Re: Poll: AS & comorbidities

[Guest guest]

> 1. Do you have or have you had any of the following, besides AS:

> - ADD

no

> - ADHD

no

> - Allergies (if yes, what type?)

no

> - Anxiety (what type?)

no

> - Arthritis

no

> - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

no

> - Colon Irritable or other digestive disorder

no

> - Depression

yes

> - Diabetes

no

> - Dyscalculia

no

> - Dyslexia

YES, YES, YES

> - Dyspraxia

yes

> - Fibromyalgia

wots that, no

> - Hyperlexia

yes i think. ( what is difference with AS ? )

> - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

no

> - MS

no

> - OCD

some tendencies

> - Phobias (what type?)

arachnophobia

> - Prosopagnosia (= face blindness)

yes a little

> - Psoriasis

no

> - Scotopic Sensitivity/Irlen Syndrome

YES

> - Sensory hypersensitivity (which senses?)

yes hearing

> - Synesthesia (= cross-connections between senses)

not sure?

> - Tics (what type?)

no

> - Vision problems (what type?)

near sighted, light sensitive

> 2. Other health problem or disability?

no

> 3. Do they run in your family?

i have no natural parents, but 1 of my daughters is similar to me

D

[Guest guest]

john davis wrote:

>> - Hyperlexia

> yes i think. ( what is difference with AS ? )

Not much difference at all. They have simply made a separate dx of those

Aspies who learn to read 'too' early. Rather silly, really. Fascination with

text and learning to read without help before school age, I see it more as a

sing of being gifted. When I first heard that this is considered a disorder,

I thought it must they must surely be kidding!

Inger

[Guest guest]

I dreamed of being an architect too. I the artistic vision for it and used

to build houses in my head since I was a kid, but lacked the math &

engineer genes I too thought necessary.

I don't understand that about not needing to be precise with architecture?

Why not?

Inger

Re: Poll: AS & comorbidities

When I was a teenager, I thought I should become an

architect. I was highly precise and precision is

expected in drafting so I took all the longer to

complete the work. I'm an " engineerhead " and was

excellent at math. Only later was I told that one

didn't have to be precise with architecture, but

it was too late. I was without direction from my

parents, but it might have been subconscious since

Dad was an engineer and Mom a realtor.

Next, I wondered what I was doing with architecture

anyway, since I wasn't artistic. Unfortunately, I

was just guessing. My gifts were math and music,

and science which only became apparent later.

Sandi

>

> I showed talent for engineering as well, but was too bad at

math to take it up.

>

>

FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support and

acceptance. Everyone is valued.

Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page in the

folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

[Guest guest]

Hi Inger,

Supposedly, the class wasn't as exacting as drafting

where every corner was exact.

I should have seen that in my son, Steve. He played

a game where he could design a duplicate of our house

on the screen. But, he was ADHD and wasn't excelling

in anything, let alone math. Only now do I see the

aspergic traits in him. I couldn't make sense of it

all at the time.

I saw both my kids designing houses like I did.

I wish I had home-schooled him. I had great patience

with him and pre-schooled him before pre-school. Pre-

school seemed OK, because he had his little uncle in

the same class. But, once he started kindergarten, he

was playing alone in the sand. He was intelligent, but

couldn't concentrate on school work, and just stuffed

it in his desk.

We thought he was bored in school, but couldn't figure

out how to get him to even bring home his homework. I

still don't get it. He had to get his GED instead of

graduate high school, but later applied himself in school

to become an engineer.

>

> I dreamed of being an architect too. I the artistic vision for it

and used to build houses in my head since I was a kid, but lacked

the math & engineer genes I too thought necessary.

>

> I don't understand that about not needing to be precise with

architecture? Why not?

>

> Inger

[Guest guest]

Sandi:

> Supposedly, the class wasn't as exacting as drafting

where every corner was exact.

No? I still don't get it. Doesn't every corner very much have to be exact in

order for it to meet the other corners when the house is being built? Or is

that more of a problem for the actual builders? (Someone on a TV show

pointed out that half an inch discrepancy on the first floor may turn out

equal several feet discrepancy some stories higher up.) To be an architect,

don't one have to both have artistic vision AND mathematical exactness to

calculate how the wright, strength and angle of this or that material and

design will affect the whole house, plus factors such as climate, foundation

etc?

> I should have seen that in my son, Steve. He played

a game where he could design a duplicate of our house

on the screen. But, he was ADHD and wasn't excelling

in anything, let alone math. Only now do I see the

aspergic traits in him. I couldn't make sense of it

all at the time.

Its not uncommon to have bit of both. Many who get an AS dx find that they

are also ADHD and vice versa.

> I saw both my kids designing houses like I did.

Cool!

