excells in cognitive areas and likely has a high IQ.

In the new, current DSM there is no diagnostic distinction between AS and HFA, and in fact the AS terminology has been dropped entirely.
Under the new DSM guildelines and criteria you're either autistic or not, and they use a sliding scale to determine level of severity.
Athough I haven't been to a mental health professional lately so I don't really know if they're still using the terminology to describe the distinction between HFA and AS or if they've fullly switched to the new system.

you can be of average to above average intelligence and still have a learning disability anyway. I think having Asperger's and a learning disability is possible, if not more likely

in rare cases, someone can be diagnosed with coexsisting LD after being already diagnosed with Asperger's only if it becomes apparent later...as in an IQ below 70 (mild LD). my main source is the subtext from dsm IV-TR.

the second source is myself. I am diagnosed as borderline intellectually disabled: consistant with my lower scores* is my daily living skills and ability to cope is lower than what one would expect for just AS. I learned most things slower than my typical peers, barely not late.

*I was finally IQ tested at age 20. all of my scores except verbal is in the borderline to low average range.

dyslexia is a learning disability.
some people have it
and,
the IQ is high.
so,
you can have it
still having high IQ.

Yes I think it's possible. A mentally ret*d person could also have AS traits, I've seen it before. I believe Asperger's (or milder Autism) can occur at ALL levels of intelligence.

When I was diagnosed I was tested for learning disabilities at the same time so I'd say yes. I was diagnosed with regular autism though. I'm below 70 in one of the categories for the iq as well, which helped point to my issues in processing. my overall iq is only a little below average as everything but that one portion was average.

I thought an aspie has to have normal IQ. That's the definition, right? Of course nowadays it's all called autism so it doesn't matter.

It's interesting to know that "learning disability" mean something so different in your country. Over here it would be things like dyslexia, auditory processing disorder...etc.

To all those who are saying you don't have to have low IQ to have a learning disability, I'm talking specificly about as you'd call it, 'Mental Retardation'. I'm not talking about Dyslexia or any specific learning difficulties. I'm talking about Globel Intilectual disability.

To all those who are saying you don't have to have low IQ to have a learning disability, I'm talking specificly about as you'd call it, 'Mental Retardation'. I'm not talking about Dyslexia or any specific learning difficulties. I'm talking about Globel Intilectual disability. Is it possible to have that, but still has Asperger.

in the USA, yes you can.

But a learning disability is different in America.