Doris Greenberg, MD: What's the Difference Between Asperger's and Autism?

Doris Greenberg, MD, discusses the fine line between Asperger's Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

[hrodgarthevegan]

Finally someone who says it like it is. People with Aspergers don't feel like they can be associated with low function Autism.

[beartankoperator]

It seems making the diagnosis of autism so broad has rendered it functionally meaningless today it tells me almost nothing about what to expect from an individual at least aspergers defined a specific subset of traits

[nonononononononope]

This was a complaint about the DSM-V, not the difference between aspergers and autism.

[aguyghow]

Why do we need therapies, as a highly functioning Asperger's individual .. do I want to change, do I need to change? Do I need to see all the social cues that would allow me to date? .. or am I better off concentrating on my interests, .. becoming v special at my chosen path. What therapy would materially improve my life? .. and do I wish to be like all the rest of the socializing party animals? I can be a neurosurgeon or an artist who has trouble catching social cues, dating .. who needs the social cues to sail? Let me be me.

[UNKNOWNPERSON-hrqd]

being identified as autistic pains me, when I was actually diagnosed with Asperger's' even though I am passionate about mathematics and excel at it.

[newtuberfreedom]

Those of us in the middle get overlooked.

[jasonjamrs]

My understanding is one wants friends and tries very hard and fail the other one doesn't care about friendship

[faithjohnson]

The fact is people discriminate against people with Aspergers or if you have those characteristics so they are left without help, when they don't have the social interaction as other people.

[CardinalTreehouse]

2:06 This is one of the issues right here. I understand that if you were diagnosed with Aspergers (once know colloquially as little professors), you would balk at being lumped in with those who have greater support needs or who seem lower functioning, but think of how this feels from the perspective of one of these so called lower functioning people - "you detest my condition so much that you reject even being associated with me". The issue i see is, because autism is a spectrum, there are going to be people dotted all along the spectrum, some of which require more support due to comorbid conditions. If aspergers and autism have become more aligned from a clinical diagnosis standpoint and it helps us to better understand the condition, it might be time to swallow the pride.

[orenfranz]

Some people say that "Asperger's Syndrome is not the same as Autism" well what am I supposed to say? It makes sense to group any Syndromes associated with Autism into the Autism Spectrum, it's too much and confusing if any Syndromes that looks related to Autism was separated!

[orenfranz]

I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS back in the day, and after time, it change to Atypical Autism and is part if the Autism Spectrum!

[prosaicprose]

Autism is a Spectrum, and ‘Asperger’s’ is on it. An individual can place on different points of the Spectrum throughout their lives. I know, because I HAVE. During the period of time I was Masking, people didn’t even realize I was autistic. When I was 3 years old, I was mute, and spend every day for a year sitting on the floor rocking and playing with my hands. I didn’t respond to anyone during that time. Eventually Masking failed me and I entered extreme burnout, losing most of the skills I’d gained. Now, I struggle daily with tasks and am on multiple medications to get through life.

If you’re fortunate enough to call yourself ‘Asperger’s’, be glad you place there on the Autism Spectrum and know that it can change!

[DrLauraRPalmer]

I do not like being labeled autistic and I do feel bad about that bc it seemingly looks as if I’m putting down the autism community. And I do feel bad about that. I just feel that though the two share some very similar traits, they clearly are not the same type of personality in many cases. Just as autistic and Asperger individuals sharing some of the same similar traits found in narcissism, BUT are not actually full blown narcissists.
They are just all in the the same family. Cousins of one another per sè.

I don’t identify with autistic individuals more often as I do with Asperger’s. We seem like complete different species. I can see the clear difference in both most often, but I understand that Neurotypicals cannot in most cases.

I believe that both deserve their own individual focus and attention. When you group them into the same category, once again it’s the Asperger’s individual who will fall in between the cracks and be deprived of the type of assessment, support and therapy they need. I think it’s perfectly understandable for the Asperger individual to want their own category in hopes of getting the proper full spectrum care they not only deserve but absolutely need. Too many are living on a one man island like schizoid hermits without proper support.

[marcellodias]

My son startd to talk with 15 month, and at 5 read used to read very well, he likes to talk about geography, to troll people, and he was diagnosed as Autistic, It is realy difficult when fathers of autistic come to me when they discover my son is "autistic" because its like my son is from Mars and theirs are from Saturn, The only thing that seems to be comon are the sensorial, but even in this my son are not so annoyed, So I think there is so less in common, that rhinitis, sinusitis, bonchit should be the same.It is a father point of view.I think they could be called Neuro atipical, like saying NA Autistic 1, NA Asperger, it would made less confusion, and frustate people less.When I say taht with 5 years my son was able to read portuguese, and Understand several words in English some autistic fathers think I´m lying, For him it was very easy to read and a nightmare to start write.He has also TDAH wich for me is the worst thing he has to live with.'autism" don´t complicate his life like TDAH does, He started to take Ritalin some days ago, and I´m seeing miracles.I think Aspergers have much more other related deseases than autistics, It doesn´t take to much for my son to go from happy to depressed, somethig that I don´t think autistic fathers have to deal with.Since 9 he thinks everybody is talking about him, juding him, making plans about him, I think autistic with 9 don´t even talk about people around them, For me its apples compared to pears just because they´re kind of cousins.Probably some powerfull burocrat that never had as Autistic/Asperger Son took a decision that would "help" the professionals to get work, or increase profits, rather than really help.

[TheGenbox]

In 'ye oldie days', its was Aspies and Auties - now ideas of limited resource and it all being a Zero Sum Game, have created division and tiers, and arguments about 'high' and 'low functioning' / needs' (low needs). Hans Asperger getting pulled through the mud and being defined as a Nazi without one drop of Nuance, hasn't helped. Whether it is a spectrum, or constellation, there is a mudding of terminology and references as scientifical/medical language level mixes with popular understand. And heck, stereotypes don't exactly help to clarify. For example, you are diagnosed by deficits because that may for fill medical needs and services; I mean, who goes to the doctor if all is hunky dory! I don't think a YouTube video and comments is going to sort it all out; but it could certainly be a starting place and give towards a process of identify problems that continue to muddy the waters. At the moment, I have more questions than answers - and that's not the deficit that some portray it to be.

[tenmiltenmil]

Thumbs down 👎 ! Your thumb nail says The Difference Between Autism and Asperger’s ! That is the information I an looking for ! You talked about medical coverage ! In that case change the title to Medical coverage for people with Asperger’s ! 😡😡😡👎👎👎