> I wish I had home-schooled him. I had great patience

with him and pre-schooled him before pre-school. Pre-

school seemed OK, because he had his little uncle in

the same class. But, once he started kindergarten, he

was playing alone in the sand. He was intelligent, but

couldn't concentrate on school work, and just stuffed

it in his desk.

> We thought he was bored in school, but couldn't figure

out how to get him to even bring home his homework. I

still don't get it. He had to get his GED instead of

graduate high school, but later applied himself in school

to become an engineer.

It's common for neuro-atypical kids to be very gifted in some areas and not

at all interested in other subjects. They may then be bored both from

under-stimulation in their best subjects, as well as from complete

disinterest in other subjects.

That was the case with me, anyway. I did not feel motivated to bring home my

books in English because I already spoke it fluently and was several years

ahead of my peers. In other subjects like math, history and biology, I had

such a complete disinterest that I really had to struggle just to stay

awake.

I too disliked having to bring books home because a) they were too heavy to

drag around and I hated having to ruin my free time with more boring

school work. Bad enough to have to focus on it in school. When I got home I

needed to chill out and listen to music to feel good again. I think it's

sadistic to not let kids just be kids, even in their own homes.

And the things I DID want to learn about, such as how to make perspective

drawing, they only gave us ONE single lesson in that taught us only the one

basic trick, not how to get the right distances between things. I could have

studied that for months and had no problem focusing on it when I got home

just for fun. Used to love experimenting and trying to figure out how to get

it right, and literally ACHED to learn the rest of the tricks. I complained

to my mom who kindly enrolled me in an evening painting class but that

teacher didn't teach me what I wanted to know. :´(

Would also have loved to study geometry, art, design and architecture

instead of zzzzzzz math: I think students should be permitted to pick which

subjects they want to study, right from the start. Or at least from 4th

grade or so.

Inger

[Guest guest]

Hi Inger,

I think I sent an accidental post. My apology.

I reply to just this part now, so you don't keep thinking

about it.

We are talking about two different things. I'm just

speaking of the neatness of the pencil lines on the paper,

not the precision of the dimensions! LOL Of course, the

dimensions have to be precise. Sorry about that.

I would think one would have to have both the math and

the artistic vision.

All for now,

Sandi

>

> Sandi:

> > Supposedly, the class wasn't as exacting as drafting

> where every corner was exact.

>

> No? I still don't get it. Doesn't every corner very much have

to be exact in order for it to meet the other corners when the

house is being built? Or is that more of a problem for the

actual builders? (Someone on a TV show pointed out that half

an inch discrepancy on the first floor may turn out equal

several feet discrepancy some stories higher up.) To be an

architect, don't one have to both have artistic vision AND

mathematical exactness to calculate how the wright, strength

and angle of this or that material and design will affect the

whole house, plus factors such as climate, foundation etc?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/8/2005 10:04:36 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

I look at the "planned communities" they create today and just cringe. I shopped for houses last year and didn't at all like anything on the market. Even homes designed with "country" or "colonial" interiors looked fake and unappealing to me compared with the genuine styles you see in very old houses years ago.

I know what you mean about these places. While I'm no fan of big open spaces in a house because of noise, so many places these days do feel cramped and lack in storage space. I think the reason the older houses seem more appeal is simply that there are more space. Today they try to cram the same style into narrower hallways and foyers. The proportions just aren't right so it doesn't feel right. There is a church like that here in town. It has columns on the front but the proportions just aren't right. I can't really say what it is, but it is off just enough that it looks wrong.

What I want to do I to build a place with roughly the same proportions as some of the old houses down in Alabama, though maybe slightly enlarged by a foot or two, depending on the house. However, I would build in more solid material that wood, at least in the outer walls. Reinforced concrete would be my preference, but failing that steel frame would do. I would also have a sizable basement designed as a storm cellar as well.

Of course a mostly underground house wouldn't be bad either. I've seen some interesting designs that should be comfortable to live in

[Guest guest]

>Sandi: " I'm just speaking of the neatness of the pencil lines on the paper,...."LOL! I remember that in my first architectural drafting class the instructor made us use the roughest paper and the softest pencils and subtracted 5 points (out of 100) for every shiny spot on the completed drawing (which of course got progressively more complex and involved each week) which represented an erasure of a miss-drawn or overextended line. Of course I had to start again countless times to ensure a perfect drawing (grade).  Rainbow

[Guest guest]

>Tom: "I wanted to be an architect when I was young."Strange..... My mother thought for over my first twenty years that I would become one. My first summer jobs were working in an architect's office and I went off to college intending to become one.  Rainbow

[Guest guest]

