RE: What is the difference between: Autism, AS & HFA?

[Guest guest]

I use it as an opportunity to educate -- people need to realize that

autistic kids don't sit in a corner and rock, or walk around mimicking

others with their head tilted to the side. Sure, some do, but far from

all -- many autistic kids speak, hug, play, are smart, etc. I've run

into so many people who think autism is that horrible lifelong 'major

disability,' and I do my best to politely show people how different

reality can be from the stereotype you see on TV.

korea_48446 wrote:

> Miranda,

> I think you have discribed all dx.s well, and I very much agree, this

> is how people react, and think. I worded it react, and think because

> this is how it works with people.

>

>

>

>

> Hello everyone,

>>

>> How would you describe a HFA person to a description of an AS

>> person? what is the difference? There is a lot of talk with

>>

> people

>

>> wondering if their child is AS or HFA. It seems like the DX is so

>> close that it is hard to tell which one a child is. I'm trying to

>> understand " why " this is so important with a DX of a child. would

>> one DX be more higher functioning than the other? Are the

>> strategies different? Does a HFA DX have different concerns than

>>

> an

[Guest guest]

Aww, Joan, that's so sad I don't understand people, I really don't.

And you're right, the whole 'invite the whole class' thing works in

class, but when mom/dad stand in the parking lot or make phonecalls,

teachers don't know.

We recently learned of some parties that just happened that my son

wasn't invited to -- one I expected, the other two, well, I'm

disappointed. Mom/Dad know what's going on with our son, they know we're

fully involved and stay on top of him, and yet they didn't even give him

a chance. And the kids are young, between 5-7 so this was an adult

decision, not that of the birthday child. What are you teaching your

child if you let them leave out someone, at that age especially? I had a

hard time when I saw one of them today. I personally am really, really

sick of him being blamed for being too pushy with trying to be liked by

a couple of kids, only to have an adult comment on him rather than

commenting on their own child who rudely turns away, says 'go away' or

gets up and makes a big show out of moving away from him. Ds has

personal space issues -- when he 'loves' someone, he wants to sit so

close, their shoulders rub, but if he doesn't like them, and they do it,

he will get upset. (It's a sensory thing, too.) However, I still comment

and remind him to be polite, so it really bothers me when other parents

defend their own child's rudeness and at so young an age, teach them

it's okay to leave out kids, particularly obviously in some cases,

because they're different.

Unfortunately, I guess it's common -- my friend had a party recently

where no one came, and her daughter was devastated. Hard thing for a 9

yog to deal with. I feel so thankful we've got some wonderful friends

with kids who won't do this, but I do wonder how soon it will be before

ds realizes about these other ones. What do you do then?

Hugs to your son, I was so sad to read that.

Donna

Joan Reekie wrote:

> Hi,

> My son is 13 and being of the Jewish faith that is a big year for a boy. We

recently left MA and before we left there were many Bar and Bat Mitzvah's (the

jewish coming of age party). My son was not invited to a single one. We lived

in a jewish town so there were many of these parties. Although my son is a

product of a mixed marriage so he did not attend schooling for this ritual it

was still very sad to see that he was never invited. He noticed it and my

answer to him was that a lot of kids were invited just because they were in the

same hebrew school and that it is a rule that you invite your whole class.

Although this is true, there are still plenty of children that get invited

without attending this school. Although he said it did not bother him, I know it

still hurt my son that he was left out.

> Joan

>

> ------------

[Guest guest]

Probably similar to what a show on Dr. Phil did a couple of months ago

-- it portrayed Asperger's as an " Extreme Disorder " and all it showed

was this teen and his horrific outbursts. The parents weren't real

supportive and they themselves showed anger issues and yelling (I'm sure

years of frustration and not enough support and help caused that, I felt

bad for them) but it really didn't do well, imo, for Asperger's, it was

sensationalism and didn't do anything for treatment or all the other

parts of an ASD dx.

Toni wrote:

> unfortunately on the Atlanta news yesterday there was a boy that

> molested a young girl and they tagged on the end of the story that he

> 'suffers from a form of autism called aspergers'. I thought Oh boy, now

> everyones going to be scared of aspies. 1 step forward and three back...Toni

>

> Rose wrote:

[Guest guest]

Congratulations to your son, Gail!!! Awesome news!!

pltoc@... wrote:

> Some of you know that our son will be graduating from high school in June.

> Just wanted to share that he made the honor roll this quarter, after making

> the merit roll (just below hr) for the two previous quarters. This has been

> his goal since he started high school and he finally, as he so aptly put it,

> scratched and fought his way to the top...lol! He has overcome many

obstacles

> along the way...like bullying, a lack of understanding by his peers and

> learning disabilities(such as dysgraphia), to get to the place he is in now.

He

> has had a girlfriend since October and they will be going to his senior prom

> together in May. Even though he doesn't have a driver's license and his

> future beyond high school remains unclear, he does have lots of determination

and

> a strong faith...both of these things will help him find his place in this

> world. Hope this encourages those of you with younger children...

>

> Blessings,

> Gail

> PS did anyone see

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna, thanks for explaining the difference.

Donna B <donnabzy@...> wrote: In California, if your child is dx'd with

Asperger's, you aren't

guaranteed Regional Center services -- respite is just one of the

services available (depending on need, I believe) along with behavioral

therapy, social skills and other things. They are the 'payor of last

resort,' behind the school district, but the diagnosis apparently has to

be autism. California is just one state where the label most definitely

can matter.

If I understand it correctly, PDD-NOS is the most 'mild' form of an

autism spectrum disorder (and I use the term 'mild' loosely, as children

with PDD-NOS still need real help). Then there's Asperger's, then

high-functioning, then 'classic' autism. Honestly, I think there's a ton

of overlap, and it depends on what area(s) the particular child is worse

in. Some doctors/professionals determine which 'category,' so to speak,

a little differently, and some blur the lines more than others, but with

a developmental disorder, and with most children not displaying

themselves the same way 24/7 (which is understandable, who does?) it's

not a black-and-white definition.

The reason it is important is because labels drive services -- without a

diagnosis, a child won't necessarily get the right type of therapy,

treatment, services, etc. My son is extremely verbal and very bright,

but he had a speech delay (a symptom related to autism, not Asperger's)

and his aggression/tantrums, sensory issues, self-injurious behavior,

repetitive movements/speech, social issues and communication issues (as

speech and communication are two entirely separate things) are real

indicators he has issues. If I said Asperger's, he may not necessarily

be even assessed for the right things.

I never wanted an autism label, but he's not Asperger's, and he needs

the services -- autistic tendencies, childhood autism, high-functioning

autism, etc.., I don't care what they call it as long as he gets the

help that sadly insurance won't provide.

Donna

beachbodytan2002 wrote:

> Hello everyone,

>

> How would you describe a HFA person to a description of an AS

> person? what is the difference? There is a lot of talk with people

> wondering if their child is AS or HFA. It seems like the DX is so

> close that it is hard to tell which one a child is. I'm trying to

> understand " why " this is so important with a DX of a child. would

> one DX be more higher functioning than the other? Are the

> strategies different? Does a HFA DX have different concerns than an

> AS DX? There seems to be a big difference between Autism and

> Aspergers. But from what I've been reading from your post, HFA &

> Aspergers seems to be almost the same. Would Autism be the most

> severe, than Aspergers be high function, and then HFA be border line

> of NT?

> I'm still going to work with my AS son the same way as I have been.

> only because he's doing well so far. " Thank God " But, I would still

> like to educate myself and know the difference between the two " DX " ,

> and this is the best place to learn. I can learn information from

> people that have children with a DX than from a teacher that only

> has a child for a little while or a doctor that learned from a

> book. the best teachers are you parents that live with their

> children & post their experiences.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Subject: Re: ( ) What is the difference between: Autism, AS &

HFA?

> Dear Roxanna,

> I've heard of parents that keep switching doctors till they

found one that

> agrees with them. I don't think a parent goes to a doctor and

picks a DX.

> I think they keep changing doctors till they find the one that

agrees with

> the choice they picked. I don't understand that one? in the

past, people

> posted that here on this site. They disagreed with a doctor's

DX, and

> found another doctor that agreed with Aspergers DX???? Which is

the one they

> (parents) said they're child had. hummmm

OK----I am one of these parents!!! My son got ASD ruled-out at 3.5yo.

(too social). I believed my son had bipolar. We went to a child

psychiatrist and he dx him with anxiety, disruptive behavioral

disorder and his langauge disorder at 4yo. He put him on prozac and

my son went manic. He then put him on a different one--celexa and he

went into hypomania. After that he denied any existence of childhood

bipolar and told us to come back in 4 months after school had

started. He believed my sons raging and meltdowns and defiant

behavior was due to his langauge disorder. Which I knew it wasn't.

He was communicating great and never getting frustrated with that!!

He had been getting private and school speech for over a year. Come

to find out---our psych was only 1 year out of school and the school

he went to--teaches that childhood bipolar does not exist.

We found a psych who believed in childhood bipolar(whether my son

fit the criteria or not---it would be up to him). At 5yo---he was dx

with bipolar, anxiety, language disorder and possibly aspergers. He

fit the ASD criteria--but we were waiting to see if he " grew-out " of

any of it. Now at 6yo---he has been dx with HFA. So he is bipolar

and HFA.

When a Dr tells me that he isn't dx with something I think he should

be dx with---I question him why. And he would have to give me

complete criteria that would tell me otherwise before I accept any

dx. Our first psych and his " is doesn't exist in children " --is not

acceptable!!

I think its great that parents question their kids' dx. As long as

the parents as fully knowledgable and can " agrue " their reason why

they think their child is on the spectrum.

Holly

--6yo

Holly,

This was not the situation we were talking about. It's good you did find

someone knowledgeable about your child's issues. I know childhood bp can be

controversial still.

Roxanna