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Originally Posted by CraigSca
Eagle, I know they say Asperger's is part of the autism spectrum. Is that a definite, or just a theory? My wife and I are considering getting autism awareness magnets for our cars, but my concern is that Asperger's is such a "different" form of autism that a magnet really will not do much. A magnet isn't going to teach others that my child's obnoxious behavior is because he has sensitivity to loud sounds, bright sunlight, etc., and has very little comprehension of other's feelings. When I think of autism, I think of the child staring out the window for hours at a time with very little human interaction. My son is nothing like that- but if my wife and I didn't have a child like him I would have never know there are varying degrees of autism. I'm just concerned that if other people think he's autistic they obviously will not have the level of education my wife and I have on the subject and therefore will label him and possibly blacklist him.
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Well, I always say that almost nothing is definitely in life, but I do believe that Aspergers is in the Autistic Spectrum and certainly if you go by the strict diagnostic criteria than by the very defining characteristics it is part of the Autism Spectrum. I also think that there are some clinicians out there that falsly diagnose someone as Aspergers and it can be a tricky diagnosis at times. I really can't wait til functional MRI's become advanced enough and we can really develop the science that a scan will help us make a truly definitive diagnosis, but perhaps I'm a bit of a dreamer.. we'll see.
But to get back on track, I understand your concerns. As a clinician, I'm reluctant to apply labels to my patients for the very reasons that you mention. I don't want to stick labels that may stick for a very long time onto a child unless I'm sure. If I'm sure, I want to make the diagnosis to make sure that they get the care and help that they need.
However, I definitely believe it is a spectrum and there are different levels of Autism and also of Aspergers. I have one kid who has a very high IQ and is quite functional, but looking back on his records before he had treatment, I have no doubt that he really has Aspergers.
I also think it is important for parents to educate those around them about their child's special needs and also his/her ability levels (which can be quite high in areas.) I'm sure you know there are many support groups out there including some very good groups.
I'd also like to recommend a very good book.
"Helping Children with Autism Learn: Treatment Approaches for Parents and Professionals." It is a book by Bryna Siegel who is one of the foremost experts on Autism. She is a professor of psychiatry at UCSF and she has a great deal of good information in this book that addresses different degrees of autism, what to expect, educational aspects, and advocating for your child's education as he grows up and things to look for in schools. Her earlier book, "The World of the Autistic Child" is a classic, and is also worth reading at some point.