>> 1. Do you have or have you had any of the following, besides AS:> > - ADD> > - ADHDyes, self diagnosed> - Allergies (if yes, what type?)Yes, dust, ragweed and probably a few other things. It is difficult to pinpoint as it seems like I suffer from mild to moderate allergies most of the year. I am also lactose intolerant.> - Anxiety (what type?)I used to have what I believe is called "generalized" anxiety. That is when you are stressed out and anxious all the time but no specific source is found.> - ArthritisNo, but I have problems with stiff muscles and joints whecih can become achy or painful, especially when it is cold or rainy. > - Chronic Fatigue SyndromeI used to have something that I think may have been chronic fatigue syndrome, but this was before it was really known about, so never diagnosed.> - Colon Irritable or other digestive disordergeneral sensitive stomache and lactose intolerant> - Depressionwas a problem for me at one time, but I am doing better now> - Diabetesno> - Dyscalculiano> - DyslexiaI had problems with writing letters backwords in grade school, but did not mix up letter order. Not sure if that counts as dyslexia or not.> - DyspraxiaIs this the one where you have lots of problems with both small motor and large motor coordination. If it is I deffinately have that.> - Fibromyalgiano> - Hyperlexiano> - Multiple Chemical Sensitivityno> - MSno> - OCDI have a mild case of hoarding (a subtype of OCD) but I keep it under control.> - Phobias (what type?)mild fear of falling (heights, open pits, stairways, slippery surfaces)> - Prosopagnosia (= face blindness)yes> - Psoriasisno, but lots of dry skin problems> - Scotopic Sensitivity/Irlen Syndromeno> - Sensory hypersensitivity (which senses?)yes, hearing and tactile. Smells, but only for certain smells.> - Synesthesia (= cross-connections between senses)I would say either yes, but not the traditonal synesthesia or no, but something similiar to it.> - Tics (what type?)no> - Vision problems (what type?)wear bifocals> 2. Other health problem or disability?I have lots of strange quirks, some may technically be mental disorders.> 3. Do they run in your family?Poor vision runs in my family. I can't think of any biological relative that does not wear glasses. Both my parents are hoarders, much more extreme than me. (My husband likes things neat, which helps keep me in check.)Ilah> Inger> > > > > FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support and > acceptance. Everyone is valued.> > Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page in the > folder marked "Other FAM Sites.">

[Guest guest]

>

> 1. Do you have or have you had any of the following, besides AS:

>

> - ADD Yes-self diagnosed.

>

> - ADHD

>

> - Allergies (if yes, what type?)

>

> - Anxiety (what type?) Yes, Generalized.

>

> - Arthritis My grandmother who I suspect is Aspergers has

Rheumatoid Arthritis, my father who has Aspergers traits has

arthritis. I have a touch of arthritis and am hoping it doesn't get

worse.

>

> - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I did.

>

> - Colon Irritable or other digestive disorder I did, now I eat

well and take care of my colon.

>

> - Depression I did. I was diagnosed with Cyclothymia as a

teenager but it seems to be very mild now, just some mild

depressive/manic states that can almost be confused with moods.

>

> - Diabetes

>

> - Dyscalculia I seem to have some aspects of this. I am poor in

math but have no problems with budgeting/finances.

>

> - Dyslexia

>

> - Dyspraxia Yes, mildly I think. (but it's frustrating!) My

husband and I can see how my hand will make slight adjustments when I

reach for things, in order to connect with the object, and I fumble

with things, drop things, spill things all the time.

>

> - Fibromyalgia I had symptoms of it but not right now.

>

> - Hyperlexia Yes--self diagnosed

>

> - Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Yes.

>

> - MS

>

> - OCD

>

> - Phobias (what type?)

>

> - Prosopagnosia (= face blindness) Very mildly. I can read

expressions and recognize people I know but will confuse people I

don't know well and will use other aspects such as hair to recognize

people.

>

> - Psoriasis

>

> - Scotopic Sensitivity/Irlen Syndrome

>

> - Sensory hypersensitivity (which senses?) Hearing, smelling,

tasting

>

> - Synesthesia (= cross-connections between senses)

>

> - Tics (what type?)

>

> - Vision problems (what type?) Near-sightedness

>

> 2. Other health problem or disability?

>

> 3. Do they run in your family?

>

> Inger

>

>

>

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

support and

> acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page

in the

> folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

>

[Guest guest]

Ilah wrote:

>> - Arthritis

> No, but I have problems with stiff muscles and joints whecih can become achy or painful, especially when it is cold or rainy.

But isn't that a form of arthritis or something close to it? I get the worst pain in my legs and wrists from cold.

>> - Dyslexia> I had problems with writing letters backwords in grade school, but did not mix up letter order. Not sure if that counts as dyslexia or not.

I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you actually do seem to have some very mild form of dyslexia and sometimes spell things the way they sound.

>> - Dyspraxia> Is this the one where you have lots of problems with both small motor and large motor coordination. If it is I deffinately have that.¨

Yes. That's the one.

