Information On Asperger's

[OnlySunshine]

Hi all.  I'm looking for information on Asperger's or ASD in general for personal reasons.  I am aware that some people on Phatmass have said they have it and I'm wondering how it was first diagnosed and then how it was treated.  I've thought for a while that my dad might have some form of autism but now I'm starting to recognize symptoms in myself.  Help would be appreciated.

[SilentJoy]

Have you checked out "Aspergirls" by Rudy Simone? She was diagnosed with high-functioning Asperger's, and she tries to show how the syndrome looks different in women than in men and can easily go undiagnosed.

[OnlySunshine]

Have you checked out "Aspergirls" by Rudy Simone? She was diagnosed with high-functioning Asperger's, and she tries to show how the syndrome looks different in women than in men and can easily go undiagnosed.

 

No, I haven't read it or anything, but I will check it out.  I have noticed that it does appear differently in girls, though.  Thanks for the recommendation!

[SilentJoy]

You can find videos of Rudy Simone discussing her book and female Aspergians on YouTube. I'd post links but I'm not on a computer that lets me do that.

 

Disclaimer: I wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's, but for a while I really wondered (still kinda do sometimes :P). My cousin has it but she has other stuff too that makes it more difficult for her to live normally.

[tinytherese]

I suggest reading "Understanding Autism for Dummies" by Stephen Shore and Linda G. Rastelli.

[beatitude]

I have Asperger Syndrome and I am also quite knowledgeable about it from a professional standpoint, having worked in special education with students on the autistic spectrum.

 

I would advise against reading Rudy Simone's book. There are things in there that are factually incorrect and could be misleading. If the book helps some autistic people, then great, but it's very much a personal perspective and sometimes Rudy presents her own personality traits as AS symptoms when actually they aren't. It's best to read a solid introduction to the subject before branching out to these more personal books. For this, I can't recommend Claire Sainsbury's A Martian in the Playground highly enough. Tony Attwood has written good things too, but Claire's is the simplest and most accessible intro that I can think of.

 

MM, I have sometimes noticed features that seem autistic in the way you write and what you say, but I can't go diagnosing people over the Internet. In any case, AD/HD and autistic spectrum disorders are so closely related that it doesn't always make sense to diagnose a person with both things - clinicians tend to be quite cautious about dual diagnosis for this reason. The overlap is big. There is another good book about this by the UK educational psychologist Lisa Blakemore-Brown, called Reweaving the Autistic Tapestry: Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and AD/HD.

 

ASD is not something you necessarily 'treat' as such. There are no cures. There is support available to help autistic people make the most of their strengths (ASD is first and foremost another way of thinking) and cope with the difficulties we have, but the type of support will vary for person to person. I, for example, need a support worker for independent living as I struggle to do things like cook and visit a supermarket on my own. I have also received occupational therapy to help me with independent living skills. Many people with AS will not need this level of help, but they might have a mentor for college, or attend a social group, or need help to budget their money appropriately. Some may have trouble with speech and language and need speech therapy. It varies so much depending on the person. The best way to work out what extra help you need, if any, is to make a list of your difficulties and then think about each difficulty in turn rather than looking up general strategies and interventions for autism. I say this because I've noticed that you seem quite obsessive about health issues and how to regulate them (this is one of the things that made me wonder if you are autistic actually - obsessions and fixations are part of ASD!) and I would hate you to throw yourself heart and soul into the many many dubious unregulated quack 'treatments' for autism that you can find on the Internet. It's a waste of time at best, unhelpful and even unsafe at worst.

 

I was diagnosed in childhood. Most people will not get a diagnosis in adulthood unless their suspected ASD is interfering significantly with their lives. It may be harder for you to get an assessment as you already have the diagnosis of AD/HD, and as I said, many clinicians won't see the point of a dual diagnosis when two conditions have a lot in common - only if there is a particularly strong reason to give it. I'm also unfamiliar with how the American health system works in this regard, so I can't really advise. A good thing to do might be to speak to the student disability service at your college and see what they suggest.

[SilentJoy]

 

 

I would advise against reading Rudy Simone's book. There are things in there that are factually incorrect and could be misleading. If the book helps some autistic people, then great, but it's very much a personal perspective and sometimes Rudy presents her own personality traits as AS symptoms when actually they aren't. It's best to read a solid introduction to the subject before branching out to these more personal books. For this, I can't recommend Claire Sainsbury's A Martian in the Playground highly enough. Tony Attwood has written good things too, but Claire's is the simplest and most accessible intro that I can think of.

 

 

 

Sorry...thanks for the other recommendations. :notworthy:

[ThereseMaria]

I have a lot of tendancies that lead my mom to believe for the longest time I has Asperger's, or some other ASD. There's the possiblility, but last time we talked to the doctor, he said it should be fine. Stuff like having difficulty socially, sometimes being unable to speak in clear sentences (mixing up words, but that's not the most accurate description. There's a theory that it's because their brains move faster than the average person's, so they have trouble coordinating thought and word), sometimes getting easily frustrated, or having difficulty adapting to change. Some people with Aspergers or an ASD are very high-functioning, as an example Einstein was thought to possibly have an ASD. Many times, these people will have gifts in specific areas, such as being extremely academically intelligent, or being amazing at art. I'm not an expert on the topic, but those are just a few things. And SOMETIMES people "grow out of it". And of course, the treatments can vary depending on how one functions. I think a lot of it is counselling, as far as I know, there isn't a medication for it... I could very well be wrong, though.

[blazeingstar]

Because I am adopted I was never officially diagnosed, but I was diagnosed with severe ADHD, Dyslexia, and non-specified auditory processing disorder while also having a MENSA level IQ.

 

I'm not comfortable with  Rudy Simone's work becuase it's very subjective and very much based on a few people.  I'm also uncomfortable with people who use Aspbergers to be anti-social, which it seems many of Rudy's followers do.  I do like Temple Grandine a bit more.

 

There's alot of controversy however, about what should be done with Asperger girls....one controversy that is near and dear to Phatmass is shaving of body hair.  Neurotypical parents are told to have hard conversations with their Aspie daughters to conform to social norms....not really all that "helpful" in my opinion.

[OnlySunshine]

I have Asperger Syndrome and I am also quite knowledgeable about it from a professional standpoint, having worked in special education with students on the autistic spectrum.

 

I would advise against reading Rudy Simone's book. There are things in there that are factually incorrect and could be misleading. If the book helps some autistic people, then great, but it's very much a personal perspective and sometimes Rudy presents her own personality traits as AS symptoms when actually they aren't. It's best to read a solid introduction to the subject before branching out to these more personal books. For this, I can't recommend Claire Sainsbury's A Martian in the Playground highly enough. Tony Attwood has written good things too, but Claire's is the simplest and most accessible intro that I can think of.

 

MM, I have sometimes noticed features that seem autistic in the way you write and what you say, but I can't go diagnosing people over the Internet. In any case, AD/HD and autistic spectrum disorders are so closely related that it doesn't always make sense to diagnose a person with both things - clinicians tend to be quite cautious about dual diagnosis for this reason. The overlap is big. There is another good book about this by the UK educational psychologist Lisa Blakemore-Brown, called Reweaving the Autistic Tapestry: Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and AD/HD.

 

ASD is not something you necessarily 'treat' as such. There are no cures. There is support available to help autistic people make the most of their strengths (ASD is first and foremost another way of thinking) and cope with the difficulties we have, but the type of support will vary for person to person. I, for example, need a support worker for independent living as I struggle to do things like cook and visit a supermarket on my own. I have also received occupational therapy to help me with independent living skills. Many people with AS will not need this level of help, but they might have a mentor for college, or attend a social group, or need help to budget their money appropriately. Some may have trouble with speech and language and need speech therapy. It varies so much depending on the person. The best way to work out what extra help you need, if any, is to make a list of your difficulties and then think about each difficulty in turn rather than looking up general strategies and interventions for autism. I say this because I've noticed that you seem quite obsessive about health issues and how to regulate them (this is one of the things that made me wonder if you are autistic actually - obsessions and fixations are part of ASD!) and I would hate you to throw yourself heart and soul into the many many dubious unregulated quack 'treatments' for autism that you can find on the Internet. It's a waste of time at best, unhelpful and even unsafe at worst.

 

I was diagnosed in childhood. Most people will not get a diagnosis in adulthood unless their suspected ASD is interfering significantly with their lives. It may be harder for you to get an assessment as you already have the diagnosis of AD/HD, and as I said, many clinicians won't see the point of a dual diagnosis when two conditions have a lot in common - only if there is a particularly strong reason to give it. I'm also unfamiliar with how the American health system works in this regard, so I can't really advise. A good thing to do might be to speak to the student disability service at your college and see what they suggest.

 

The psychiatrist that supposedly diagnosed me with adult ADD (non-hyperactive) hadn't seen me but for one appointment.  I'm not really sure I have it because I have depression and anxiety which, anyone with depression knows, causes you to lose focus when you're suffering a depressive episode.  So, unless someone knew my history well enough and had been treating me long enough, I'm inclined to question their diagnosis.  The two psychiatrists I saw after him did not concur, either.  So, I guess you could say that my ADD is doubtful.  I'm really focused now on my schoolwork (maybe, too focused, especially because of my past difficulties).  But, regardless, I'm without health insurance right now so I guess I've resorted to the internet for healthcare.  :blush:

 

Thanks for your input, though.  ;)
 

[OnlySunshine]

The things that led me to wonder if I have ASD are those which my family has pointed out.  I've always been socially awkward and tend to be more self-focused in conversations (I talk about myself too much).  In the past several years, I have really been annoyed by loud noises, especially lawn equipment (lawnmowers and leaf blowers are the worst!).  I have acute hearing and can hear things that my mom can't hear and others as well.  I've always been a wiz at computers and healthcare stuff.  These are just some of the things that make me wonder.

 

For those of you with ASD, what symptoms do you experience? 

[Lilllabettt]

i remember you said awhile ago that little kids' noises at mass really bothered you ... i mean from what you said it seemed more intensely unpleasant than for the average person.

 

praying for you at this time ...  i know someone who was diagnosed with asd as an adult, and for him it was like a light coming on. it made so much of his past experience "make sense."  Knowing the truth is a blessing ... hope you find it.

[OnlySunshine]

i remember you said awhile ago that little kids' noises at mass really bothered you ... i mean from what you said it seemed more intensely unpleasant than for the average person.

 

praying for you at this time ...  i know someone who was diagnosed with asd as an adult, and for him it was like a light coming on. it made so much of his past experience "make sense."  Knowing the truth is a blessing ... hope you find it.

 

Thanks, lilllabettt.  I really appreciate it.  I have an appointment with my therapist tomorrow so I'll discuss it with her to see what she says.  It seems like, even though I'm happy, I've been really moody lately because of noises and I really want to figure that out so I can deal with it.  As far as kids at Mass, they don't seem to bother me so much any more.  I find them rather endearing unless they are screaming bloody murder or something and I can't hear.  One Sunday, there was a kid that was being bratty and saying "I don't WANT too!" and "I HATE you!"  That's the thing I don't like hearing in Church.  But, on the flip side, there was a small baby crying at Mass this past Sunday and I could tell from its cry that it was a newborn.  For some good reason, I started thinking of the baby Jesus and it brought a smile to my face.  :)

[maximillion]

Me too!!!

 

 

I am incredibly sensitive to over stimulation and wear all sorts of weird gear in crowded situations. I experience noise as very impactful and disorientating.

I too am high functioning. My Dx was made after I left the convent.

 

Understanding emotional cues is a real pain for me, and I have 'learned' appropriate actions, facial expressions and words to say to suit various social events, but I rarely feel the things I am told other people feel in those situations (I feel other stuff, mostly wondering what the heck is going on!)

 

I was given my Dx after I went into therapy as people kept telling me my reactions were off - not bad or aggressive or anything just not what would be expected.

I change the subject suddenly ( I am told - to me it does not seem like that) in the middle of a conversation, and I don't pick up on non-verbal stuff. It can be a nightmare but I took some really good social skills training courses and read lots and lots about body language and now it is not such a problem.

It is still MUCH easier for me to communicate like this though - impersonally (to some degree) and with words only. 

[Tony]

http://www.help4aspergers.com/pb/wp_4a3112c8/wp_4a3112c8.html

 

I experience almost all of the personal/physical ones, but about 40-50% of the rest of them. (not all aspies are the same)

 

It's also not uncommon for  aspies/autistics  to have insomnia,  (body doesn't produce much melatonin),  and to not make much eye contact.  (I listen better if I don't make eye contact)

 

the whole relationships thing... I can't picture myself spending lots and lots of time around one person, let alone a marriage. so I don't see myself being married at all. and  that one.. activity people wait for marriage to do...  doesn't appeal to me at all... (some people think it's selfish to think this way, I disagree.)

 

I also love weighted things.. in grade school/high school I was in a lot of special needs classes, and they gave me this weighted vest that really calmed me down, and kind of "grounded me". I kind of wish I still had one lol. I did find a heavier blanket to use for sleep though :)