Is there a difference between HFA and AS?

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What is the difference between HFA and AS?

AS is a form of HFA.

It depends on who you talk to.

There's a distinct difference between the two if one uses the DSM-IV-TR; the differences are listed under the differential diagnosis section in the expanded Asperger's area.

Professor Attwood says they're the same thing.

It doesn't really matter in the end, both are severe developmental disorders that impact greatly on the functioning of the inflicted individuals; the symptoms and outcomes are similar, it's worst in HFA compared to AS concerning those two, but the severity of AS is no joke either.

I think there is a differance. I am HFA. There are 5 in my family with an ASD two with Aperger's three with HFA. Some of the presentation seems to be the same, but I'd say the main differantiating feature is that, for the most part the major lack of wanting socialazation is the main differance. Those that I know that are Aspies want to socialize, but those of us with HFA don't really have that, and it seems to be physicaly and emotionaly draining for us. I have also found, that in our family, those that are Aspies don't have the need for order that those with HFA seem to need. Atleast these are the things that I have observed in my family and with those I know and am aquainted with.

But then those who have AS and are high functioning, what are they?

I can see that. E has a definite desire to socialize, although he has no problem leaving social situations the moment he feels satisfied. His neurologist told me that he has "non-autism ASD". I'm not sure what I believe regarding the connection, though.

Is there a practical benefit to discovering a more exact definition, or is it just a mental exercise?

AS if HFA, without the language delay.

If your distinction is correct, then my Asperger's is a misdiagnosis and HFA is a better fit. However, I don't think there really is enough of a difference between the two to have them as two separate diagnoses. Attwood claims there to be no difference, and Baron-Cohen says the only difference is language delay in HFA (I spoke a bit late myself, but apparently not late enough for the dx to switch to HFA). Even with Baron-Cohen's distinction, there is only an appreciable distinction in relatively early childhood, as those with HFA will catch up to Aspies in language development later. This means that for the increasing numbers of later diagnoses (I was dxed at the age of 17 just last summer) the difference between HFA and AS would be of purely historical interest.

I was diagnosed at 51. My psychiatrist told me that, with adults, he makes no distinction. The differences with children, as others have said, are debatable. The research into this area is in flux.

Correct. HFA people are like Temple Granden; they think in pictures and have language delays. AS people are much more verbal.

Those at Attwood's told me that the difference in adults with autism and Asperger's is the ability to communicate verbally, those with autism have great difficulty with verbal communication, even though most can do it. The other difference is the motor mannerisms, they said they're far more frequent in autism compared to Asperger's. Those with Asperger's can communicate adequately in a social setting compared to those with autism; communicate adequately in actually being able to initiate and sustain a conversation, no matter how..."odd", "weird" and/or "eccentric" it is.

People who have the delay in speech, but eventually develop the ability to communicate in childhood are seen as Asperger's to them.

They don't see the IQ difference; it's autism or Asperger's to them (well, to the two ladies I saw anyway).

I read that most aspies are visual learners.


Aspies don't have a speech delay or a development delay except in social skills and their emotions are delayed too. People with HFA were speech delayed and were developmentally delayed. But if there was a reason for their speech delay such as they had hearing loss when they were a baby, so it will make them speech delayed and maybe developmental delayed too.

Would it be reasonable to say that there are a number of different dimensions on which to measure ASD? IQ (low or high), sociability (aloof,passive, active but odd) - anything else?

I've been interested in the differences between male and female presentation of ASD and in researching it I've found confusing and contradictory info.

"Officially", they measure severity of ASD in how it affects the triad of impairments: social, vocational and/or educational. It's more "fair" and objective, i.e., someone with autism who has a normal IQ may be less impaired than someone with Asperger's. It's more likely that the individual with autism will be more impaired, but it's not always the case. Nearly all individuals with "LFA", autism with mental retardation are completely disabled; most of those with HFA/AS are disabled in many facets, by definition, all are disabled in social ability; many are in vocation and academia too, far in excess of what their IQ would tell.

The social aspect of the two disorders is similar in severity, they just manifest differently: autism is usually aloof, Asperger's is usually active and odd (most don't have friends in both categories).

what do you mean?

Most people with Asperger's and autism have no friends. It's the sad truth.