When was Asperger's 'lumped in' with regular (Kanner's) autism? & what are the VERY LATEST autism rates?
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They have been linked for quit some time now. I research the condition just about every other day. This site ghas good info. http://www.autismtoday.com/index.asp
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Could you maybe have Asperger's syndrome? Social apathy is one symptom...\n\nAsperger's Syndrome is a newly recognized neurological disorder. It shares many of the same characteristics of autism, although people with Asperger's Syndrome do not have the accompanying disabilities. Those afflicted with this syndrome have difficulty understanding what those around them think and feel. As a result of this, they often behave inappropriately in social situations, or do things that may appear to be unkind or callous. Many Asperger sufferers have a difficult time in planning and coping with change despite average or above-average intelligence. This manifests itself as a notable lack of "common sense".\n\nTwo things with this answer:\n    (a) It's only a suggestion, I don't know you and could therefore never presume to diagnose you based on the tiny bit of info you have shared... \n    (b) If you think you may have Asperger's, it does not mean you are abnormal! Social abilities/interest are on a continuous scale/spectrum, with the low end being people who are very social and high end being autism/Asperger's. Most people with Asperger's do not feel they have a diability...\n\nIf you think there is a remote possibility you may 'have' this, I would suggest searching 'dsm-iv asperger's' in yahoo to see the criteria for a diagnosis...\n\n\nAll the best!
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Psychosis can be "comorbid" (happen at the same time) as other disorders like Aspergers. If someone already has one form of neurological imbalance, they are more susceptible to other forms as well.\n\nMy son is on the opposite side of this as yours. He initially was screened when he was 7 for autism-spectrum disorders (especially Asperger's), found not to be autistic, given "inattentive ADHD" diagnosis to cover his needs in school until something clearer emerged, and now is diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Psychotic Disorder NOS (age 12). The medications do not take care of all the symptoms, but they make his conditions manageable. Right now he's constantly claiming to be "sensing the energy from small earthquakes in the area," and I've been using the USGS Earthquake site to show him that there's nothing really happening. Sigh. I think the hardest part for me right now is the night terrors, where he is screaming and trying to claw his way into the wall to get away from whatever he is seeing, including me. The only thing that eventually reaches and calms him is for me to sing the lullabies I used when he was an infant (from about 20 feet away). It is surreal to be at one end of the hall at 2:00 in the morning, with soft singing of "Hush Little Baby" comingling with the raw and painful screetches of terror echoing through our house.\n\nThe best way to deal with your son's anxiety is to try to maintain as consistent a routine as possible in all things, and be understanding about the psychotic episodes. If the meds are not working to calm the worst aspects of the psychosis, and the person managing his meds right now insists it is appropriate, get a second opinion.
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Hi, I'm a primary school teacher, so when I read your question, I wanted to help you out.\nI found a thread for you- it suggests lots of books and activities recommended by other parents who have autistic children. Hope it helps!
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Here is info on asperger syndrome from WebMd.\n\nhttp://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103527.htm
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Absolutely: having one 'disorder' (I'm hesitant to call autism, especially high-functioning as yours obviously is, a disorder as this is offensive to many people with autism!) does not mean you cannot have another. Here is very very recent review to confirm this:\n\nStewart ME, Barnard L, Pearson J, Hasan R, O'Brien G, 2006\n\nDepression is common in autism and Asperger syndrome, but despite this, there has been little research into this issue. This review considers the current literature on the prevalence, presentation, treatment and assessment of depression in autism and Asperger syndrome. There are diagnostic difficulties when considering depression in autism and Asperger syndrome, as the characteristics of these disorders, such as social withdrawal and appetite and sleep disturbance, are also core symptoms of depression. Impaired verbal and non-verbal communication can mask the symptoms of depression. Symptoms associated with autism and Asperger syndrome such as obsessionality and self-injury may be increased during an episode of depression. There is a clear need to develop specific tools both for diagnostic purposes and for measurement of depression in autism and Asperger syndrome in order to help alleviate the distress caused by this treatable illness.\n\nI believe you can get the full-text of that artical on www.pubmed.org http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16522713&query_hl=69&itool=pubmed_docsum\n but you may have to pay... try searching the web?\n\nAnyway, I'm pretty sure that treatment will be the basic SSRI meds, but I would of course recommend psychological methods first- much more effective in the long run, and less likely to have side-effects! Cognitive-behavioural therapy works wonders...\n\nAll the best, I hope that helps!
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Two of my sons have Asperger's Syndrome. It's not a disease.\n\nAsperger's Syndrome is very high functioning austism. People who have Asperger's (also called Aspie's or AS) are generally socially clumsy or inhibited or immature for their age. \n\nAspies tend to be obsessed with one or two things that interest them and not much else. For example, my son Ken is fascinated with electronics. He can tell you how to build a diode, but getting him to remember to bathe can be a real chore.\n\nAsperger's generally affects far more boys than girls, the reason for this is unknown. Also, kids with Asperger's are NOT mentally retarded in any way, in fact, quite the opposite, on IQ tests, these kids score in genius levels. Example, my boys have IQs of 153 and 147 respectively.\n\nSocial interaction is very difficult for kids with Asperger's. They tend to bore other kids because of their single minded obsessions, and thus get picked on a lot. They also get easily bored or frustrated with other kids because they cannot understand why the other kids could care less about the difference between the wing design on one sort of plane versus another.\n\nAlso, people with AS have a hard time understanding body language and facial expressions. This makes it difficult for them to realize that other people want to end a conversational topic, or have a turn to talk, or whatever.\n\nYour day care provider is probably following the advice of her son's autism specialist in trying to create as stress free an environment as possible for her son to be in. He probably comes home from school completely emotionally overloaded and walking into a house full of yet more children probably overwhelms him to the point that he can't do much of anything but sit there staring at the wall, entering what in our house we call "shut down" mode.\n\nI hope this helps you understand Asperger's a little bit more. If not, you can get more information at Wikipedia:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger's_syndrome
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Try this link for the "Westchester Advocates for Individuals with High Functioning Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and other PDDs".  They can put you in touch with the help you need.