Inger

[Guest guest]

> >> - Arthritis> > No, but I have problems with stiff muscles and joints whecih can become achy or painful, especially when it is cold or rainy. > > But isn't that a form of arthritis or something close to it? I get the worst pain in my legs and wrists from cold. When I asked my doctor if I might be developing arthritis, she said I was much too young to have arthritis and that you don't get arthritis till you are at least 50. I feel old when I get stiff and achy. However, I had a co-worker in her early twenties that developed pain in her wrist and hand. Everyone at the office thought it was some kind of repetive stress syndrome, but her doctor said she had arthritis. One of those doctors has to be wrong, but I am not sure which one.Ilah> >> - Dyslexia> > I had problems with writing letters backwords in grade school, but did not mix up letter order. Not sure if that counts as dyslexia or not.> > I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you actually do seem to have some very mild form of dyslexia and sometimes spell things the way they sound. I have always been a bad speller. Words that are not spelled the way they are supposed to, ie. the way they sound, are difficult for me. It is also difficult when more than one way exists to spell a sound. For example a long e sound could be spelled "ee" or "ei" or "ea" or "e consonate e." I think I brought up spelling before wondering if there was some connection between bad spelling and AS. It seemed like some people here say they are bad at spelling but others say they are really good at spelling. However I thought that dyslexia was more than just bad spelling. There is some mixing up of letter order that could be seen as bad spelling, for example their/thier. However dyslexics often mix up things that would not be a misspelling, for example bra/bar. I would never misspell bar as bra because the two are pronounced very differently. Also bar is a pretty easy word to spell. I think in dislexia, you have to have all the correct letters there, just not in the correct order, so many of my mispellings would not be dyslexic.Ilah> >> - Dyspraxia> > Is this the one where you have lots of problems with both small motor and large motor coordination. If it is I deffinately have that.¨> > Yes. That's the one.> > Inger>I have noticed a little annoyance with . When I reply to something that is color coded, the colors in the orginal post disapper. I seems this does not happen with people who respond from e-mail rather than .Ilah

[Guest guest]

>>>> - Arthritis>>> No, but I have problems with stiff muscles and joints whecih can become achy or painful, especially when it is cold or rainy.

>> But isn't that a form of arthritis or something close to it? I get the worst pain in my legs and wrists from cold.

> When I asked my doctor if I might be developing arthritis, she said I was much too young to have arthritis and that you don't get arthritis till you are at least 50. I feel old when I get stiff and achy. However, I had a co-worker in her early twenties that developed pain in her wrist and hand. Everyone at the office thought it was some kind of repetive stress syndrome, but her doctor said she had arthritis. One of those doctors has to be wrong, but I am not sure which one.

I think the one who says you have to be over 50 is wrong. I have had this problem since I was a child, though it's getting worse with age. I clearly inherited it from my granny who had arthritis most of her life. My aunt has it as well, as does her daughter who is only 40.

> >> - Dyslexia> > I had problems with writing letters backwords in grade school, but did not mix up letter order. Not sure if that counts as dyslexia or not> > I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you actually do seem to have some very mild form of dyslexia and sometimes spell things the way they sound.

> I have always been a bad speller. Words that are not spelled the way they are supposed to, ie. the way they sound, are difficult for me. It is also difficult when more than one way exists to spell a sound. For example a long e sound could be spelled "ee" or "ei" or "ea" or "e consonate e." I think I brought up spelling before wondering if there was some connection between bad spelling and AS. It seemed like some people here say they are bad at spelling but others say they are really good at spelling. However I thought that dyslexia was more than just bad spelling. There is some mixing up of letter order that could be seen as bad spelling, for example their/thier. However dyslexics often mix up things that would not be a misspelling, for example bra/bar. I would never misspell bar as bra because the two are pronounced very differently. Also bar is a pretty easy word to spell. I think in dislexia, you have to have all the correct letters there, just not in the correct order, so many of my mispellings would not be dyslexic.

Well, that's what I meant by "very mild form of dyslexia" (for lack of better expression). What you probably really have is culturally induced spelling difficulties due to words being spelled so illogically in English. This is why "dyslexia" is so much higher in English than in for example Swedish, Norwegan, German or Italian. In English you have to learn what each word looks and sounds like individually, since there are few rules and those that exist have so many exceptions (depending on which language and time the word originated from) that they can't be trusted as a guide for figuring out by yourself how to spell or pronouce it. This is one of my 'pet peeves' with the English languange that I've written about before both here and on other boards. I think a spelling reform is long overdue. That could reduce "dyslexia" rates dramatically overnight. Though, then those of us who are already used to spelling the old, illogical way would become the new "dyslexics" instead. :-)

> I have noticed a little annoyance with . When I reply to something that is color coded, the colors in the orginal post disapper. I seems this does not happen with people who respond from e-mail rather than .

is amazingly primitive, even with the updates. :-(

Inger