What's the difference between "Aspergers" and "high functioning a!
Question:
What's the difference between "Aspergers" and "high functioning autism"?
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?
Answers:
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.