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Confused by today's assessment and diagnosis

Syrilsquirrel

Hi, I'm new here.

Our 9yr old son had his assessment today.   We went expecting, if anything, an Aspergers diagnosis but have come away being offered an atypical autism diagnosis.  My initial research of the 2 conditions would suggest that the difference is that people with Aspergers have higher intelligence and better language skills.  Now, the psychologist we saw commented on his excellent vocabulary and understanding and he is obviously of above average intelligence and in achieving well above average at school so I am a bit confused.

The psychologist said his imagination was too good and his interests were not obsessive enough for him to meet all the criteria for an ASD diagnosis.  

We have been given a month to go and do some research and thinking and decide if we want the atypical diagnosis.

Hope someone has some advice.  Thanks.

Parents

  • I am an adult who was diagnosed (after experiencing mental health problems and self diagnosing) with A spergers in my 50's. I have since read up a lot and also gone to conferences and met lots of people on the autism spectrum.  My take is that although some do regard Aspergers as signisifying higher intelligence, and will even change an autism diagnosis to Aspergers in adulthood, from what I have observed there are different trajectories irrespective of intelligence.  It seems to me that there are a set of autistic people (generally diagnosed with Aspergers) who tend to speak at normal time/early, can be precocious and whose social difficulties can become more marked at later ages ( 7 ish, teenage, or 20's are eg's). Whereas those people diagnosed with Autism tend to have more marked differences in infancy/early childhood, and sometimes appear intellectually handicapped when they later prove to be very bright.

    Having said that from what you say your son is not in this category, the diagnositic criterea are vaugue (for instance Imagination is not generally considered in way the term is used in daily life) and individual diagnositians seem to have idiocyncarcities. You might want to look at the different diagnostic shedules (not sure if all/any of these are freely available) and consider getting a second opinion from someone you have heard good report of and also what the purpose of the diagnosis is from your point of view (does the different diagnosis affect what you want for your son)

Reply

  • I am an adult who was diagnosed (after experiencing mental health problems and self diagnosing) with A spergers in my 50's. I have since read up a lot and also gone to conferences and met lots of people on the autism spectrum.  My take is that although some do regard Aspergers as signisifying higher intelligence, and will even change an autism diagnosis to Aspergers in adulthood, from what I have observed there are different trajectories irrespective of intelligence.  It seems to me that there are a set of autistic people (generally diagnosed with Aspergers) who tend to speak at normal time/early, can be precocious and whose social difficulties can become more marked at later ages ( 7 ish, teenage, or 20's are eg's). Whereas those people diagnosed with Autism tend to have more marked differences in infancy/early childhood, and sometimes appear intellectually handicapped when they later prove to be very bright.

    Having said that from what you say your son is not in this category, the diagnositic criterea are vaugue (for instance Imagination is not generally considered in way the term is used in daily life) and individual diagnositians seem to have idiocyncarcities. You might want to look at the different diagnostic shedules (not sure if all/any of these are freely available) and consider getting a second opinion from someone you have heard good report of and also what the purpose of the diagnosis is from your point of view (does the different diagnosis affect what you want for your son)

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