I used to think Aspergers WAS a form of high functioning autism, but I'm noticing that some people make a distinction between the two. What's the difference?
Autism and Aspergers are very different prior to age 3.. Those with Autism (Kanner-type) have a problem with the actual production of sounds, or some kind of a delay in their abilities to speak. Those with Asperger's do not have any type of delay with their speech, nor do they ever have the inability to produce sounds. This is why the diagnosis for Asperger's may come later than age 3.
The term high functioning usually refers to those who are able to convey their intelligence, and able to maintain a self-sufficient life independent from other's (parents, care-takers, etc.). Many more Asperger-types would fall into this category than would Kanner-types. This is probably why some consider Asperger's as a type of HFA even though it is not.
If you put two high-functioning adults next to each other (one Kanner-type, one Asperger-type) I really don't know what the difference is.
A lot of laughing.
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I think you can generally classify Asperger's as a type of High Functioning Austism (HFA), but it's a very specific type of HFA usually marked by poor social skills, advanced and overly formal language, and extensive, pervasive interest in a specific subject (like dinosaurs, or train schedules, or insects, etc.). Those with Asperger's are often called "little professors" because of how much they know about a narrow range of interests, and how formal and intellectual their conversation seems.
Those with HFA also have the poor social skills and sometimes the fixed, perseverating interests on a narrow subject matter common in Asperger's, but in contrast to those with Asperger's, they also usually have poor or underdeveloped language skills, too.
The decreased inability to deal with change and/or the unexpected, and extreme sensory issues (i.e., either can't stand to be touched, or have no reaction to pain, claim loud noises hurt or gain a sense of calm from loud, rythmic banging, etc.) can be characteristics of either, so really, I think it's the language ability, or lack thereof, that marks the difference between someone with Asperger's v. someone with HFA.
Hope this helps.
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Mother of HFA daughter.
Autism and Aspergers are very different prior to age 3.. Those with Autism (Kanner-type) have a problem with the actual production of sounds, or some kind of a delay in their abilities to speak. Those with Asperger's do not have any type of delay with their speech, nor do they ever have the inability to produce sounds. This is why the diagnosis for Asperger's may come later than age 3.
The term high functioning usually refers to those who are able to convey their intelligence, and able to maintain a self-sufficient life independent from other's (parents, care-takers, etc.). Many more Asperger-types would fall into this category than would Kanner-types. This is probably why some consider Asperger's as a type of HFA even though it is not.
If you put two high-functioning adults next to each other (one Kanner-type, one Asperger-type) I really don't know what the difference is.
References :
high functioning autistic adult (kanner-type)
They can go together. I am an adult hyperlexic which is considered part of the high functioning autism spectrum, but I also have traits of Aspergers.
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