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Asperger's is a very confusing experience, not just in adolescence.  It is a mild form of Autism, so everything is confusing and strange.  Can't be put into words.
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Hey!!!\n\nNice to meet you! My name is Michelle. I am seventeen. I also have mild Autism--higher-functioning Autism, ADHD, and Bipolar Disorder (mood disorder)--highs and lows--one moment depressed and one moment happy.\n\nAnyway, I'd love to be your friend--you can email me anytime at Luvs2Write16@aol.com.\n\nI also have a support group for individuals on the Autism spectrum called "Aspies Are Us." It's located on Yahoo... Again, nice to meet you!\n\nTake care,\n\nMichelle
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My best friend's sister has Autism.\nMy sister knows someone who has a child who's Autistic.\nAnd a mother brought her Autistic child to me for dance lessons.\nSo that's three.
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Go to www.autismspeaks.com answers everything...
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Interesting question.  I hadn't even thought of this question yet.  True, there is/are NO definitive cause/s of Autism.  Recent studies studies are showing, however, possible genetic links.  More studies are being done because more and more siblings, of people with Autism, are being born on the spectrum, or with closely related developmental disorders.  These recent studies show changes in ALL chromosomes...not just one as found in other disorders like Downs.  Remember, though, NOTHING definitive at this point.\n\nMy intuition tells me that it is possible for an adult with Autism to have a child who is also on the spectrum.  I see too many families with multiple children on the spectrum.  I see twins who both have it.  There is something genetic...there just has to be.  What are the chances in numbers?  I wish I, or anyone else, could say.  Best of luck!
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When someone says "autism" they can mean one of two things.\n1. The specific term "classic" autism or "autistic disorder."  \n2. The more generally "Autism Spectrum Disorder,"  "Spectrum" being the key word.  \nAsperger's, sometimes referred to as "high functioning autism," is on the spectrum.\n\nSymptoms of Classic Autism include:\n1. severe social disabilities (little or no eye contact, difficulty understanding others think differently than themselves, etc.)\n2. little or no verbal skills, (neither my niece or nephew could talk but my niece understands a lot but my nephew didn't.)\n&  3. repetative movements like rocking & hand flapping.\n\nSymptoms of Asperger's include:\n1. social disabilities (little eye contact, difficulty reading body language & tone of voice, etc.)\n2. odd speech (There may not be delays in speech, but they may have difficulty understanding figures of speech & will often speak monotone.)\n&  3. repetative movements like rocking & hand flapping, but not as severely.  \n\nClassic Autism makes up 12 - 36 % of all the people "on the autism spectrum"\nAspergers makes up 62 - 86% of all the people "on the autism spectrum"\nThe rest (Rett's, CDC, PDD-NOS) make up less than 3%.
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Wow, what a handful you have! He is high functioning isn't he? Well, I hope you go to see the doctor for his mood. Has he always been antisocial? That is pretty much an autistic trait unfortunatly. Just talk to him about it. How is he feeling lately? Try some theapy with a therapist who deals with autism  (a plus if they are also a relationship therapy.) Are there many that you know of? Have you visited his doctor? Talk to his family about it.
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All my links are here if they are of any use to you [just ignore all the other links on my Blinklist ;oP] - http://www.blinklist.com/Tarnished_Sprout/Autism - very few there, but I found them interesting.
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I think the first place to look would be the 'official' diagnostic tool for autism: DSM-IV (or ICD-10): this will tell you how autism is diagnosed, and will help you decide which type of autism you want to be investiagting:\n\nDSM-IV Criteria, Pervasive Developmental Disorders\n299.00 Autistic Disorder\n\nA. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):\n\n    (1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:\n\n        (a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to- eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction\n\n        (b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level\n\n        (c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)\n\n        (d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity \n\n    (2) qualitative impairments in communication, as manifested by at least one of the following:\n\n        (a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)\n\n        (b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others\n\n        (c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language\n\n        (d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level\n\n    (3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:\n\n        (a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus\n\n        (b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals\n\n        (c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements)\n\n        (d) persistent precoccupation with parts of objects \n\nB. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.\n\nC. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or childhood disintegrative disorder.\n\n299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified\n\nThis category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder, or avoidant personality disorder. For example, this category includes "atypical autism" --presentations that do not meet the criteria for autistic disorder because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these.\n\n299.80 Asperger's Disorder\n\nA. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:\n\n    (1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction\n\n    (2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level\n\n    (3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)\n\n    (4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity \n\nB. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyp